Introduction
Roulette is one of the oldest and most recognizable casino games. Its popularity is due mostly to the simplicity of the game, and the interaction between the players. The goal of the game is to guess which number on the Roulette wheel will be randomly selected. The "croupier" (French for "dealer") places the ball on the spinning wheel, and releases it in the direction opposite to spin of the wheel. The number the ball lands on, or "hits", is the winning number.

There are many ways to bet and win at Roulette - these are discussed in the Betting section below. There are two different types of Roulette: American, which uses 38 numbers (0,00, and 1 to 36), and European, which uses 37 numbers (0, and 1 to 36). The difference in play between these two games is somewhat significant. Since the European game has one less number, the odds of a particular number hitting are slightly higher. Obviously, this means that your chances of winning are higher on a European game. Always choose a European game if you have the option. For convenience sake, for now we will focus on the slightly more complex American game. The differences between the two games will be explained in more detail later on.

Playing
In order to start playing Roulette, you will have to trade in some of your regular casino chips for a special set of Roulette chips. Roulette chips are colour coded so that each player at the table has his/her own colour. This makes it easier to see which bets belong to which player.

Like most other casino games, Roulette has maximum and minimum amounts for different types of bets. These will normally be posted at the table you're playing. If they're not, just ask the croupier for them.

Players place their bets by positioning chips in the appropriate locations on the table (see below). During this time, the Roulette wheel spins at low speed. Bets can be placed at any time up until the croupier calls "no more bets", at which point the wheel is sped up. The croupier then releases the ball into the wheel, and the speed is lowered again. This causes the ball to fall into the number circle. It will eventually come to rest, thereby determining the winning number. Losing bets are then collected, and winnings paid out, and the procedure is repeated.

Betting
Roulette has a wide variety of betting options to choose from. Different bets have different odds, as well as different payouts. Within the descriptions below, in brackets, the odds will be given in red, and the payout will be given in green. As an example, a Straight bet has odds of 1:38, which means you have a 1 in 38 chance of winning. However, the actual payout is only 1:35 - for every $1 you bet, you win an additional $35, for a total of $36. This differential is called the "House Edge", and is explained below.

The numbers on the table are laid out in columns and rows, and are coloured either black or red (corresponding to their colour on the wheel). A Roulette bet is identified by where the chip is placed on the table. A bet made on a specific number or group of numbers is called an "Inside Bet", and a bet made on one of the outer, broad choices is called an "Outside Bet".

Inside Bets
There are six different ways to bet on numbers directly, called Inside Bets. They are the Straight, the Split, the Street, the Square, the 5 Number Line Bet, and the 6 Number Line Bet.

The Straight (1:38, 1:35) is a bet placed on just one of the 38 numbers (1-36, 0, or 00). This is the simplest bet one can make; it has the lowest odds and the highest payout. To make a Straight bet, chips are placed directly on the desired number.

With the Split (2:38, 1:17), you can bet on two numbers at once, however they must be adjacent to each other on the table. Place your chips on the middle of the line separating adjacent numbers, and if either of them hits you win.

Betting on a row of three numbers at once is a Street bet (3:38, 1:11). A Street bet is placed on the middle of the line at the far edge of the desired row.

The Square (4:38, 1:8) bet allows you to wager on four mutually adjacent numbers at once. This is done by placing chips at the point where the corners of all four numbers touch.

The 5-number Line Bet (5:38, 1:6) is a five number bet that can only be made on one combination of numbers, 0-00-1-2-3. This bet is made by placing chips anywhere on the dividing line between 0 and 1. This bet is only available in the American game, as the European doesn't have the 00. As well, it is also the worst bet a player can make because of it's higher House Edge as you'll see below.

The 6-number Line Bet (6:38, 1:5) is similar to the 5, but can be made on any two rows of adjacent numbers. Chips should be placed on the corner shared by the two rows at the far side of the table.

Outside Bets
Surrounding the numbers on the table are the areas where Outside Bets are placed. These consist of the Even Money (1:1) bets (High/Low, Red/ Black, and Odd/Even), the Column bets, and the Dozen bets.

Even Money bets (18:38) are made simply by placing your chips in the appropriate rectangle. There are three choices for Even Money bets: High/Low: the winning number will either be High (19-36) or Low (1-18); Red/Black: the winning number will either be Red or Black; Odd/Even: the winning number will either be Odd or Even.

Dozen Bets (12:38) split the numbers into three equal groupings on which you can bet: the 1st Twelve (1-12), the 2nd Twelve (13-24) and the 3rd Twelve (25-36).

You can also wager on groups of twelve numbers with Column Bets (12:38). These wagers are made on the three columns of numbers on the table.

The House Edge - American vs. European
The House Edge is the percentage of each win that the casino keeps as a sort of payment. As mentioned above, a Straight bet nets $36 for every $1 bet, but the odds say you should get $38. The casino keeps this $2 for the privilege of letting you play their game. In percentage it is about 5.26%. This is the percentage for the House Edge for all bets, except for the 5-number Line Bet, which is 7.29% making it the worst bet a player can make in American Roulette.

The European game has only 37 numbers, but the payout is still the same. With the absence of the 00, the House Edge is significantly lower (2.63% as opposed to 5.26%). This, combined with the better odds of hitting a specific number, make playing the European game more advantageous.

The Surrender Option
In the European game, and in a few American games, there is an option on Even-Money bets called the Surrender. Surrender basically gives you a chance to win your bet back after you lose and Even-Money bet. Say, for instance, you bet on Black and lose. With Surrender your bet would stay where it is, and if Black comes up on the very next spin, you would get that original bet back. You would not, however, get the winnings. This option reduces the House Edge to 1.35% in the European game, and 2.63% in the American. Be sure to ask if the Surrender is allowed before playing though, because it is not always available.

Tips and Strategy
When playing an American game, don't play the 5-number Line Bet. It has a higher House Edge and isn't worth it.

If you're losing, it's time to switch games. Because of the House Edge, Roulette is a game that isn't worth staying at for very long, especially if things aren't going well.

As with any casino game, it's wise to set a limit for yourself, and don't go over it.

As you start playing, only bet the minimum until you get a win. Use the winnings to slowly increase your bets, and then level off. If you lose, go back to betting the minimum and start over. This way you'll use up your actually money more slowly, allowing you more time to play and enjoy the game.

Watch what other people are betting on, especially high rollers. If they're winning, follow their lead. Maybe they have a strategy you haven't seen before that works.

Some gamblers believe it is possible to watch a particular croupier's dropping style over a long period of time (days), so that they can eventually predict what area the ball will stop in. This involves hours of carefully watching spin after spin and keeping track of the numbers that hit. There are others who say that this method doesn't work, so it's a toss up.

Roulette wheels are delicate pieces of machinery; any slight defect can cause the randomness of the ball to be reduced. Sometimes a Roulette wheel that hasn't been serviced in a while (especially in less classy casinos) will have "sectors" where the ball is more prone to hitting. Again, spotting these takes diligence and patience, recording the hitting numbers to try and come up with a pattern.

Some casinos have also been caught cheating their players with rigged machines. The procedure is called "gaffing", and involves adding electro-magnets to the under carriage of the wheel and a magnetized ball. If the house keeps winning, and you suspect this might be why, it's best just to get up and leave. Accusing a casino of cheating is quite dangerous, as they have large men that will take you "out back", and proving this claim involves ripping the wheel apart.

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