It is said that the first man to play roulette was from 17th century France but the origin of the game is hazier than some people would want us to believe. Today, many people play roulette as it is now one of the most popular gambling games. Monte Carlo in Monaco is quite well known since it is one of the most famous places where you can play roulette.
Play Roulette: The Basics
Before you play roulette you need to know a few basics involved in the game. The number of players who play roulette is usually eight although 6 players can also play roulette quite aptly. The players play roulette against the house which is represented by the dealer who is sometimes called the croupier.
To play roulette, the dealer spins the wheel and lets the players place their bets on the table. The European roulette wheel is comprised of 37 slots that are numbered from 0 to 36. The American version of the wheel contains 38 slots since it has an extra zero, the double-zero or 00.
When you play roulette you need chips which represent your bets in the game. The chips used in roulette are different from other casino chips since the roulette chips are unique to each roulette table. The colors of the chips are used to distinguish one player’s bet from another.
Play Roulette: Placing the Bets
To play roulette, you need to place your bets on numbers indicated in the table layout, either inside or outside. When all the players in the table have placed their bets, the croupier spins the wheel in one direction and launches the ball in another direction. At this time, players can continue to change their bets or place in more bets until such a time that the croupier declares, “No more bets.” When that moment occurs, no one in the table is allowed to change or place his bet until the ball rests on one of the slots.
When you play roulette, the winner is determined by the number of the slot on which the ball rests after the spin. The dealer places a dolly or a win marker on the winning number on the table and collects all the losing bets.
Play Roulette: The House Advantage
When you play roulette, it is important that you know what the house advantage is. Every casino has a certain percentage of advantage over the gamblers. Think of it as tax or whatever since it is unalterable. In American roulette where the number of slots is 38, the house advantage is 5.26%. This means that when you play roulette at an American table, your $100-bet turns up a casino profit of $5.26. In contrast, the European only has 37 slots so this means that the house advantage is significantly lower at 2.7%. So if you want to play roulette and get the best chances of winning, it might be a good idea to play in European tables.