Roulette is a casino game in which players place bets on a number or groups of numbers. There are many different betting combinations, each offering varying odds for winning and payouts when they do win. The game’s history is somewhat obscure, but fanciful theories include that it was invented by the 17th-century French mathematician Blaise Pascal or by Dominican monks.
The game’s rules are relatively simple. Once all bets have been placed, the dealer spins a wheel and drops a ball into one of the numbered sectors. Players who bet on the number where the ball lands win. There are two types of bets, inside and outside. Inside bets are based on individual numbers and pay out higher odds, but have lower payouts. Outside bets are based on categories of numbers and pay out less, but have higher chances for a win.
In addition, there are also called announced bets or tiers bets. These are special bets that are only possible when the racetrack is used. They cover five numbers and two neighbouring ones on each side. They are called Les Voisins du Zero, Les Orphelins and Le Tiers Du Cylindre.
A tiers bet costs 17 chips and pays 235 chips if it wins. It is also the only bet in roulette that allows you to bet on all the odd and even numbers at once. The house edge is 5.26% with this bet, because of the 0 and 00 on the American wheel (these aren’t red or black, they’re green). If the ball lands on either of these, all outside bets lose. This makes a tiers bet a good choice for those who want to try something different from the usual outside bets.