Roullete (or roulette) is a classic casino game that has been offering glamour, mystery and excitement to players since the 17th century. It’s an easy-to-learn game that has a surprising level of depth for serious bettors and can reward them with high payouts. Despite its relatively simple rules, it has spawned an entire culture of myth and legend around how to beat the house edge in roulette.

While some players believe that the game can be beaten by employing complex mathematical systems, American mathematician Patrick Billingsley asserted in a 1960 book that there is no way to consistently gain an advantage in roulette. Nevertheless, many gamblers have tried to improve their odds of winning by placing bets on specific numbers or types of bets, or by seeking out rigged wheels, and some have succeeded.

Roulette is played on a table that has a numbered layout and a spinning wheel, with red and black pockets for the ball to land in. The wheel itself has the numbers randomized, and it can spin clockwise or counter-clockwise. Each player is given a set of colored chips that represent their respective bets, and the dealer (or croupier) asks each player what denomination they want to assign each chip. Once everyone has chosen their chips, the croupier throws the ball into the rotating wheel and watches as it bounces around until it settles into one of the pockets on the roulette wheel.

Each roulette table carries a placard that describes the minimum and maximum bets allowed. In most casinos, the minimum bet is $5, while the maximum is typically $1,000. Online roulette games also vary, and it is generally best to play European roulette because the house edge is lower than the American version. If possible, look for French roulette with the “la partage” rule, which reduces the house edge even further.