The Roulette Wheels

Roulette wheels are thought to be designed by a notable French mathematician, and religious philosopher, and scientist, and physicist Blaise Pascal. Its invention was the result of his attempt to construct a perpetual motion machine. In the course of history the roulette wheels were improved and at last the today's design was developed.

Roulette wheel is the specially developed wheel which is fixed on the bowl and rotates on the axis. The numbers on the wheel alternate between red and black sections. The slot (or pocket) is a section the ball can rest on. Except 36 sections the wheel has two green-colored zero pockets, single (0) and double (00) zero. In addition, the numbers on the roulette wheels are not set randomly. To be honest, it is a little bit difficult for average people to find out the rule on which this arrangement is based. The chance to bet on one definite number and the fact that each pocket brings attributes for placing bets on determines the principle of numbers pattern. It was developed by the roulette makers years ago and now is applied as the most appropriate. As you can see for every number on the wheel there is the next number exactly across from the previous one. This roulette wheels design is considered to be standard.

The roulette dealer turns the wheel and rolls a special ivory ball along outer edge on the wheel. When the wheel slows down the ball lands on certain section. The small buffers ensure that the ball landing is unpredictable and random.

There are two versions of roulette wheels that much resemble each other as well as differ a little. These are American roulette wheel and French or European wheel. The difference between these versions of roulette is the use of single and double zero sections. This fact influences greatly the house advantage in both roulettes. In American roulette the house advantage is 5.26% while in European it is 2.7%.

Moreover, European gambling rooms provide "en prison" rule. It means that in case the zero comes out the gambler has the opportunity to surrender half of his outside bet or leave the whole bet for the next spin. So, due to the "en prison" option in European roulette the house advantage is a little bit smaller – 1.352 %. It is a real advantage compared with 5.26% house edge in American wheel roulette which can't be decreased. Because of this fact we recommend you always to play at European roulette wheels.