Tips on Playing Roulette

For openers, let's make it clear right off the bat that the house “vig” in roulette is about 5.25 percent. That's because in addition to numbers 1 through 36, including an equal number of blacks and reds, the American roulette wheel has two green slots marked "0" and "00". You'll see how that factors into the scheme of things as we describe the different kinds of roulette wheel wagers.

When you walk up to a roulette wheel and decide to play, place your money on the layout. The dealer will give you non-negotiable casino chips with which to play. Every person at the table plays with different colored chips so that the dealer knows who's who when it comes time to make pay outs. At most Chicago-area riverboat casino destinations, the value of the chips is one dollar each. Therefore, a $20 buy-in will give you 20 roulette chips with which to play. When you are finished playing, just tell the dealer you wish to "color" your chips. He'll bring them in, count them, and give you negotiable casino chips that you may in turn redeem for cash at the casino cage.

Here's how the game is played: Once everyone has placed their bets, the dealer gives the wheel a spin and then sends the little roulette ball spinning in the opposite direction the wheel is turning. When the ball finally slows down, it'll eventually drop into a numbered slot. The dealer will mark the corresponding number on the layout and proceed to collect losing chips and then pay out winning wagers, if any.

One word about roulette etiquette: Do not make any new bets or collect your winnings until the dealer has removed his marker from the layout! If you attempt to do so, you'll be given a friendly reminder that's it's a no-no. Once he removes his marker from the winning number, that's the signal for the table to start placing their wagers on the next spin.

If you make a nice score at the wheel, it's a nice gesture to tip the dealer a buck or two. Just toss in a couple of your colored roulette chips, and the dealer will convert them into negotiable casino chips and drop them in the "toke" box.