History of Roulette

Roulette, meaning little wheel in French is a game of chance whereby a wheel containing 37 or 38 numbered slots is spun and players can win if the ball in the middle of the wheel lands on their selected number or group of numbers. The red and black numbers from 1-36 are placed alternatively around the wheel, with a green 0 for European roulette and two green 0s for American roulette also located on the wheel. Roulette has always been very popular because of the minimal skill needed, the quick nature of the game and the fact that it differs from the usual card games found in casinos.

The earliest origins of roulette are questionable – some believe that it originated in China and was spread by Dominican monks who travelled the world spreading their faith. Others believe that the game began in Ancient Rome when soldiers would invert their carriage wheels and spin balls in them, while other theorists credit it to European travelling carnivals of the 1500s.

While the early origins of roulette are cloudy, most historians agree on the identity of the man who invented the first roulette-type wheel. Blaise Pascal was a French mathematician and scientist, who, in the mid-1600s was obsessed with finding the source of perpetual motion. One of the products of this obsession was the invention of the roulette wheel.

The first record of a wheel and ball being used in a game format was found in England in 1720. Roly Poly, a game much-loved by royalty and nobility, enjoyed a brief phase of popularity until 1740 when all games of chance were banned in England. Roulette’s focus moved to England’s neighboring France where, in the late 18th century, Prince Charles of Monaco decided to introduce gambling houses to alleviate economic hardship in his domain. The French aristocracy were very welcoming of the game which was basically identical to the type of roulette found today.

In 1842, two French brothers, Francois and Louis Blanc, invented the single 0 version of roulette. Because gambling was illegal in France at the time, the Blanc brother moved the game to Hamburg, Germany. The introduction of the single 0 reduced the house’s edge from 5.26% to 2.70%, turning the game into even a greater hit. The game ultimately returned the French soil at the request of Charles of Monaco III and Louis Blanc facilitated the opening of the first modern-day type casino in Monte Carlo. The luxurious casino resort in which roulette was played, secured the game’s image as one for nobility and aristocracy.

Roulette made its way to the United States via European settlers in the early 1800s. The American gambling proprietors were not impressed at the low house edge and reintroduced the 00 game. Gamblers, in turn, were not impressed with their decreased chances of winning and roulette’s welcome in the United States was not all rosy.

Today, roulette still enjoys more popularity in Europe than in the United States because of the preferential house edge due to the single and double zero wheels. Many bettors, however, love roulette for its simplicity, elegance and alternative form of betting over card games. Online roulette has created the ability for players to choose American or European roulette, irrespective of their geographic location and this mode of betting has helped re-boost roulette’s image.