The table is covered with a felt layout with boxes for the numbers 1 through 36 arranged in three columns and 12 rows. At one end is a wheel, with a notch in the table where the dealer stands. Roulette is played at an elongated table.

Let's begin by getting you familiar with the equipment and rules of the game. In this article, you will learn the basics of roulette, as well as how and when to bet, to increase your odds of winning. Facing fewer decisions per hour, the roulette player who bets $5 per spin faces an expected loss per hour only slightly higher than that of an average blackjack player who has not learned basic strategy. So while craps moves at 100 or so rolls per hour and blackjack about 60 hands per hour, roulette moves at a more stately pace - roughly 45 spins per hour. The dealer - the French may call them croupiers, but in the United States they're dealers - gives players plenty of time to choose among the dozens of available betting combinations then it takes time to spin the wheel and the ball before a winner is determined. It can be an entertaining, relaxing way to spend some time. The house advantage in roulette comes from the 0 on the French wheel and the 0 and 00 on the American wheel.Įven at the higher house advantage on an American wheel, most casino-goers sit in for a few spins sooner or later. All bets at both wheels are paid at odds that would be true if only the 36 numbers existed. The French wheel has 36 numbers plus a single 0 the American wheel has 36 numbers plus 0 and 00. The difference is the 00 featured on the American wheel, which is not placed on the French wheel in use at European casinos. It is one of the mainstays of Monte Carlo and other European resorts. In Europe, on the other hand, roulette draws big crowds. But roulette is in danger of being passed in popularity by newer games such as Caribbean Stud Poker and Let It Ride. It draws more players than baccarat, mostly because the baccarat pits have traditionally been closed to low-budget players.

On the grand scale of American casino games, roulette has one of the smallest followings, with nowhere near the popularity of slot machines, video poker, blackjack, or craps. Amy Sussman/Getty Images for the Consulate General of Monaco

Pictures of a roulette wheel