What is Roulette?
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010The name of roulette means “small wheel” in French, relating to the spinning wheel that forms the basis of what has become the most iconic game of chance in the world.
Roulette is usually played by eight players and can also be played in online based casinos like Betfair Casino. In European and French roulette, the roulette wheel itself has thirty seven slots on it representing thirty six numbers and one zero. The US version is usually slightly different, as most wheels have two zeros and therefore a total of thirty eight slots. The wheel is spun by the croupier, or the dealer, who represents the House (the casino). The croupier also handles all the wagers and payouts.
When a player buys in on the roulette table, each player has different coloured chips. This prevents their bets from getting mixed up with other people. After play has ended, if you win then you can exchange your coloured chips for cash chips from the croupier. These chips have monetary values printed on them, and you can then exchange them for real cash at the casino’s cash desk.
To play the game of roulette, you place your bet or multiple bets upon numbers printed on the table. When everyone has had a chance to place their bet, the croupier spins the wheel. Just as the wheel begins to slow and the ball is about to land in one of the slots, the croupier will declare “no more bets.” From then onwards, no player can place or change their bet until the ball has dropped.
In French roulette, the croupier will point with a stick to the winning number on the table. In American roulette, the croupier uses a marker made out of wood or plastic to mark the winning number by placing it on the table in the corresponding square. This marker is commonly known as the “dolly”.
You win if your bet is on or around the number that came up on the wheel.