Roulette Origins and History

Wondering about roulette history? I put together hours of research in this article, meaning you won’t have to go clicking dozens of pages to find out the facts regarding the evolution of roulette.

As with all old-school casino games, this one has uncertain origins, and several competing theories exist. However, I do know for sure who invented the modern roulette wheel, and I tell you in this article.

Let’s begin with some of the theories about the origins of roulette before explaining how it became popular and eventually became a big deal online.

Who Invented Roulette?

You can’t truly understand the history of roulette without understanding who invented roulette and where it began.

According to common legend, roulette was invented back in France in the 17th century. It’s believed that scientist and mathematician Blaise Pascal (ever heard of Pascal’s wager?) invented the first roulette game as a byproduct of his research into perpetual motion machines.

However, in recent times, evidence has come to light that roulette was played all over the world by ancient civilizations that existed long before Pascal. It’s possible that, as we learn more, we’ll find out that roulette history is much more interesting and ancient.

Alternative Theories About the Origins of Roulette

While the idea that Pascal introduced the modern game of roulette is virtually undisputed, there are some fun theories about the true history of roulette based on discoveries made in history, anthropology, and other disciplines.

1. It’s known that Chinese people played a game with 37 animals on a board. Monks who traveled to the Middle Kingdom and studied Chinese life are said to have gotten the idea for a primitive form of roulette from what they observed.
2. Roman soldiers were known to spin chariot wheels and other similar objects to kill time and gamble between gruesome battles. Since they had a good chance of dying on any given day, it’s unlikely that they cared much about losing a few bets.
3. Ancient Greeks also had a similar game. They’d draw symbols on the inside of a shield and would stick a spear in the ground beside it. They’d then spin it and bet on which segment/symbol would stop beside the spear.

How Roulette Became Popular

As the previous section on roulette history showed, roulette, in some form or another, has always been around. However, it truly became popular in Europe and spread to America and the rest of the world after Pascal invented his wheel and the Blanc brothers fine-tuned it.

What is known is that gambling became illegal in France shortly after this happened. The brothers moved to Germany, where they introduced the game. It became wildly popular. Eventually, it was re-introduced in France and spread throughout much of Europe.

As explorers sailed all over the world, and eventually, planes and ships made global travel possible, roulette spread all over the world, and eventually, it took off online. I’ll cover that in a later section.

Roulette Trivia and Fun Facts

Here are some fun roulette facts to reflect on. This game has remained largely the same since its inception, but these are notable events from the last couple of hundred years.

Introducing the Zero

European roulette has a single zero pocket, and American roulette has two. However, the original roulette wheel had no zero pockets at all. It wasn’t until the mid-19th century that Francois and Lois Blanc introduced it.

The brothers added the zero to build a game for then-King Charles III of Monaco. He needed to open a casino to improve his finances, and the zero gave the house an edge.

American Roulette Is Born in the New World

Everybody knows that Americans like to do things bigger and better, and so it is with roulette. As the game made its way across the New World, sometime in the mid-19th century, an extra zero pocket was added.

Naturally, this gives the house an even bigger edge. Whereas European roulette has a house edge of 2.7%, American roulette has an edge of 5.26%.

There Is No Surefire Roulette Strategy

Despite what some hucksters will tell you, roulette has been analyzed by millions of people all over the world, and there’s absolutely no roulette strategy that wins every time.

Some fun systems, such as The Martingale, can make things go your way on a short-term basis, but over the long run, the math of roulette is unbeatable. Therefore, it’s always wise to take some chips off the table after a run of good luck.

Roulette In the Movies

As one of the most popular casino games, roulette has featured in many hit casino movies. These include Ocean’s 11, The Gambler, several James Bond movies, and Casino.

These movies have helped roulette remain popular in the public consciousness. There are some seriously intense scenes shot at roulette wheels. Just watch The Gambler for one example of hair-raising movie moments focused on roulette.

Massive Roulette Wins

I previously wrote a post on some of the biggest roulette wins ever. You should check it out if you have the time. Some players have won hundreds of thousands or even millions at the roulette tables.

One of the craziest stories involves a hustler called Charles Wells, who won so much money he bankrupted the same Monaco casino twice. It’s unknown whether he cheated, but his big wins did earn him a lifetime ban from the casino.

The Rise of Roulette Online

If you’ve read the article so far, you’ll already have figured out that roulette has been embraced by and has remained popular in cultures all over the world. Thus, it was inevitable that it would take off in the first global culture; the internet.

If you’d like to try some of the new variants of roulette or play some of the classic ones for real money, check out the best roulette casinos online.