Roulette is a casino game that involves a spinning wheel with various pockets and engraved numbers, a little ball and a betting table. Players make bets on which pocket they think the ball will land in after the wheel spins. There are two types of bets: inside and outside. Inside bets are placed on the numbered pockets and have better betting odds but also have a lower chance to win. Outside bets are placed on a grouping of numbers or the color red or black, and they pay out according to their odds.

Before you start playing, it’s best to familiarize yourself with the game rules. Firstly, you’ll need to decide on how much money you want to wager. This is typically done by clicking on the chips at the bottom of the screen. Once you’ve made your bets, you can click the “spin” button to start the game. Depending on the online casino, some games will have a ‘no more bets’ option, which prevents you from placing additional bets before the dealer announces that it’s time to spin the wheel.

While many people claim to have a foolproof strategy for winning at roulette, the truth is that it’s mostly a game of luck. However, it is possible to minimize your losses by making small bets and playing conservatively. The most important thing is to always remember that roulette is a casino game and there are no guarantees of winning.

In order to play the game, you’ll need to first purchase a set of roulette chips from the croupier. She’ll ask what denomination you’d like to assign to each chip, and once you’ve chosen a value she’ll indicate it on her chart of chips and then hand them to you. Unlike standard casino chips, these are usually colored to make them easy for the dealer to see and identify.

Next, you’ll need to decide on a betting strategy. Beginners should stick to simple bets, such as straight up or split bets. For the latter, you place a chip on the line separating two adjacent numbers. If the ball lands on one of those numbers, you’ll win. Other popular bets include a single number or a grouping of numbers.

The rules of roulette vary slightly between American and European versions. While both games have 37 numbered slots, the American version has an extra zero, which increases your probability of losing a bet. The European wheel, on the other hand, has a single zero, which reduces your probability of losing by half. It also has a rule called La Partage, which gives you half your money back if your bet loses on an even/odd or red/black bet.