We are used to hearing this expression “make your bets, nothing goes right” in a traditional or online casino. While the expressions used by the dealer who runs the roulette table are widely known, the rules of this game of chance are not so simple. These kinds of rules are used in various casinos around the world, including casinos in Las Vegas. Focus on the basics of this most famous game of chance.
The sources of American roulette
As with blackjack, the main card game in Las Vegas, the exact source of roulette is difficult to determine. Some believe that the ancestors of this game of chance were created by monks in the Middle Ages to overcome boredom. Others believe that roulette was created in ancient Rome, when soldiers had the brilliant idea of hijacking the cartwheel in an exciting game of chance.
In any case, even if none of these theories can really be proven, experts agree on one version that the first roulette wheel with red and black squares was invented by the mathematician Blaise Pascal in the 17th century. A French philosopher, at that time he was inspired by the Italian board game biribi. However, it was not until the beginning of the 18th century that this game of chance spread to the biggest social event in France.
The rules of American roulette
As mentioned above, gambling remains popular, but few people really know the basics of this game of chance that cannot be ignored in casinos.
The aim of the game
The objective of the game seems to be very easy: the player has to decipher into which slot of the roulette wheel the ball thrown by the dealer will fall. Therefore, they predict the winning numbers by placing the chips on the mat in front of them, and all the numbers on the roulette wheel on the mat are represented by their respective colours.
The mechanism of the game
When the players are seated comfortably at the roulette table, the dealer announces the start of the game with the phrase “make your bets” telling them that they can bet. Then, he spins the roulette wheel and throws the ball in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation, indicating that “all bets are in”. Then the dealer declares that “all bets are off”, which means that the player can no longer place any more bets and is about to retire from the winning number. Once the ball touches the floor, the dealer places a winning bet in descending order of win.
The most common inside bets and the corresponding winnings
Internal betting offers the possibility to bet up to six numbers :
- Full or Straight-up: bet on a single number by placing the chip in one of 38 spaces, including 0 and 00. The expenditure is 35 times the main amount;
- Straight-up or Split: players place a bet on two numbers by placing their chips on two spaces (including 0 and 00). The winning amount is 17 times the bet ;
- Transversal or street: players bet on three numbers in a row. The expense is 11 times the main amount;
- Basket or Basketball: Players bet on three numbers at the top of the stack: 0, 1 and 2, or 0, 00 and 2, or 00, 2 and 3. The winning amount is 11 times the bet ;
- Square or Corner: Players bet on four numbers by placing their chips in the middle of the square. The expenditure is 8 times the main amount ;
- Five or Five: Players bet on the first five numbers from the top of the stack: 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3. Winning is 6 times the bet;
- Sixain or line: Players bet on six numbers by dividing the chips into two rows of three numbers. The fee is 5 times the principal.
