Roulette, arguably the most popular and well-known modern casino game, arose in France during the 18th century from unclear origins. Some myths purport French mathematician Pascal invented the game of odds; other myths rumor roulette originated from a betting game in ancient China, and was carried west by Dominican monks trading with the Chinese in the mid-1700s. Some even suggest Francois Blanc sold his soul to the devil in exchange for the game – and indeed the sum of numbers on a modern roulette wheel add to 666, “the Beast’s Number”. Historical records first mention of the game is in a set of regulations for New France (Canada) circa 1758, banning games of “dice, hoca, faro, and roulette”. By 1796 roulette was being played in its current form across Paris; an early description of the game was recorded by French novelist Jaques Lablee in his novel “La Roulette, ou le Jour” which recounts a game played in the Palais Royal in Paris.
Roulette, French for “little wheel” is thought to be a combination of several English wheel games: Roly Poly, Reiner, Ace of Heart, and E.O.; as well as the Italian games of Hoca and Biribi. In the modern version of roulette, consisting of a slotted wheel numbered 1-36 in alternating black and red, the house maintains a mathematical advantage by the addition of two slots labeled “0″ and “00″. Frenchmen Francois and Louis Blanc made gambling history in the German casino town of Homburg when they introduced a roulette wheel with only a single “0″ slot; effectively halving the houses advantage. Shortly after, Germany abolished gambling and the Blanc’s moved to Monte Carlo, Monaco: the last legal gambling location in Europe. Monte Carlo soon became a pilgrimage site for gamblers from across Europe, encouraged by then-ruler Prince Charles, who, needing to address the financial troubles of his kingdom eagerly welcomed the casino boom. Monte Carlo soon became synonymous with glamour; and roulette was the “King of Casino Games”.
By the 1800s roulette had crossed the Atlantic, and Americans with pockets newly lined with gold-boom era quick cash, rushed to further increase their fast-fortunes in games of chance. The game, which developed with leisure and old-money charm in Monte Carlo, adopted to the fast-passed environment of the American West’s makeshift casinos, this new simplified roulette with fast action and fast cash soon gained popularity across the globe.
Today, the game is played both with the traditional “Double Zero” wheel – now known as the “American Layout” and with the Blanc brothers’ “Single Zero” layout – the double wheel still holds popularity among casinos in the Americas, and the single wheel layout dominates the European gambling scene.
