Game rules for Roulette

Overview

Roulette is a classic game of chance found at most casinos today. With a long and distinguished history, this game conjures up images of opulent European casinos and fortunes being made and lost at the spin of a wheel.

Objective of the Game

The objective of roulette is to predict in which slot the ball will fall once the wheel comes to a standstill. Winning predictions are paid out according to a paytable.

European vs American Roulette

A typical game of roulette is played on a custom-designed roulette table and a wheel. The classic European roulette wheel consists of 37 slots – the numbers one through to 36 and a 0. When the game made its way across the oceans to the United States, casino owners increased the house edge by adding another 0 to the wheel, so that an American roulette wheel consists of 38 slots (0 and 00).

How to Play Roulette

Bets are placed on the roulette table, which reflects the different betting options in the game.

An announcement is made by the croupier that there are no more bets to be had.

The wheel is spun and the ball is thrown into the wheel as it turns.

The wheel stops spinning after the ball lands in a slot.

All winning numbers are isolated on the roulette table.

Losing bets are cleared from the table and winners are paid out accordingly.

Betting Options in Roulette

There is no one correct way to bet in roulette. As seen on the roulette table, there are a large number of betting options, ranging from simple odds/evens or black/red wagers that pay out 1:1, to the higher odds such as wagering on a group of four numbers.
Bets are generally divided into inside and outside bets and players should learn the different betting options well before trying the game of roulette.

Unique Roulette Rules

Depending on whether you are playing American or European roulette, you may come across the ‘en prison’ rule (which is more common in the latter version). This rule states that if the ball falls on a zero, the player is entitled to take back half his bet or he can leave the money ‘en prison’ for another round. If the next spin results in another zero, the player loses the bet. Another interesting roulette rule to look out for is the ‘la partage’ condition, which is similar to the ‘en prison’ rule only it doesn’t allow leaving the bet for the next spin.

Conclusion

Despite its relatively high house edge and the fact that this is a game of chance alone, roulette is definitely one of the most popular forms of gambling today, with online tournaments and interesting versions adding a new element of life to this classic game.