Roulette FAQ

In the US, the roulette wheel typically has 38 numbers: 1-36, 0 and 00. Outside this country, the wheel usually has 37 numbers: 1-36 and 0.
The extra 00 pocket decreases the player's odds of winning and increases the house edge (the commission of the casino). It boosts the profit of the gambling provider.

It's a very simple game whose outcome depends 100% on chance. There is a horizontal wheel with multiple pockets, each with its unique number. You can bet on the number and/or one of the two colors: black or red. Only the pockets with the 0 and 00 numbers are green. The 00 pocket is present only in the American variety of roulette, while all the others feature one green pocket with the 0 number.
Players place their bets and the wheel begins to spin. A small white ball starts to jump from one pocket into another, moving in the reverse direction to the wheel. At a certain moment, the ball stops. The dealer checks the pocket where the ball falls — this will be the winning color and number.
Each variety of the game has its peculiarities:
European - The most popular one, with one 0 pocket
American - Has both 0 and 00 pockets, so its house edge is higher
French - Is identical to European but features two types of insurance bets in case the ball stops in the zero pocket
Mini - Has only 13 pockets
Multi Ball - There might be up to 10 balls in the wheel
Multi Wheel - Players can place bets on up to 8 wheels simultaneously
Live Dealer - In online casinos, dealers broadcast in real-time from brick-and-mortar premises

Feel free to select from two varieties of bets: inside and outside. The former feature higher paying odds. The latter are made on the outside of the number map and their paying odds are lower. In both cases, your task is to guess the number and color of the pocket where the ball stops.

The term "odds" reveals your chance of winning the bet. For instance, in European roulette, your odds of winning are 36:1 and in American, it's 37:1.
In this game, it's impossible to build a smart strategy to enhance your odds of winning. Unlike when playing poker or blackjack, no intellectual effort can impact the outcome. You can only control your spending and choose between different varieties of the game. French roulette is the most profitable for players because it features only one zero pocket and offers insurance bets.

The American roulette wheel features 38 pockets. Two of them, 0 and 00, are colored green. Those with numbers from 1 to 36 are colored black and red.
Players can place bets on either one or several numbers in one go. They can keep on making, canceling and editing their bets until the dealer says "No more bets".
The wheel begins to spin. As it stops, the dealer checks the color and number of the pocket where the ball lands. Players who managed to correctly predict the outcome of the game get their prizes. The losing bets are swept off the table. The dealer begins to accept the bets on the next round.

It depends on your bet. If you bet on any number within the 1-35 range and the ball stops in the zero pocket, you'll lose your bet. But if you bet on zero and the ball lands in this pocket, you'll win. When betting on a single zero, your winning odds will be 35:1. When betting on both 0 and 00, your odds will be 17:1.

The wheel that is used in this game was invented by Blaise Pascal, a mathematician and physicist from France, in the 17th century. He strived to invent the perpetual motion machine, which contradicts the laws of physics, and failed. Casino entrepreneurs borrowed this object and came up with a new use for it.
By the way, the word "roulette" itself hints at the French origin of the game. The literal meaning of this noun in English is "small wheel."
In its original version, the roulette wheel lacked a zero pocket. It was added in the middle of the 19th century. French entrepreneurs Francois and Louis Blanc were twin brothers. They grew up in a small town. Once, a traveling circus came there. Both guys got so impressed that they joined the troupe to learn all the secrets of their business.
The Blanc brothers created the roulette with a zero pocket for King Charles III of Monaco. The trick enabled the monarch to make a higher profit from this type of entertainment. To revive the wobbly Monegasque economy, Charles III opened a casino. This establishment became widely popular among a large audience and roulette became one of its symbols. Gambling was declared illegal in France, so French citizens were only happy to visit Monaco.
In the 19th century, roulette was adopted in the US and then, internationally.

To give an answer to this question, we need to understand what you mean by saying "the best". Is it the bet that can bring you the most generous prize? Then, opt for a bet on a single number. However, your odds of winning will be slim.
If "the best" is synonymous with "low risk", bet on a dozen: 1-12, 13-24 or 25-36. Your odds of winning will be around ⅓. Avoid the American variety of the game because it features two zero pockets. On the flip side, your prize won't be as generous as when you bet on a single number and win.
To strike a smart balance between the level of risk and the sum of the prize, consider betting on several single numbers simultaneously.

It's 666. There is a romantic legend behind this fact. Francois Blanc allegedly inked a contract with the devil to get to know the secrets of the game.

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