History of Roulette

Everyone knows roulette, even if you have never played it you must have seen it in movies or photos. Roulette is one of the most popular online and offline casino games, and can be found in almost every establishment. As interest in the game continues to grow, online roulette developers are investing heavily in innovative technology to diversify the game and make it even more fun.

Where Did the Roulette Come From?

There are several theories regarding the origin of roulette. The main theory is that the 17th century French physicist Blaise Pascal came up with the game by accident while testing an “eternal” wheel that could move without stopping forever. And since the name "roulette" comes from the French term roulette, which translates as "little wheel", this theory seems the most plausible.

Another theory is that it was invented by a bored French monk or a group of French Dominican monks. Another version says that roulette was invented by Romans. Roman soldiers turned the wheels of their chariots to kill time and relax between campaigns.

Ancient Greeks had a similar game. They drew symbols on the inside of the shield and stuck a spear into the ground next to it. They then spun it around and made bets on which segment/symbol would land next to the spear.

How Roulette Gained Its Popularity

It is not entirely clear where roulette originated, but it became popular in Europe and America around the 18th and 19th century. Gambling was banned in France two centuries ago, so roulette enthusiasts migrated to Germany, then, when the ban was lifted, again to France and with the first settlers the game moved from there to Louisiana, and spread throughout America.

Thanks to the gambling business development and the construction of casinos in Las Vegas, roulette had gained worldwide popularity and now is a part of online and offline casinos around the world.

Interesting Facts About Roulette

European roulette has one zero, while American roulette has zero and double zero. However, the original roulette wheel did not have zero pockets at all. They appeared around the middle of the 19th century to increase the casino's chances of winning: the King of Monaco, Charles III, needed money and opening a casino promised serious profits.

Naturally zero and double zero gives the house a greater advantage. While European Roulette has a house edge of 2.7%, American Roulette has a house edge of 5.26%.

Before the invention of cameras and security systems, cheating on roulette was much easier. Today, this is almost impossible, because the entire process is managed by a dealer who has undergone a background check before taking this position.

Previously, scammers could find many ways to get around the casino by inventing sophisticated methods: a magnetic ball, a fake wheel, etc. Joseph Jagger and Richard Jarecki, for example, paid attention to wheels with chips, dents or defects and tracked the patterns of numbers falling out, then bet on these numbers and won millions.

Number 17 is the most popular in roulette betting. James Bond, agent 007, was a big fan of the roulette game in the original Ian Fleming books, and his favorite number was 17. It's impossible to tell if this number is popular because of the movies and books, or just because of its position on the wheel, but the fact that people bet more on it remains undoubted.

The popularity of roulette has made it the most exciting table game among all casinos, and the development of online gambling has also moved it into the virtual world.