Roullete, or roulette, is one of the world’s most popular casino games. Its simple rules make it easy for beginners to play, but it also provides a surprising level of depth for more serious gamblers. Its enticing glamour and mystery make it a staple of casinos worldwide.

The game’s name is derived from the French word for “little wheel,” and it may have been influenced by the Italian game Biribi. It’s a game of chance where players place bets on either a single number, various groupings of numbers, the color red or black, or whether a number is high (19-36) or low (1-18).

A Roulette wheel consists of a solid wood disk, slightly convex in shape. Around its perimeter are metal partitions, called frets by croupiers, that form thirty-six compartments, alternately painted in red and black and numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36. A green compartment on the American-style wheel carries the sign 0, and two additional green pockets on the European-style wheel bear the signs 0 and 1.

Each time the wheel is spun, the dealer places the ball in one of the compartments. The croupier then clears the table of all losing bets and pays winners, while winning bets are left up for future rounds. The simplest bet is a single chip on the number where the ball will land, but other strategies are common, including the Martingale and Fibonacci systems, which require larger stakes but pay off more frequently.

The best strategy is to choose bets with the highest odds of winning and to be prepared to walk away when your bankroll is depleted. This will keep you from making mistakes that can cost you big, and it will help you feel confident in your gambling abilities.

It’s also a good idea to start with smaller bets and gradually increase your wagers as you gain experience. This will allow your bankroll to last longer, and it’ll give you the opportunity to try out different roulette strategies without fear that you’ll run out of money too quickly.