Roulette (French for “little wheel”) is a casino game in which bettors wager on numbers or combinations of numbers with colors (red or black) to determine who wins their bet. A roulette wheel and series of pockets provide betting space, and a croupier spins it before sending out small balls into one or more pockets to determine who has won their bet.
Odds of hitting one single number with a straight bet are 37 to 1, yet only 35-1 payout occurs; this discrepancy gives the house its edge. Roulette has been played since 17th century; European-style roulette developed over time at gambling dens and casinos across Europe while American version emerged separately with different layout and wheel.
Though many theories exist regarding its genesis, most scholars agree that modern roulette was created in France during the early 18th century from earlier games such as hoca and portique. Over time it became a widespread craze across Europe before reaching America following an initial ban.
To play roulette, place chips on the table map according to your desired bets. These could include wagers on single numbers or groups of numbers; red or black colors; odd/even numbers or whether or not your bet will win; once bets have been placed the dealer clears out and pays winners before betting for another round begins.
Once all losing bets have been cleared from the table, the croupier spins the wheel and tosses a ball into one of the pockets – this determines which number wins based on which pocket the ball lands in – while players who betted on that particular number receive their winnings as per the payout table. Straight up bets on one number can return 392 chips; any remaining winning chips remain the property of the player and not taken off of the table to prevent cheating; this process is known as cold shoe betting. So the casino can preserve the integrity of its bets and profits while protecting itself. Furthermore, this practice ensures that every spin of the wheel is truly random and independent of previous results. A cold shoe – in which croupiers cannot see which chips have been laid on the table or bets placed – is essential in preventing fraud and corruption from taking place in casinos.