Roullete, a venue for experimental music and dance that was once housed in a TriBeCa loft, has moved to Greene Street in Downtown Brooklyn. It’s the latest change in a long run of evolution for a space that has welcomed a diverse array of composers, improvisers and electronic producers over its nearly 25 years of existence. The change also marks a shift for its artistic director, Jim Staley, who is stepping down.
Staley founded the venue in 1978 as a way for recent University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates to produce their own work. He envisioned it as an alternative to the more commercial venues that were becoming available in New York at the time. He has led the venue through many changes, and his decision to step down marks just another milestone in its history.
A roulette round begins once the dealer clears the table of winning chips from the previous game and announces “no more bets” to signify that betting for the current round is closed. Then, the ball is spun around the wheel and if it stops on one of the numbers, players are paid out according to their bets. In general, winning bets cost more than losing ones, but the odds of hitting a number are not uniformly distributed.
There are two main categories of bets in roulette: inside and outside. Inside bets involve placing wagers on individual numbered pockets, while outside bets cover larger groups of numbers. Both bet types have their own advantages and disadvantages. Inside bets include straight-up bets, split bets, street bets, corner bets and six-line bets. Outside bets include red/black, odd/even, high/low and dozens bets.
While mathematical understanding can help a player understand the probabilities of the game, there are no betting systems that can reliably beat it. A search of the Internet will yield thousands—possibly millions—of roulette strategies, some of which claim to offer a better chance of winning than others.
But if you can accept that the game is ultimately a matter of luck, there are some simple things you can do to maximize your chances of winning. Start by placing your bets on outside bets, which cover large groups of numbers and pay out more often. In addition, avoid using grandiose or complicated strategies; this can make you nervous and may distract you from making sound decisions. Finally, be sure to walk away from the table when your losses outweigh your wins. This will prevent you from losing more money than you can afford to lose. The more you play, the better you will get at knowing when to stop. Good luck!