Roulette is a casino game in which players bet on a number or a grouping of numbers. Each bet has a different chance of winning and pays out differently depending on the type of bet placed. There are several betting combinations that a player can make, and it is important to understand them in order to maximize the chances of winning. The most common roulette bets are inside bets and outside bets, but there are also a few announced bets that you should familiarize yourself with as well.
A Roulette wheel consists of a solid, slightly convex wooden disk with metal compartments (called separators or frets by croupiers) around its circumference. Thirty-six of these compartments, painted alternately red and black, are numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36; two green compartments on American-style wheels – 0 and 00 – are labeled with corresponding symbols.
Inside bets are wagers that the winning number will be either an odd or even number excluding the zeroes. These bets have higher odds for winning and lower payouts if they are successful. The Passe et Manque bet is one example of an inside bet. This bet is placed by placing your chips on the border of the layout and wagers that the ball will land in any of the first 18 numbers (1-18) or any of the last 18 numbers (19-36). If the ball lands in the 0 or 00, all outside bets lose.
Outside bets are a bit more conservative plays as they place your chips on categories of numbers rather than specific ones. The Dozens Bet is one such bet and offers a higher payout of 2-1 when you win. Another outside bet is the Line Bet, also known as sixain in French, which is made by placing your chips to straddle the line between two rows of numbers on the layout.
