Roulette is one of the most easily recognisable casino games to ever grace the floors of gambling spots worldwide. Few of us would be surprised by this game’s iconic status, especially considering how many cultural, literary and film references it inspires on any given day. The game itself has been around for ages and hasn’t failed to create a giant following among gambling fans! So, what is roulette’s background and how did it become the quintessential casino game? We’ll take a look at exactly that in this page, including a handful of references to the biggest wins in the history of roulette and an overview of the game’s rules. Stay tuned for an exhaustive look at one of casino’s most iconic staples!
It was here, because of rampant cheating by both operators and gamblers, that the wheel was eventually placed on top of the table to prevent devices being hidden in the table or wheel, and the betting layout was simplified. This eventually evolved into the American style roulette game as different from the traditional French game.
- Now, roulette is among the most popular and accessible casino games on the planet, with hundreds of thousands of European and American tables at gaming establishments worldwide – from Madrid to Macao, London to Lima, Atlantic City to Amsterdam, and all parts in between.
- Early roulette tables in the US were a bit different than what you see today. Instead of 38 numbers including 1 through 36, 0, and 00, the roulette wheel has 28 numbers, two zeros, and a symbol of an American Eagle. The last symbol gave the house an extra edge.
The Roulette Origin Story
As history would have it, the famed game is not so much the result of an intention, as it is actually a by-product of something else. And that ’something else’ was Blaise Pascal’s search for a perpetual motion machine sometime in the 17th century. So, while our man Blaise didn’t invent the roulette wheel per se, he made the game into what it is today. You see, roulette had already existed in France as a board game, and combining this with a variety of British games like Roly-Poly and E.O. gave Pascal the magic combination of elements – a true recipe for success, if there’s ever been one! Pascal, a brainiac well versed in maths and physics, missed the mark with this invention by a wide margin – since the wheel is far from being perpetually in motion – but therefore left the world with a fantastic gambling tool that soon took over royal courts and gambling halls all over Europe.
The Roulette Background Could Go Even Further, Though
Those seriously doubting that a French mathematician could invent the game can turn to speculating about whether roulette’s origin stretches even further than assumed. In fact, several pieces of evidence point to an existence of roulette-like games being played in ancient civilisations! For instance, the Chinese supposedly played a board game with 37 animal figures positioned on squares, with a total value of 666 (just like roulette!). Also, Greek soldiers would also play a game where they drew numbers on a shield, spun it next to a spear and guess which number the spear would point at. Whether this is true – we’ll never know, unfortunately. There aren’t any documents supporting or refuting these suspicions, so we can keep on playing the guessing game in this respect as well.
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In Comes the Zero to Give the Casinos an Edge
The early wheels in the casinos in Paris actually had a single and double zero pocket, one in red and one in black. Eventually, the colour green was chosen for both zero slots, as to set them apart from the rest of the numbers. These two slots on the wheel were reserved for the house, giving it a major advantage over the players.
Later on in 1843, a single-zero wheel was introduced by the Blanc brothers and soon proved to be more popular than its predecessor. It’s no wonder this reinvention of the wheel was a crowd-pleaser: it reduced the bank’s advantage over the players by half! What’s not to like? It is supposedly here where the split between European and American wheels originates – before the Blancs’ version of the wheel got popular in Europe, the double-zero variant had already been imported into North America.
America Brings in the Double Zero and then Some
Once across the ocean, the game became the talk of the town not only among the French immigrants who brought it over, but also the rest of the populace. The epicentre of this action was in none other than the iconic jazz land city of New Orleans, a gambling hub that was also filled with French immigrants at that time. Even though the wheel still had a single and double-zero slot, casinos weren’t happy with their cut so they placed yet another slot onto the wheel – the eagle slot. With a whopping edge of 12.9%, it’s no wonder gambling halls pushed their agenda for a modified wheel. Eventually, these style of wheels went out of fashion (thank goodness), leaving the wheel again with the two zero slots in the US.
If you’re looking for some American flair, you’ll be happy to know that you can easily find American Roulette in pretty much every online casino. Those of you keen to up the thrill with a higher-edge game should take a look at our take on American Roulette and the best online casinos to play at. And, of course, European Roulette has stayed firmly put since it took over casinos in Monaco and kicked its double-zeroed sibling to the curb – which is good for you and your wallet! In fact, European Roulette and French Roulette are wildly popular when compared to its Yankee offshoot – with many roulette casinos offering primarily these two variants.
Roulette Goes Digital
The rise of the internet – and, inevitably, internet gambling – has ushered in a special kind of heyday in roulette history. As popular as it has been on land, it became even more notorious in virtual casinos thanks to players no longer having to leave their houses to spin the wheel. The prospect of playing while tucked into a blanket on your sofa is just too hard to resist for many – and there’s no wonder why! Gambling has never been so easy-going and low effort – and who doesn’t love a chance to be lazy when given the opportunity? Random number generator-operated software has replaced the fate of physics in this case, but, on the other hand, this gave way to exciting new variants of roulette, for example, Pinball Roulette.
Live Roulette Takes Things to the Next Level
Refusing to be just another online game, roulette has moved on with an even better format based on live streaming of the game and betting via the casino’s online platform as you watch. Since the 1990s, live casinos have been getting into the swing of things with more and more exciting game variants of popular casino games, and as streaming quality got better, the market just started booming with choices spreading out among a handful of renowned live game providers. So, those who do still prefer the “real” touch, as opposed to RNG, can enjoy countless live roulette tables offered at all major casinos in the UK.
Roulette Today
Online roulette has enjoyed a stable level of popularity in the UK, and, unlike slots, there’s not that much need for kooky and out-of-the-left-field variants of this game. The rules go according to one of three variants – European, French or American. Between these three, you’ll find plenty of choice to stay entertained but still within a manageable-sized roster. There are, however, a few recent additions to the scene which might make your ears perk up. For instance, Age of the Gods Roulette has brought the progressive jackpot format to this famed table game as well. Based on a franchise of mythology-themed slots, this variant triggers a jackpot round at random, giving you the chance to land one of the four jackpot levels. In the live roulette department, Double Ball Roulette from NetEnt or Book of Ra Roulette from Extreme Live Gaming are intriguing twists on the standard template, with the latter even incorporating side game offshoots of the famous Novomatic slot of the same name.
The Biggest Roulette Win in History
With such a big reputation, it’s no surprise to guess the source of the fame – the possible explosive wins that you can land while playing roulette. Though we wouldn’t promote these one-off chances as something regular, we still have to acknowledge the payout power this game can have when it is done well. Let’s have a look at some of the most legendary wins in roulette history, courtesy of some very lucky (and slightly reckless) players!
Ashley Revell from the UK – Live on TV
Ashley Revell, evidently a man with a lot of faith, thought it was a great idea to sell his possessions, empty out his bank account, and put it all on a roulette bet. This certainly sounds unorthodox, at best, and insane at worst, but believe it or not – Ashley did right. Of course, nothing is as innocent as it seems, as our friend also got a sweet TV special deal out of it. But the crux of the story remains: he bet every single penny of the $135,000 he had on red – and won! And though we’ve seen bigger wins than this, Revell’s story takes the cake thanks to the epic setup and backstory.
Charles Wells – The Guy Who Broke the Bank
Another player who happily threw caution to the wind was Charles Wells, back in 1891. It took him two legendary visits to a Monte Carlo casino to scoop up a million francs at each visit, which was a massive amount of money back then! Unfortunately, his luck couldn’t keep up, and Charles was soon on the receiving end of some pretty harsh blowback.
His epic wins were followed by a series of losses and arrests – which was not helped by the fact that he was a famed suspected trickster and scammer. Wells never recovered from his extreme financial rollercoaster, and he died broke and destitute.
Mike Ashley – Lucky 17, Like James Bond
If there are people who can truly play roulette with abandon, its millionaires, nay – billionaires – like Mike Ashley. The owner of Newcastle United has surely got no shortage of funds, made clear when he headed to the roulette table in 2008 with a bold wager in mind. He thus made headlines with a “complete” bet focused around the number 17, meaning he made every possible wager on inside bets, splits, streets and line bets. It’s definitely a ballsy move to make, but, clearly, Mike subscribes to the ‘If you got it, flaunt it’ lifestyle. Wagering a “measly” £480,000 on one spin, he won £820,000 in return. Not sure how much he had lost before, though.
Chris Boyd – UK Computer Programmer
Similar to Ashley Revell, Chris Boyd bet a grand sum of $220,000 on the colour red. Though not as extreme as in the former case, Boyd’s wager came from his intense savings of over three years – so fortunately, he still had possessions of his own, including a car to drive off in in case he lost. However, there was no need for that as the bet on red worked out for Boyd, to the tune of some sweet cash. In another freaky twist of events, it’s rumoured that the slot the ball landed on was the same as Ashley Revell’s lucky red 7!
The Future of Roulette
From the humble beginnings as perpetual motion reject to the current state of roulette as the premier casino game online and offline, there’s surely much more in store for the famed game. The introduction of novelty variants and progressive jackpot roulette games at our top online casino picks will surely continue with further expansion. We can also hold our breath for more virtual reality games which are sure to permeate the gambling world in no time. Several of these are already on the market, with Microgaming delivering a standout flagship VR roulette in 2015 – one that already managed to scoop up a coveted Digital Gaming Innovation of the Year award at the Global Gaming Awards!
How to Use Your Knowledge of Roulette History
Knowing the history of roulette unfortunately won’t improve your chances of winning the game, but you will hopefully navigate from this page with a newfound appreciation for this legendary pastime. You can take inspiration from the guys who made our ‘Big Wins’ list – though we’d advise you not to get swept away by emotions just yet. Instead, check out the roulette rules page to get some deeper knowledge or explore a betting system like Martingale in hopes of minimising your losses. If you’re into getting down to business, you can go ahead and play a round or two of the best roulette games at our following top casinos, in addition to countless other casino games.
Ever wonder how Sin City got its name? Maybe it's all the free booze. Maybe it's the glutinous all-you-can-eat buffets that all those tourists stuff their faces at. Maybe it's the ladies of the night. Or maybe the Roulette wheel has something to do with it.
Add up all the numbers on the wheel - that's 1 through 36 - and you've got yourself a total that can only be described as devilish. Yup, 666. Legend has it that the inventor of the single zero Roulette wheel made a deal with the devil to obtain winning Roulette secrets.
Of course, that's just a tall tale, told to make the game seem more interesting. Not that Roulette needs it. The game is one of the most exciting, not just in Sin City, but at casinos all over Australia. And the history of Roulette is just as interesting. Read on to find out how the game went from a physics experiment to the real deal at the big Melbourne and Sydney casinos.
The man who started it all
It's no secret that Roulette is all about odds, house edges, and statistics. So it should come as no surprise that the Roulette wheel was actually invented by Blaise Pascal, a French physicist, inventor, and mathematician. But Pascal wasn't trying to invent a casino game. In 1655, Pascal tried to invent a perpetual motion machine.
For non-scientists, that would be a machine that continues to operate without drawing energy from an external source. The laws of physics say it's impossible, but being an inventor, Pascal was attempting to defy the odds. His experiment failed, but the process gave birth to one of the most popular casino games of all time.
The invention of the zero
OK, we're not going to suggest that the number zero didn't exist until the 1800s. Anyone who knows anything knows that's not the case. But zero didn't exist on the Roulette wheel until the mid-19th century. In fact, the Roulette wheel as invented by Pascal remained the same for centuries. That all changed in 1842, when Francois and Lois Blanc designed a Roulette wheel with a single zero on it, specifically for King Charles III of Monaco. This was a massive deal because adding a zero gave the house a bigger house edge.
With his kingdom facing some financial trouble, Charles built a casino and brought the Roulette wheel to the masses. The wheel generated a lot of income for Monaco, and it quickly became an important symbol for Monte Carlo's culture of upscale gambling.
What's more, the Roulette wheel with the single zero hit the market at the same time that France had outlawed gambling, making Monte Carlo even more desirable.
Yes, you're seeing double
Americans like to make things their own. That's no secret. And Roulette wouldn't escape American influence. In the 1800s, Roulette made its way across the ocean and onto US shores. To give the house an even bigger edge, a double zero was added to the Roulette wheel. That means that instead of 37 numbers, the American Roulette wheel would have 38 numbers (1 through 36, 0, and 00).
Predicting the results
Did you know an Australian statistician is credited with figuring out how to beat the odds in Roulette? Michael Small of the University of Western Australia Perth studied Roulette wheels along with Chi Kong Tse of Hong Kong Polytechnic University. They figured out that if you know the precise location of the spinning ball and the speeds of the ball and wheel when the Roulette dealer (known as the croupier) releases the ball, you can figure out exactly what to bet on and increase your odds of winning.
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Unfortunately, it's hard to predict the odds in a regular casino setting. The researchers used cameras to record results, but that really isn't an option in a real casino. If you sit down at a Roulette wheel with any sort of electronic equipment, you'll be kicked out.
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But the research does prove that Roulette is all about physics, so if you put your mind to it, if you really pay attention to what's happening at the wheel, you might be able to improve your odds significantly.
Roulette goes online
Up until the early 2000s, if you wanted to play single zero Roulette, you needed to head to Europe. If you wanted double zero Roulette, your best bet was the United States. But that all changed with the introduction of online Roulette casinos. No matter where in the world you live, online casinos give you the option to play any online Roulette variation.
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The future of Roulette
Now that you know the history of Roulette, where do you think the future lies? Another zero on the wheel? Better payouts? A change in odds? More realistic online Roulette wheels? The only way to find out is to pay attention, so keep playing and have fun.