How does roulette work?
Roulette is a casino game built around a spinning wheel with numbered slots. A small ball is released onto the spinning wheel, and wherever it lands determines the outcome. Players bet on where they think the ball will land before each spin.
The basics of play
A standard European roulette wheel has 37 slots numbered 0 through 36. American wheels add a 00 pocket, making 38 total. Numbers 1-36 alternate between red and black; 0 and 00 are green. Players place chips on a betting layout covering individual numbers, groups of numbers, colors, odd or even, and high or low. Once the dealer calls no more bets, the ball is spun and all outcomes are settled.
How payouts work
A straight-up bet on a single number pays 35:1. Bets covering larger groups of numbers pay less but win more often. Outside bets covering roughly half the numbers (red/black, odd/even, 1-18 or 19-36) pay 1:1. The zero (and double zero on American wheels) falls outside all outside bets, which is where the house edge comes from — even bets that seem to cover half the wheel don’t cover the green zero.