Journey Through the Evolution of Roulette

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Curious about the past of roulette? Rather than scour the Internet for information on the history of the game , we’ve spent hours compiling it all here so you won’t have to.

This classic casino game, like many others, has an interesting past. We can say with certainty, however, that the author of this article is the person who first conceived of the current roulette wheel.

Let’s start with some speculation regarding roulette’s beginnings before diving into the game’s meteoric rise to fame on the internet.

Who Invented the Roulette Game?

To understand the game’s origins and development, you must know who invented roulette and where it first appeared.

Popular belief placed roulette’s origins  in France in the 17th century. Blaise Pascal, the scientist and mathematician famous for his “Pascal’s Wager,” is widely credited with creating roulette due to his study on perpetual motion devices.

Recent discoveries, however, have shown that roulette was played globally by ancient civilizations much before Pascal’s time. A more complete and ancient history of roulette may emerge as our knowledge grows.

Several Possible Theories Concerning Roulette’s Beginnings

Although it is widely accepted that Pascal was the first to develop the current game of roulette, some interesting conjectures regarding the game’s actual origins can be gleaned from research in history, anthropology, and other fields.

1. A board game involving 37 animals was popular in ancient China. According to legend, a rudimentary version of roulette was inspired by what monks studying in the Middle Kingdom saw in Chinese society.
2. Roman troops would spin chariot wheels or similar artifacts during bloody conflicts for entertainment and gambling. Given the high mortality rate, it’s doubtful they gave much thought to losing a few bets.
3. A game with many similarities to it was played by the ancient Greeks. They would affix a spear to the ground next to a shield with symbols drawn on the interior to defend themselves. Spin it around, and wager which segment/symbol would land closest to the spear.

The Rise of Roulette’s Fame

The preceding section revealed that the game of roulette had been around for quite some time. It wasn’t until Pascal created his wheel and the Blanc brothers perfected it that it took off in Europe and across the globe.

It was not long after this that gambling was outlawed in France. After moving to Germany, the brothers spread the game throughout the country. The response was overwhelming. It was brought back to France and then the rest of Europe.

Due to the increased accessibility of the game, thanks to the travels of explorers and, later, airplanes and ships, roulette became popular in many parts of the world. 

Trivia and Fun Facts about Roulette

Have a look at these interesting roulette statistics. Except for these developments, the rules of this game have remained substantially unchanged since its origin two centuries ago.

Introducing the Zero

Unlike American roulette, European roulette only has one “zero” slot. Yet, the first roulette wheel had no “zero” slots. Francois and Lois Blanc didn’t debut it until the mid-19th century.

The brothers included the extra zero when they programmed a game for Monaco’s then-king, Charles III. Because of his financial situation, he decided to start a casino, where the house would have a numerical advantage because of the zero.

American Roulette Is Born in the New World

It’s good knowing that when it comes to roulette, Americans always want to play with the biggest and best setup possible. The game was modified to include a “zero” pocket somewhere in the middle of the 19th century as it spread over the New World.

There is no doubt that this strengthens the house’s advantage. The house has a 5.26 percent edge over players in American roulette, which is significantly higher than the 2.7% in European roulette.

No Roulette Strategy Is 100% Guaranteed

While certain strategies like the Martingale can soon improve your odds, roulette mathematics proves insurmountable. Hence, removing some funds from play is always prudent after experiencing a favourable streak.

Roulette In the Movies

Numerous successful films about casinos have incorporated roulette, one of the most popular casino games. Casino, Ocean’s Eleven, The Gambler, and various James Bond films are all in this category.

Due to these movies, roulette continues to be widely played. Some of the tensest moments in the film take place at roulette tables. If you want to see an example of a nail-biting scene involving roulette from a movie, just watch The Gambler.

Massive Roulette Wins

Earlier, we shared details of several of my biggest roulette wins. Some people have won millions at roulette, and others have earned hundreds of thousands.

Charles Wells, a notorious con man, is the subject of one of the most outlandish tales; on two separate occasions, he made so much money at the tables in Monaco that the casino went bankrupt. There’s no way to tell whether he cheated, but he was permanently banned from casinos after racking up huge jackpots.

The Rise of Online Roulette Today

If you’ve read this far, you know that roulette is a game that has been and continues to be popular in many different cultures. Therefore, it would inevitably catch on in the first global culture: the internet.

One thing that the gaming industry has always had in common is that it’s been heavily dominated by physical products and systems, both from the standpoint of availability and convenience. 

If you want to play a video game or gamble on it to win, you must have a computer, a gaming console, or some other piece of hardware. 

The roulette game has been quite a famous and top-ranking casino game in land-based casinos for ages. It’s a game that challenges your luck, making it so igniting for many players since then.

Today, the game has evolved. It became one of the rising sensational casino games available to play online. This has allowed users to experience roulette in the digital era. 

The game still uses its tools, the roulette wheel and the layout. It’s played virtually, but the game mechanics are still the same. The bets are placed on whether or not a little ball, spinning oppositely, will land in a red or black numbered compartment on a rotating wheel. The portions of the wheel correspond in color to those on the accompanying betting table. 

That’s all changed with the rise of online gambling, as many people now gamble through the internet. Online gambling is now available in nearly every country around the world.