Roullete is a game of chance in which you place chips on the roulette table and wait for the spinning wheel to settle in one of the pockets. If your bet wins, the dealer will collect your winnings and pay out according to the payout table. Winnings are based on the number of chips placed and the amount of your bet. You can also place bets on groups of numbers. These are called outside bets, and they offer a lower house edge than inside bets.
The game was invented in the 17th century by Blaise Pascal, a French physicist and philosopher. Pascal was seeking a perpetual motion machine at the time, and his early attempts at this goal eventually led to the development of the roulette wheel.
When playing roulette, there are a few rules that you should know before placing your bets. First, make sure you understand the different types of bets. There are two main categories of bets in roulette: inside and outside. Inside bets include the Straight, which is a bet on a single number; the Split, which places your chips to straddle two adjacent numbers; and the Street (Square) bet, which includes three consecutive numbers in a row. Outside bets are placed on a group of numbers, such as the Dozens, which is a bet on the first, second, or third dozen; and the High or Low Bet, which is a bet that the winning number will be odd or even.
To start the game, you place your bets on the roulette table. Each table carries a placard describing the minimum and maximum bets allowed, and you should choose a table within your budget. Once your bets are placed, the croupier will spin the roulette wheel and then roll a ball into one of the pockets. If your bet is a winner, the croupier will remove your losing bets and pay out your winnings. Then, you can begin again.