Roulette is one of the most popular casino games in the world, and it offers a high level of excitement to players who are looking for a quick and easy way to make some money. However, before you begin playing this thrilling game, you should know the rules of the game so that you can play smarter and maximize your winnings.

The wheel

The roulette wheel consists of a wooden disk with metal partitions known as separators or frets around the outside edge. These partitions are separated by a pocket for the roulette ball to land in. The wheel itself is slightly convex in shape and consists of 36 compartments, painted alternately red and black, nonconsecutively from 1 to 36.

In European-style wheels, a 37th compartment is painted green and carries the sign 0. In American wheels, two green compartments on opposite sides carry the signs 0 and 00.

There are several different types of bets on the roulette table, each with its own rules and payout. Some of these include:

Split Bet (also called a cheval in French): This is a bet on two numbers that are adjacent to each other on the layout. This bet is 17-1 if the numbers are even, and pays 5-1 if they are odd.

Street Bet/Three Number Bet/Side Bet/The Trio: This is a bet on a row of three consecutive numbers, and the payout here is 11-1.

Line Bet/Six Number Bet/Sixline Bet: This is a bet that you place on a horizontal line between two rows of numbers on the layout. This bet is 5-1 if you win, and pays 11-1 if you lose.

There are also some betting options that don’t involve specific numbers, like the Odd or Even bet. These bets are even-money bets and offer a payout of 1-1.