Roullete, or roulette in English, is one of the most popular casino games in the world. It offers glamour, mystery and excitement to players, and it can offer high rewards for those who correctly guess where the ball will land when the croupier spins the wheel.
Roulette consists of a table (or layout) and a wheel, both of which have been modified to prevent cheating. The wheel, which is slightly convex, has thirty-six compartments painted alternately red and black. A green compartment, called a canoe on European-style wheels and a zero on American wheels, is also present.
Players may place a bet on a specific number, groups of numbers, colors or other propositions (such as odd-even, red-black, first-second-third dozen and high-low). After players have made their bets, the croupier throws a ball into the wheel and winners are paid according to their betting odds. Losing bets are cleared from the table and winning bets are paid before new bets can be placed.
There are many theories about the origin of roulette, ranging from 17th-century French mathematician Blaise Pascal to a Dominican monk. In the 19th century, a series of high-profile cheating scandals drove casinos to modify the wheel and betting layout to prevent cheating.