Roullete, the French word for wheel, is a popular casino game with many variants. A roulette game consists of a spinning wheel with thirty-six compartments or pockets painted alternately red and black, numbered one through 36 (as well as two green ones on American wheels). A croupier spins the wheel while players place their chips on a betting mat, with specific locations for each bet type. Prior to the ball’s arrival on a number, a croupier will mark each player’s chips with their current winning amount. The dealer then reveals the payout and parcels the remaining chips to each player.

The most common bets in roulette are straight up and split bets on individual numbers. The odds of these bets are high, but the house edge is higher than other bet types. Other popular bets include a red/black bet and an odd/even bet. There are also bets on groups of numbers, or the color of a number (red or black). These bets have lower odds, but can still yield large payouts.

Roulette’s popularity has grown as the game has spread around the world. Its fame has been fueled by its unique wheel and betting layout, and by the fact that it is one of the few casino games where cheating is impossible.

While there are many different roulette variations, the most popular in physical casinos and on online platforms is European roulette. This version features a single zero, which decreases the house edge to 2.7% and magnifies a player’s chances of winning. American roulette, on the other hand, has a double zero and lowers the odds to 5.26%. This is why novice players should stick with the European version.