Roullete, which means “little wheel,” is a casino game that has offered glamour, mystery and excitement since the 17th century. It’s easy to learn, but it can also offer a surprising depth of strategy for serious betters who know how to play smart.

The game is played on a table with a circular wheel and a layout of betting chips. The player places a bet on a single number or various groupings of numbers, the color red or black, whether the number is odd or even, and one of two value ranges (high or low). The dealer spins the wheel and when it stops, if the ball lands on a number that the player had bet on, they win.

Each roulette table carries a placard that indicates the minimum and maximum bets allowed. Before placing your bets, set a budget that you’re willing to spend, and choose a table within that limit. A good place to start is by wagering on “outside bets” (groupings of numbers) as they tend to have a lower house edge and higher payouts.

After each spin, the dealer will clear the losing bets and pay the winners. Winning bets will remain on the table until the player requests that they be removed. This is a good time to review your budget and decide whether you want to continue betting or walk away.

Roulette has many different systems for beating the house, some of which work and others don’t. Many of these systems involve watching other players and attempting to make bets opposite them. It is important to note, however, that a system won’t improve your odds more than luck alone.

There are a few other interesting aspects of the roulette game that may be worth examining. One is the symmetry of the numbers on the wheel. To the untrained eye, it looks like the numbers are randomly distributed. However, most of the high and low numbers alternate, and the distribution of the zero and the two pairs of odd and even numbers is symmetrical.

Another aspect of the game that may be of interest is its history. It is generally believed to have been invented by the French mathematician Blaise Pascal while he was trying to create a perpetual motion machine. Other historians have traced the game’s roots back to ancient China, where a similar game was played with animal figurines. These games became popular in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. They soon made their way to America, where they were heavily regulated to prevent cheating and other forms of fraud.