roulette

Roulette is a casino game in which players place bets on the outcome of a spinning wheel and a ball that settles into a numbered pocket on a corresponding layout. The wheel is divided into numbered pockets, typically colored red and black, with either one or two green pockets representing zero and, in some variants, double zero. Bets can be placed on individual numbers, groups of numbers, or the overall colors and ranges, with payouts reflecting the statistical likelihood of each outcome.

There are several common variants of roulette. European roulette uses a wheel with 37 pockets (numbers 0 through 36) and a single zero, while American roulette adds a second green pocket (00), increasing the house edge. French roulette is similar to European but often offers additional rules such as La Partage or En Prison on even-money bets, which can reduce the house edge. Bets are divided into inside bets, which are placed on specific numbers or small groups, and outside bets, which cover larger categories such as red/black or odd/even.

The house edge varies by variant: European roulette typically yields about 2.7 percent, American roulette about 5.26 percent, and French roulette can be as low as around 1.35 percent on certain bets due to La Partage or En Prison. While players may employ various betting schemes, no strategy eliminates the built-in advantage to the house over time.

Historically, roulette originated in France in the 18th century and evolved through European casinos before becoming a staple of modern gambling, including online and live-hosted formats. Online versions may use random-number generation or live dealer streams and may feature additional variants such as mini roulette or multi-wheel formats.