Roulette has provided glamour, mystery, and excitement to casino-goers since the 17th century. While it may seem simple to play, there is a surprising depth of strategy available for serious players. The right strategy can maximize your winning potential.

To make a bet, players place chips on the roulette table, which has a map of the numbers 1 through 36 on its surface. They then spin the wheel and wait for the ball to stop in one of the compartments containing the numbers. The wheel has thirty-six red and black compartments, each numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36; on European wheels a green ‘0’ is also present; and on American tables two additional green ’00’ compartments are found.

Before the wheel is spun, each player places their chips on a betting mat, where they are marked with the exact placement of the bet. Bets on six or fewer numbers are called ‘Inside bets’ and those on 12 or more are ‘Outside bets.’

A number of players use strategies to improve their chances of winning, but most of these are illegal or at best ineffective. Some of these tactics are based on watching other players, hoping that they know something the rest of us don’t; others simply try to beat the odds by cheating. Casinos, of course, view these attempts with a jaundiced eye, and they are always on the lookout for players trying to manipulate the game in their favor.