The History & Rules of Roulette

The origins of roulette date back to the 17th century, when French inventor Blaise Pascal created the first roulette wheel. Pascal had been studying probabilities and invented the wheel as an accident, looking to create a perpetual motion machine. The roulette wheel quickly became a popular gambling staple in Paris and before you know it, it made it’s way over to the United States. Since it’s creation, the roulette wheel has undergone several reconstructions, mainly to improve the house odds. Here’s a quick look at the game setup, rules, and what it takes to win:

The Table: A roulette table has a wheel at one end and a numbered chart in the center of the other. The chart has three columns of twelve, numbered from 1-36 and pictured on a red or black background. There are also two boxes above the “1, 2 and 3” for 0 and 00. These make up the possible “inside bets.” To the side and bottom of the numbered boxes there are boxes for “outside bets,” which will be explained later on.

The Wheel: A standard roulette wheel has 38 numbered slots picturing numbers 1-36, 0 and 00. The background color of each number – red or black – will match what is shown on the table grid. The dealer spins the wheel in one direction and a small plastic ball the opposite direction. Whichever number/color combination the ball stops on is what hits for that round.

The Objective: In order to win in roulette you must bet on a space on the table that corresponds with the number that has hit. Depending on how you bet, you may win on exact number, color, even or odd, or a combination of all three.

The Rules: When making a bet you must place the amount of chips you’d like to wager on your desired inside or outside bet. There are a ton of ways to bet on a roulette table, but here’s a quick breakdown of the two basic types:

• Inside Bet – Betting on any specific number between 1-36, 0 or 00 is called a straight-up bet and carries a 35 to 1 payout. Placing your chips on a line in between two numbers is called a street bet and splits your bet between those two numbers. In this case, odds are 17 to 1. The more numbers your bet covers, the lower the payout becomes if you hit.
• Outside Bet – Betting on anything that does not correspond with a specific number constitutes an outside bet. For example, you may choose to bet a specific color, place an even/odd bet, or bet whether the number will be high (19-36) or low (18 or less), which all pay 1 to 1. You may also choose to bet an entire column or by the dozen (1-12, 13-24, 25-36), which pays 2 to 1 if any number in that group hits.

The best part of this game is that it’s completely up to chance, which makes it perfect for players of all experience-levels!

At Casinos by M&M, we offer authentic roulette and friendly dealers to provide step by step instruction on various better options. To learn more about booking a roulette table for your next party or fundraiser, call 1-800-HAVE-A-BLAST.

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