Roullete (pronounced “roullet”) is a casino game that combines chance and skill. Players place chips on a table map, and a croupier spins a wheel. The ball then lands in one of the pockets on the roulette wheel, and winners are paid according to betting odds. Players may bet on individual numbers, groups of numbers, the color red or black, or whether the number is odd or even. The rules are simple enough for a novice to grasp, but serious players can employ complex betting strategies and win big prizes.
The word derives from the French for “little wheel,” reflecting the appearance of the game’s revolving dishlike device, with 37 or 38 compartments and a single or double zero. The simplest bet is straight up, on a single number or group of numbers, but players also can place other bets, including a color, an odd-even bet, or first, second, and third dozen bets. The odds of winning these bets are much less favorable, but the payouts are higher than with other bets.
Roulette’s storied past includes fanciful accounts of its invention by 17th-century French mathematician Blaise Pascal and by Dominican monks. The game is known for glamour and mystery, but it’s also a simple game with surprising depth that can be enjoyed by all ages and experience levels.
For nearly 25 years, Roulette, founded in a TriBeCa loft by trombonist Jim Staley, served as a laboratory for downtown music. It helped nurture a generation of composers and improvisers, and the venue became a home for performers like John Zorn, Shelley Hirsch, George Lewis, Ikue Mori, and Zeena Parkins. Its long main room echoed with their sounds, and visitors had to pass through the kitchen—a reminder that Staley lived there, too.
Unlike other casino games, players do not use regular casino chips to make their bets. Instead, each player gets a special set of roulette chips with specific colors to help them identify their bets from those of others at the table. The dealer will remove any losing wagers from the table, and the winning bets are paid out based on the payout chart. Then, the croupier will start the process over again with the next round of betting.
Although there are many different betting strategies for playing roulette, none can consistently beat the house edge. The best way to improve your chances of winning is to learn about the various bet types, their odds, and payouts, and then practice with demo games or real money. The Martingale strategy, which involves increasing your bet size after each loss, can help you build a bankroll. However, this method of betting can quickly deplete your bankroll if you lose too often. For this reason, it is recommended that you only play roulette with money you can afford to lose. For more information, check out our roulette strategy guide.