Roulette Basics
When people think of casinos, Roulette is often the first game that comes to mind, there is something inherently attractive about this wheel based game that keeps drawing the crowds. Not only is Roulette one of the easiest games to learn and play at the casino, it is also slower paced than most others which means it's great for beginners!
The Object of Roulette
The aim of the game of roulette is to select what you think the ball will land on at the next spin of the wheel. There are a host of numbers, combinations and options to choose from such as whether the number will be odd or even or red or black as well as inside and outside bets and it's your job to guess what will appear next.
Roulette Variations
While there are number of Roulette variations available particularly in online casinos, you'll generally come across two types of wheels within these. There is the European Roulette wheel which features 37 slots numbered 0-36 and the American Roulette wheel which features 38 slots and includes a "00" or double zero in it. Playing on a European wheel game variation is always preferable as the presence of the double zero slot on an American wheel increase the house edge considerably from 2.63% to 5.26%. So always check out the wheel before you start playing!
The Roulette Table Layout
Roulette tables generally have a standard layout that features two distinct betting areas. The inside area contains twelve rows of 3 numbers each in vertical columns, while the outside areas are made up of boxes containing red or black, odd or even and number grouping betting options.
How to Play Roulette
Whether you play land based or online roulette, you'll need to buy roulette chips and each player at the table receives a different colour to avoid confusion and disputes. Once you have your chips and a round has been completed you will be able to place your bets according to limits set out on the table. You are able to choose a number of inside and outside bets as well as a combination of these. The dealer will then spin the wheel containing the ball and you may move your bets around until the dealer announces "no more bets" at which time you should not touch the table again until the dealer has placed the marker on the winning number on the table and cleared the losing bets. If you win you will be paid out according to the paytable for your bet.
Two important Rules to look out for in Roulette
Both of these rules give players an advantage by reducing the standard house edge on certain bets considerably and are both worth looking out for:
The "En Prison" (in prison) rule
This rule is not featured at all casinos but you may come across it at casinos online. It comes into play on even money bets where the ball lands on zero and a player is given the option of retracting his/her bet or leaving it on the table (en prison) for the next spin of the wheel. If the latter is selected and the ball lands on zero again, the bet is lost.
The "La Partage" rule
Again, this is a rule that is sometimes available but is not necessarily present in every casino. It applies to even money outside bets (ie. Red or Black, Odd/Even etc.) only when the ball lands on zero and ensures that the player loses only a half of his/her bet rather than the entire bet. Unlike the "en prison" bet, the player is not required to leave their wager in for the next spin.