Roulette is a game of chance where players place bets on a number, section or color of a rotating wheel. Players do this by placing chips on a betting mat, with the precise location of each chip reflecting what kind of bet is being made.
The wheel has thirty-six red and black compartments, plus one or two green pockets (on American wheels only). Each of these has a different probability of being hit.
Origin
There is a great deal of speculation surrounding the origins of roulette. Some believe that it was invented by 17th-century French mathematician Blaise Pascal. Other theories say that it came from China, where it was played by monks who traveled the country. The game would then be brought to France by Dominican monks, where it eventually became a popular gambling game at casinos and gambling houses in the 1700s.
Others believe that roulette was influenced by the Italian board game biribi, which also features a spinning wheel and numbered pockets. Whatever the case may be, it is safe to say that roulette is of European origin, and most likely found its way to America as more and more French migrants made their way over here.
Variations
The game of roulette has many variations. Each version of the game carries some differences in odds, expected value and house advantage. The variations are primarily based on the make-up of the roulette wheel. The most popular variation is European Roulette, which has 38 pockets and a single zero. Another variation is Double Action Roulette, which is offered by TCSJOHNHUXLEY and utilises their Mark VII roulette wheel. It is played in a similar way to the standard game but uses French names for the bets on the table.