Roulette is widely considered one of the most popular casino games and even in the modern era, continues to go from strength to strength. The global fascination with roulette shows no signs of slowing with millions playing on a regular basis.

But what exactly is it that makes roulette so attractive? To understand fully, we need to delve into the history archives and examine the roots of the classic game.

Origins of roulette

It’s widely agreed and accepted that a French scientist called Blaise Pascal was the mastermind behind the invention of roulette. Although it can’t be fully proven, it holds more weight than the other main theory that French monks created the game.

Pascal is believed to have introduced the mathematical element to roulette which hasn’t changed too much to this day, using a set of numbers on a spinning wheel where chance and probability dictated how a player could win.

Throughout the 18^th and 19^thcenturies, roulette gathered popularity across the whole of France and was soon to be introduced into casinos. King Louis XV tried to ban roulette altogether during his reign but it was Napoleon Bonaparte who allowed the game to be played in Paris-based casinos.

Furthermore, Prince Charles of Monaco opened up a set of casino’s as a way to try and amend his financial issues with stunning effect. Such was the popularity of roulette, it spread across the majority of Europe whereby not just the rich and wealthy could play – the working class were equally as fascinated.

American roulette

Roulette’s popularity increased when it was introduced to the United States in the latter part of the 19^thcentury. The American version of roulette was slightly different to that in Europe. Typically, the numbers are between 0-36 but across the pond, the Americans used a zero, double zero, an eagle symbol(something which favoured the house) and just 28 numbers.

To do this day, American Roulette is still preferred by US citizens but it did take a little while for the fascination to grip the nation when it was first introduced. The higher house edge is preferred by the American gambling community and as earlier stated, is still favoured nowadays.

At first, gambling laws were strict in America but dens were set-up so players could enjoy their favourite past time. Makeshift tables were used and the wheel placed on top with a dealer in place to maintain the speed of the game.

Land-based casinos and online roulette

Casinos became more and more widespread throughout the 1970’s, and roulette had essentially captured the imaginations of millions of people across the world at this point. The latter part of the 20^th century saw an unprecedented rise in popularity, with a huge number of people playing and gambling on a regular basis.

The Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco and ElRancho Vegas were the only two land-based casinos in the earlier part of the 20^th century, but quite literally thousands were built globally on the strength of the massive popularity it generated.

This soon led to the introduction of online roulette. Such was the developments in technology and the internet, punters can enjoy roulette from the comfort of their own homes. Many features and benefits were implemented to provide differing versions of the game, thus meaning players have a wider choice.

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