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The Origins of the Roulette Wheel
By GamblersPick Apr 20, 2020Roulette is one of the most popular casino games. But do you know the origins of the roulette game and the roulette wheel?Even though the house has as much as a 5.26% advantage in the popular game of roulette, it doesn't stop people from playing. That is because roulette offers one of the best chances to double your bet and one of the greatest payouts of 36/37 to 1.
The roulette wheel is a fascinating and exciting game of luck, but so is its history.
If you want to play the game well then you should know how it was created. Read on to find out more.
Ancient Origin Theories
Some might argue that the roulette machine basics involving spinning a wheel and using a marker to determine a winner has ancient roots. These theories might be far fetched, however, they just may have had some influence on the modern development of the roulette wheel.
One unstable theory started with Chinese monks who used a square that displayed 37 marked stones of various animals. The number 666, the sum of the 37 numbers, was written in the center of the game.
Either the game was shared with or discovered by Dominican monks who then brought a modified circular game back to Europe.
Another possibility is more barbaric than a game played by monks. In ancient Rome and Greece, soldiers would use their shields or chariot wheels as spinners. Bets were placed on where the arrow would stop once the shield or wheel came to a stop.
In medieval times, a Rota Fortunae or Wheel of Fortune displayed the unfortunate consequences of fate, similar to a roulette spin. The painting of the wheel shows a blindfolded goddess turning the spokes with kings clinging to the edges as they rise and fall.
European Roulette Wheel
More historians agree that the roulette table game we see today came from France and was a scientific experiment gone wrong.
The mathematician, physicist, and inventor Blaise Pascal attempted to create a perpetual motion device. His invention was doomed to fail since the law of physics says an object can't continuously move without any kind of force.
So, in 1655, being a suspected gambler and one of the first people to study probability, Pascal decided to turn his wheel into a game.
However, other European origin stories exist that may have led to Pascal's invention. For example, the English game of even/odd (E.O.) looks strikingly similar to roulette's 50/50 odds of red or black. There is another game in Italy that may have pre-dated Pascal's referenced as "Italian Roulette" in the history books.
All About the Odds
Regardless of who came up with the initial design, the real decision was how to balance the odds. The game was simple to play. You placed a bet on numbered squares from 1 to 36 or on red or black. This was the layout of Pascal's original design.
However, in 1842 the king of Monaco, Charles III, was in a financial crisis. Two French entrepreneurs, Francois and Louis Blanc brought him a solution of creating a casino. Their first idea was to change the popular game of roulette to include a zero on the wheel that made all other bets absolute.
The added zero raised the house advantage and made Monte Carlo a luxury casino destination, especially soon after when France outlawed gambling.
Coming to America
The roulette wheel numbers would change once more when it migrated to the United States. A second double-zero space further increased the house odds and made the game even more interesting.
In colonial America, an American Eagle symbol was added on the wheel with only 28 numbers, excluding the zeros slots. The icon of liberty and the zeros meant if the ball landed on it the house would win and all bets were lost. Later, the game switched back to a more European-style game with the absence of the eagle and with the green-colored zeros paying like other numbers.
The popularity of the game slowly spread across the country. Starting in New Orleans, roulette traveled north on casino steam ferry boats and eventually made its way to Quebec.
The ambiance of the game changed as well. You would find roulette played in smaller parlors rather than grand casinos like in Monte Carlo. This led to an increase in cheating both on the player and proprietor side.
To prevent fraud, the wheel was placed on a table and easy betting options were introduced to make the game move quickly. People didn't have the space or time to cheat, plus it increased the excitement of the game.
Modern Roulette Variations
Today, the American roulette wheel stick to its original single and double zero spaces while Europeans tend to use the single zero only.
Other roulette variations have developed over the years. The French give some of the advantage back to the player in a rule called "le partage." If the player bet an even/odd, black/red, or high/low wager and the ball lands on zero they get half of their money back.
Less common forms of roulette include a no-zero wheel, a progressive jackpot option called Royal Roulette, and a mini-roulette usually with only 12 numbers.
The Online Gaming Boom
The casino roulette wheel is most versatile when played online. There is even a double ball option that increases the player's chances of winning by two times.
Online playing also allows smaller bet options. Most casinos have minimum bet options, increasing your risk of losing more money. Micro-betting from the comfort of your home allows you to learn the game and have fun with a small investment.
Playing games like roulette online has become preferable in the last few years that is it on track to become a $94.4 billion industry by 2024.
Exploring Online Roulette Wheel Options
The online gaming revolution now makes it easy to learn how to play all types of roulette wheels. You have the option of playing with points, real money, and even Bitcoin against the computer, real players, or virtual dealers.
Get started by playing our free roulette games.
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