Roullete is a casino game in which players bet on individual numbers or various groupings of numbers, as well as the color red or black, and whether a number is odd or even. It is one of the most popular casino games around and can be found in most brick-and-mortar casinos and at many online casinos. There are different bets available, such as the straight bet (a single number), split bet (two adjacent numbers) and street bet (three numbers on a horizontal line).
A special feature of roulette is that it includes a specific type of wager called a “called bet.” This bet type is only present in European roulette and French roulette, and it involves placing chips on a grouping of numbers based on their placement on the wheel.
The roulette wheel consists of a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape, with 35 compartments or pockets painted alternately black and red. A 36th pocket, painted green, carries the sign for 0, while two more green pockets on American wheels carry the signs 0 and 00. The pockets are spaced evenly around the rim, so that each segment of the circle contains 12 compartments.
Besides the pockets, the wheel also has some other unique characteristics that influence the outcome of a spin. First, the ball is not made from real ivory; it is usually made from synthetic materials that resemble the look and feel of real ivory. In addition, the dimensions and weight of the ball have a significant impact on its behaviour when it is spinning.
Finally, the house edge in American roulette is higher than that of European roulette due to the presence of the additional green pockets on the American wheel. For this reason, we recommend playing European or French roulette if possible. If you play the latter, ask the dealer for coloured chips instead of cash; this will lower your risk by not having to spend the money you have won on new bets.