Roulette is the most popular casino game of chance and is found in both land-based casinos and online. The game was first played in the 1700s in Paris and is now enjoyed by people all over the world. There are many different variations of the game, with each offering different rules and odds. To ensure you have the best possible chances of winning, it’s important to understand which bet types offer the highest payouts and what the house edge is for each.

Roulette consists of a spinning wheel with numbered compartments that are painted alternately red and black. The numbers are arranged in a random pattern and there is also a zero and two green pockets on American wheels. A croupier spins the wheel and then drops a ball into one of the compartments. If the number in that compartment corresponds to a winning bet, the winning amount is paid out and losing bets are collected into the casino’s income.

The most popular version of the game is European Roulette, which differs from its American counterpart by having only a single zero pocket. This drastically reduces the house edge, giving players a much better chance of winning. For this reason, it’s a great choice for beginner players who want to maximise their chances of success.

In addition to reducing the house edge, the European wheel has a number of symmetries that help players increase their wins. For example, the low red numbers are all on one side of the wheel and the high black numbers are all on the other. This means that if you bet on the low red and black numbers, you’ll win more often than if you place a bet on individual numbers or the 0 and 00.

There are a number of different strategies to play Roulette, but most of them require a good understanding of probability and statistics in order to be successful. It’s recommended that you start by placing ‘outside bets’, which are groups of numbers instead of individual digits. This way you’ll have a bigger chance of winning and the bets will be cheaper.

Once all the bets are placed, the dealer will announce ‘no more bets’ and the betting session is over. The winning bets are then paid out and the table is cleared for a new round. If you want to try your luck again, simply return to the table after a few rounds have passed and start fresh. This will help you avoid chasing losses, which is a common mistake amongst roulette players.