Roulette (also known as Roullete or The Little Wheel) is a casino game in which players place bets on a single number, various groupings of numbers, the colors red and black, whether a number is odd or even, or if the numbers are high (19-36) or low (1-18). The object of the game is to correctly predict where the ball will land on the roulette wheel. A croupier spins a small ball in a circle around the roulette table, and when it stops, the croupier announces the result of the spin. The winning bets are paid out according to their betting odds. The losing bets are collected by the croupier, who places them in a special “wheel” of chips.
In the United States, despite its popularity in Europe, roulette is among the least popular casino games and has only a fraction of the audience drawn by slot machines, video poker, blackjack or craps. However, it is still a fixture in Monte Carlo and other European casinos.
There are many fanciful stories surrounding the origin of roulette, but it is generally accepted that it was derived in France in the early 18th century from the older games hoca and portique. Its present wheel structure and layout were developed in the late 1790s. During this period, it spread throughout the European gambling houses and casinos. Due to rampant cheating, a number of countermeasures were introduced to the game to prevent devices being hidden in or under the roulette table and wheel.
