Variations in Roulette
The basic rules for the casino game Roulette seem to be very simple and straightforward. The equipment is a wheel printed with a series of numbers ranging from one to thirty six, and including either one or two slots printed with zeroes. A dealer or “croupier” spins the wheel in one direction and a small ball in the opposite direction inside of the wheel. Eventually gravity takes over and draws the ball down into the bowl of the wheel where it lands in one of the slots that correspond to the numbers. A player must guess where the ball will land, place a bet on their guess and wait to see the results.
While this is a simplified explanation of the game, it does serve as a good method of demonstrating why the game found almost instant popularity when it was created during the late 1700s in France. It is a game of chance, good fun and is easy to play.
As the popularity of the game spread and as it migrated from country to country, and eventually to other continents, it took on distinct characteristics and rules for each region or area it was played. Today there are three standard, casino styles of play and some variations that have evolved from the online Roulette world.
The earliest version of the game comes from France, and today French Roulette is very similar to its earliest version. The wheel has thirty six numbers and slots, and a single, green “zero” slot. The players must make the table, or “house” minimum bet on each spin. They can place both “inside” and “outside” wagers, as well as enjoying some unique “call bets” which are spoken directly to the dealer or “croupier” prior to the spin. French Roulette also has some ways that a player might redeem a portion of a lost bet. The “en prison” and “la partage” rules. En prison allows a player the choice of taking back half their even money bet, or leaving it down a second time when the spin hits a zero. The “la partage” rule gives the player back half their even money bet on a zero.
European and American Roulette are identical to one another with the exception of the wheel. The American wheel has two zero slots – a single and a double zero. This allows the “house” or casino a stronger advantage against the player. American Roulette usually does not honor call bets, en prison, or la partage, while some European casinos still allow the French rules to apply.
Finally, there is the online world of Roulette, and one of the most popular variations of the game is Royale Roulette. Played like a standard game of European Roulette, with a single zero wheel. Royale Roulette offers a player the opportunity to buy into a progressive jackpot. These are pots of money that continue to grow until they are won, and can represent tremendous winnings. A player must place a “side bet” at an equal amount to their standard bet into the progressive pot. If their bet, which must be the same bet repeated, should win five times in a row they get the progressive jackpot.