The History of Roulette: From Salons to Casinos
Roulette is available at nearly every casino worldwide for a good reason. It’s a game of high suspense that elegantly blends strategy, luck, and a touch of sophistication.
Its appeal lies in the rapid spin and unpredictable payoff, making it a mainstay at casinos worldwide.
Below, I delve into the origins of roulette, examining where and when it was invented, who created it, and how European and American versions diverged over time.
Where and When Was Roulette Invented?
Roulette was invented in 18th-century France. The name itself comes from the French word for “little wheel.”
However, the game is believed to be influenced by earlier games such as Roly-Poly (a 17th-century English wheel game) and Biribi, a game of chance from Italy.
In pre-revolutionary France, where wealth inequality was stark, games of chance were popular both among the poor and the aristocracy.
The wealthy played in salons hosted by influential Parisian women, where roulette and card games were fashionable pastimes.
Who Created Roulette?
Roulette exists thanks to the French mathematician and inventor Blaise Pascal. Pascal was trying to develop a perpetual motion machine and failed, but the result was the roulette wheel.
Although his invention wasn’t successful in its original purpose, it laid the groundwork for the roulette wheel.
However, Pascal is merely responsible for the tech. The question of who invented roulette has several answers. That’s because there are a few key players.
We have the Blanc brothers, Francois and Louis, to thank for the great roulette surge across Europe and America. If you asked, “Who invented modern roulette?”, the answer is the Blanc brothers.
The French brothers developed the “single-zero” roulette game in 1843, which became the basis for standard European and French roulette today.
Roulette’s Evolution in Europe
Roulette became a staple in German casinos during the mid-19th century. However, when Germany banned gambling in 1860, the Blanc brothers moved their operation to Monte Carlo.
I visited Monte Carlo’s famous Casino de Monte-Carlo last year, and the single-zero tables are still the draw for savvy players
There, single-zero roulette became the signature offering and remained the only legal roulette game in Europe until 1933.
Today, single-zero roulette remains the dominant format in European casinos due to its more favorable odds for players.
Roulette’s Journey to America
European immigrants made their way to New Orleans in the early 19th Century, and with them they brought roulette.
This was the original “double zero” roulette found in France at the time, as the “single-zero” had not yet been invented.
Roulette existed only in crude makeshift gambling dens, a far cry from the salons of Paris, and moved up through the Mississippi and westward until finally reaching California.
Gambling historians believe that roulette was incredibly popular during the California Gold Rush, as gamblers had become bored with typical card games. Gambling was rife at the time.
By the 1940s, when hotels and casinos started popping up on what would become the Las Vegas Strip, roulette had developed into “American Roulette”.
This unique setup included the “double zero” wheel that sat on top of the table.
Casinos kept the “double-zero” format because the increased house edge favored the casino, and the unique location of the wheel was to protect against hidden cheating devices.
Key Differences: European vs. American Roulette History
The key distinction between European and American roulette lies in the number of zeros.
European roulette has a single zero, offering a 2.70% house edge, while American roulette features both a single and double zero, resulting in a 5.26% house edge.
Another difference is the number arrangement on the wheel. For example:
- European wheel sequence starts: 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21…
- American wheel sequence starts: 0, 28, 9, 26, 30, 11…
Europe also commonly uses the “La Partage” rule. This rule allows players to recover half their stake on even-money bets if the ball lands on zero.
It is rarely seen in the U.S. except at high-stakes tables offering European roulette.
Roulette in the Digital Age
Once the internet was up and running in the average household, gambling soon followed.
By 1996, roulette appeared on InterCasino, the first online casino, and by the late 2000s, virtual roulette games dazzled as popular additions at hundreds of online casinos.
This allowed players to enjoy roulette at home and on-the-go via their desktops or mobile devices.
The digital game advanced quickly, too. Initially, online roulette featured digital graphics, like a video game, and the roulette spin uses complex Random Number Generator algorithms.
However, game developers, chiefly Evolution, began perfecting live dealer games around 2012-13, and players could play live streams of real roulette games.
Today, live roulette could be seen as the cornerstone of the prolific live gaming industry. You can explore and play a wide variety of free online roulette games at Gamesville.
Famous Roulette Moments in Pop Culture
Roulette is so popular, you don’t even need to play roulette to understand the game these days. That’s partly because it is so ingrained in pop culture.
From literature to movies and real-world stories, there are more than a few roulette moments that excite, motivate, and entertain players.
- $5 on red: In the Entourage episode “Vegas Baby Vegas”, the boys have a long-standing tradition. Place a $5 bet on red. If it hits, it’s going to be a good weekend. Spoiler alert: it’s a winner.
- Breaking the bank: In 1891, British gambler Charles Wells earned the moniker “The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo” by hitting 23 consecutive wins, winning 2 million francs, on the roulette table at the Monte Carlo Casino.
- On the silver screen: Plenty of big wins, comedy antics, and tense moments dazzle viewers in blockbuster films such as “Diamonds Are Forever”, “Rush Hour 2”, “Run Lola Run”, and “Casablanca”.
- The Complete Bet: Mike Ashley bet £480.000 on all insider numbers, including all splits, corners, streets, and six-line bets, including 17. He may have even bet on a dozen, column, black, and odd. The bet paid off, and the billionaire walked away £1.3 million richer.
Conclusion: A Timeless Game
What began as an attempt to defy physics evolved into one of the world’s most beloved casino games.
Whether in Las Vegas, online, or at a sweepstakes casino, roulette continues to attract players with its simple rules and thrilling outcomes.
To learn more about how roulette works or to play for free, visit Gamesville.
And for anyone concerned about fairness, I also recommend checking out our other guides on Roulette, explaining why online roulette isn’t rigged and how RNGs ensure game integrity.
