Roullete is a game of chance based solely on luck. Players place their chips on the roulette table and then wait until a decision is made. Once a winning bet has been determined, the dealer clears the table of its chips and then explains to each player how much they will receive. Players must then decide whether to cash in their chips or play on.

When a new round begins, the croupier throws the ball into a spinning wheel. Players can continue making bets until the croupier announces, “No more bets.” Once the wheel is in motion, players watch as the ball bounces around and eventually lands on a number. The player who bet on that number wins and the others who placed outside bets win according to their betting odds.

The roulette wheel consists of a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape with a fixed rim. Around the rim are metal partitions, called frets or separators, and compartments known as pockets. Thirty-six of these compartments, painted alternately red and black, are numbered consecutively from 1 to 36, while on European wheels there is an additional 37th green compartment that carries the sign 0. There are also two other symmetrical groups on the wheel: high and low numbers and first and second dozen.

There are many different bets and strategies for playing roulette. Some are simple and straightforward, while others can be quite complicated and elaborate. While there is no single system for beating the house edge in roulette, most experts agree that the game can be made less lopsided by reducing the number of inside bets.

Outside bets, on the other hand, are based on groups of numbers rather than individual digits. These bets are often cheaper and offer a higher payout if they win. They include the Dozens bet, which wagers that the winning number will belong to the first 12 on the layout, or one of the other dozens (the second, third, or fourth). The Odd or Even Bet is another outside bet, and it’s similar to the Dozens bet, except it pays out at 2-1 instead of 1-0.