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One of the most popular casino games, Roulette, dates back to the 17th century when the first wheel resembling the one we know today was created.
However, games of chance similar to modern-day Roulette have existed far beyond the invention of the Roulette wheel, with ancient Greek and Roman soldiers spinning chariot wheels and placing bets on the outcome.
With such a rich history, join us as we explore the evolution of the Roulette wheel, from chariot wheels to live Roulette casino games.
The Primitive Roulette Wheel
It was in 1655 that French physicist, inventor, and mathematician Blaise Pascal created the first version of the Roulette wheel.
Pascal invented the wheel by mistake, initially setting out to create a perpetual motion machine. Naturally, he couldn’t defy physics with this creation and ended up developing what would later become known as the Roulette wheel.
European Roulette
Roulette gained popularity in Europe in the mid-19th century when the French brothers invented the single-zero version of the game. In 1842, Francois and Louis Blanc moved to Hamburg, Germany, where they developed the popular Roulette variation.
Single-zero Roulette, with a lower house edge than double-zero Roulette, became known as European Roulette after becoming a favorite in the world’s first modern casino, the Monte Carlo Casino.
In fact, Francois Blanc struck a deal with King Charles III of Monaco and helped build the casino himself after making a name for himself for the positive impacts European Roulette had on Hamburg’s economy.
American Roulette
In the 1800s, Roulette gained traction in America. Here, the double-zero variation of the wheel was preferred by players and casinos alike, hence the name American Roulette.
The American Roulette wheel has 38 pockets, whereas the European wheel has 37. With one green double-zero pocket marking the main difference between the two, American Roulette has a house edge of 5.26%, whereas European Roulette has a house edge of 2.70%.
French Roulette rules, such as ‘la partage,’ a variation of the ‘en prison’ rule, can further lower the house edge in some Roulette games, making this a popular version of the game of chance for many players across land-based and online casinos alike.
The Modern-Day
In the modern day, both land-based and online casinos have multiple variations of the Roulette wheel available to play. From American and European Roulette to French Roulette, with the aforementioned additional bets, you can play the classic game that best suits your preferences online.
What’s more, you’ll find digital versions of each Roulette wheel variation online, as well as different themed Roulette games to explore. There’s also live casino Roulette, in which a live dealer will host the game from a specially designed studio in real time. In live Roulette games, a professionally trained dealer will spin a real-life Roulette wheel, and state-of-the-art technology translates this into data and streams it to your chosen device.
Some live casino games have even introduced virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) into their games, so who knows what the future might hold for the already iconic game of chance.