A Brief History of Roulette

Posted by Harry Kane on Thursday, July 28, 2016

When it comes to roulette, there’s no doubting that it is one of the most popular casino games of all time. What you may not be aware however is that the game of roulette has a long and fruitful history, which spans around 400 years. There is no clear cut answer to when and where the game was invented, with numerous theories kicking about regarding how the game came into existence. Here I would like to give you a brief overview of the most widely held theories about how the game came to be and how roulette has developed and evolved throughout the ages into the game we all know and love today.

The Origins of the Game

Back in the 17th century, there were several popular games, which had similarities to the game of roulette. These included the English wheel games E.O. (Even/Odd) and Roly-Poly as well as the Italian board games Biribi and Hoca. It is widely believed that these inspired the invention and development of roulette. Another widely accepted theory about the origins of the game is that it was created accidently by the French mathematician and physicist, Blaise Pascal. The theory goes that whilst attempting to create a perpetual motion machine, the roulette wheel was created as a bi-product.

The Roulette Revolution Throughout Europe

In the 18th and 19th century, Roulette was immensely popular in the casinos of Paris, and also at the Palais Royal, where it was played by aristocrats and royalty. Around this time, the roulette wheel had a zero and double zero, which gave the house a distinct advantage. This was challenged by two French brothers, Francois and Louis Blanc. Around 1843, they decided to remove the double zero from the roulette wheel, essentially reducing the house edge and increasing the return to player percentage.

Yet gambling had then been made illegal in France, so the brothers took their newly adapted game to the casinos of Germany, where it became hugely popular with players. When a gambling ban was introduced across Germany in the 1860’s, the brothers moved their focus to Monte Carlo. Here they established the first modern casino, with their single-zero roulette as the key attraction. The casino resort oozed glamour and attracted the wealthiest and most influential figures through its doors. After that, the single zero version of the game quickly spread throughout the whole of Europe.

But what about American Roulette?

In the early 19th century, roulette was introduced to America by European settlers who arrived in New Orleans. The game was played on the paddle steamers of the Mississippi, and gradually spread its way across America. Unlike the classy, upmarket atmosphere and style of play found in the casinos of Monte Carlo, in America, the game was played in makeshift dens, with simplified betting options for fast paced game play. It was the double zero wheel which was introduced to the states, and despite the rising popularity of single zero roulette throughout Europe, the higher house edge version remained dominant in the states. This has stood the test of time, with the primary difference in American Roulette of today being the double zero wheel, rather than the single zero found in European Roulette.

The Internet Boom and the Rise of Online Roulette

Towards the end of the 90’s, another significant development took place regarding roulette. With more and more homes having an internet connection, this led to the rise of online casinos. Now anyone could play American, European and French Roulette from the comfort of their own home. Playing roulette at an online casino has distinct advantages for players. These include games being available round the clock, with various table limits to choose from. What’s more, the rise of internet casinos also led to the development of numerous interesting and innovative game variants. Some such examples include Pinball, Multi Wheel and Card Roulette.

Live Roulette with Real Dealers

There is no doubt that the popularity of roulette was boosted along with the arrival of online casinos. However, one drawback of playing roulette online was the lack of a real casino atmosphere. Yet in order to address this issue, some operators began to stream games from real casinos. The first attempts at live streaming were far from perfect. Camera views were not particularly clear, you could not interact with the dealer and the quality of video streaming left a lot of room for improvement.

However, in 2006, the first dedicated live casino studios were introduced. This approach had huge advantages. For starters, players got an optimal view of the game as cameras could be placed in numerous positions and provide close up shots of the action. Plus, players could now interact with the dealer, helping to bring the experience closer to that of playing in a real land based casino. Nowadays, live roulette is one of the most popular ways of playing the timeless casino game.