Roulette is a game of chance based entirely on luck. Players place chips on a betting mat, the exact placement of which determines the bet being made.
A roulette wheel contains thirty-six compartments, numbered red and black alternately and arranged in a nonconsecutive pattern. There are also two green compartments, labelled 0 and 00.
Origin
The origin of roulette is a bit of a mystery. There are many theories, but most scholars believe it was invented in 17th century France. One theory is that the game was invented by Blaise Pascal, a French scientist who was studying probability at the time. Another theory is that it was derived from games like Roly Poly and Even/Odd, which were already popular in Europe at the time. Finally, some people think that it was based on ancient Chinese board games brought to Europe by Dominican monks. The first written reference to the game appeared in a gambling regulations document published in New France (now Quebec, Canada) in 1758. The game was included on a list of banned games. The modern version of the game with 38 numbers and a double-zero was introduced in the 1800s.
Bets
There are a number of different betting opportunities available on roullete. The most risky is a split bet, or cheval in French, which involves placing your chip(s) to straddle the line between two numbers on the layout. If you are right, this bet will pay 17-1. Another less risky bet is the Street Bet, or transversal in French. This wager is placed by placing your chips on the outside border of a row and pays 11-1 if you are right.
