There are a variety of betting systems that claim to beat the odds at roulette. However, these systems are not foolproof.
The roulette wheel consists of 38 sections, alternately red and black, plus two green ones marked 0 and 00. Each section has a number, and the numbers are arranged in groups on the table.
Origin
The origin of roulette is a bit of a mystery. There are various stories, some of which are quite fanciful. One story says that the game was invented by 17th-century French scientist Blaise Pascal. Another story claims that the game was derived from the Italian board game biribi. This theory makes more sense than some of the others, because biribi involves betting on a numbered layout and is very similar to the modern roulette wheel. There is also a story that the game originated with Roman soldiers, who played a similar game using shields with symbols on them. There is no evidence of this though.
Variations
Roulette games can vary in terms of house edge and betting options, but they remain the same in terms of gameplay, payouts, and basic rules. If you’re a beginner, try to avoid roulette games with additional bets and special rules as these may have a higher house edge. Instead, opt for games that follow the European format and have a friendly house edge. For instance, French roulette contains more 0s on the wheel and offers a La Partage rule that gives half of the money lost on even-money bets back to players. It also uses different names for bets on the table such as Orphelins and Tiers du Zero.
Bets
There are a number of betting options on roullete and players should be aware of each of them before playing. Outside bets pay 2-1 while inside bets are paid at odds of 35 to 1. Straight up bets involve placing chips on a single number on the table layout and payout at 35 times the original wager. Split bets involve placing chips at the intersection of two numbers on the table and if successful, the payout is 17 times the original wager.