Roulette

Roulette means little wheel in French, and it's probably the first game most people bring to mind when they think of the word casino. Originally invented by the French, this game became popular throughout Europe, eventually making its way to the casinos in the Americas. 

Playing roulette is simple. The table consists of a large wheel containing slots with numbers from zero to 36, coloured red and black, with zero coloured in green. American roulette tables have a double zero, for historical reasons, which actually gives the American player a slightly lower chance of a win. The other part of the table consists of the betting board. This comprises a grid of numbers 0 to 36 and a number of other betting boxes. The number boxes correspond to the numbers on the roulette wheel, while the other betting boxes offer side bets including red or black, odds and evens, and number ranges from 1 to 18, 19 to 36, and first, second, third dozen and column.

At the start of each round, players place their bets across the table, covering the areas where they predict the roulette ball will land. Many betting strategies are possible, including multiple number bets where players can cover more than one number with one single chip. In this way, players can opt for lower odds over two, four, and six numbers simultaneously.

When all bets are placed, the dealer, or croupier, will call for "no more bets", the roulette wheel is turned, and the roulette ball is spun around the inner lip of the wheel in the opposite direction. Within moments, the ball comes to land, and those players lucky enough to have called the correct number are paid out by the croupier. And that's it! No hidden extras - just a simple game of chance.

There are people who believe in roulette systems, but each event of the spinning wheel is totally random, and there are no hidden patterns. If your luck's in, you'll win a few pounds. If it's not, then never mind, there's always next time...