How to Win at Roulette

Roulette has long been an entertaining casino game that provides glamour, mystery and excitement since the 17th century. While its basic principles are straightforward, serious betters who learn the rules quickly can find surprising depth within it – the house edge may be high but can be managed using strategic play.

Roulette wheels consist of circular disks divided into 36 segments that alternate between red and black in colour, plus an additional green division labeled 0. This extra zero makes American-style roulette less lucrative financially than its European equivalent.

Playing Roulette begins by placing chips onto a betting mat in precise locations to indicate where your bets will be made. Bets made on six or fewer numbers are known as Inside bets while those that cover 12 numbers or more are known as Outside bets. Before the dealer begins spinning the wheel, each player places his/her bets and the dealer marks them on a table map map.

Every time the ball is spun around the wheel, a number will be assigned and winning bets paid out according to their odds; outside bets usually cost less and offer higher payoffs while inside ones tend to cost more and offer lesser payoffs.

When playing roulette, the optimal bets are those with higher odds of hitting. This will allow you to maximize profits. To determine the odds for any particular bet, referring to its location on the table map or using a betting chart can help; alternatively you can utilize “Called bets” option which lets you bet on multiple numbers according to their position on the wheel.

Before playing, it’s essential that you set a bankroll and bet sizes accordingly. A great tip would be starting with smaller bets before gradually increasing them; this way you won’t go beyond your budget limits!

Make large bets only if you can afford to lose them, since even small losses can quickly add up and lead to financial disaster. Furthermore, always know when it is best to leave the game altogether.