The Basics of Roulette
by Roulette is a casino game that involves betting on which red or black numbered compartment of a revolving wheel the ball will land in. The game originated in the 17th century in Europe, but it is now played in casinos worldwide. Its rules are simple enough for beginners to grasp, but the odds provide a surprising depth of complexity for serious betters. The right strategy can reap high rewards.
Roulette, which means “little wheel,” is believed to have been invented in 1655 by French mathematician Blaise Pascal while he was working on a perpetual motion machine. His accidental invention led to a gambling game that still exists today. Its name reflects its French roots, though the word’s origins have been debated, with some tracing it back as far as ancient China and others claiming it came from Latin.
The modern European roulette wheel has 36 numbers and a 0 (or a double-zero on some American tables). The croupier spins the wheel, and players place bets on the table that correlate with which pockets the ball might land in. The table has two sections, with bets categorized as “inside” and “outside.” The inside bets, which pay off higher amounts than outside bets, include straight-up, split, street, corner, and six-line. The outside bets include red/black, odd/even, high/low, dozens, and columns.
After each spin, the dealer will collect winning bets and clear off the losing ones. Winning chips are marked with a color, and each player receives his or her own colored chip to differentiate them from other bettors. The dealer will ask each player what denomination to assign to the chip, which must be at least $5.
Some gamblers use specialized strategies to improve their chances of winning. For example, the Martingale strategy involves raising one’s bet after every loss, aiming to recover all losses at once with a single win. Another popular technique is the D’Alembert system, which increases bets by one unit after each loss and decreases them by one unit after a win.
In the early 1980s, when Zeena Parkins was a young harpist in New York, Roulette served as a critical laboratory for downtown-music artists, giving them space, resources, and recorded documentation. It helped launch the careers of composers like John Zorn and Merce Cunningham, as well as improvisers such as bassist Bill Frisell and violinist/composer Mark Dresser. It also provided a community that continues to meet for concerts and exchange ideas. For all these reasons, the move to Greene Street is a loss for some.