A Comprehensive Look at the History of Roulette

By Jane Shaw Senior Editor Updated: 09/15/2023

Jane Shaw Senior Editor See Full Bio

We count on Jane to inform our readers about the latest slot games in the US market. With her passion for video games and a degree in engineering, she’s our gambling tech expert. Jane’s also active in our blog section, where she tackles the curiosities and changes in the industry.

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The History of Roulette

• Roulette Origins: What We Know
• The History of Roulette
• European Influence and Spread
• American Evolution and Changes
• Online Roulette: A Modern Twist
• How to Play Roulette
• Frequently Asked Questions

Roulette is one of the most iconic casino games in the world, famous for its simple mechanic of a spinning wheel and a ball. While the origins of roulette are debated, most agree that it first rose to prominence in 18th-century France and quickly spread across Europe and then to America.

The game has evolved over the centuries, with different wheel layouts and betting options now available. This blog will explore the fascinating history of roulette game, exploring how it went from a prohibited game in many countries to the world’s most popular casino table game.

Roulette Origins: What We Know

The exact origins of roulette are shrouded in mystery, with multiple theories about when and where the game first emerged. Some claim roulette wheel history originated in 17th-century France, while others trace it back to 18th-century England. The most widely accepted story links the roulette wheel to 17th-century French physicist Blaise Pascal, who was attempting to develop a perpetual motion machine.

The roulette wheel’s origins led to the casino game’s creation in 18th-century France, where it quickly gained popularity. From French casinos, roulette spread to other parts of Europe and eventually to America. This roulette origins blog will look at the history of the game in more depth – but if you’re looking for the best online roulette sites, make sure to check out our recommended US-friendly online casinos.

The History of Roulette Game

The earliest predecessor to roulette was a game called Roly-Poly, played in 17th century England. Players would bet on which number a ball would land on when spun around a circular or octagonal wheel divided into numbered slots. This primitive game of chance laid the foundation for what would eventually become roulette.

The most widespread story behind roulette’s origins traces the game to Blaise Pascal, the French mathematician and physicist. In 1655, Pascal was trying to create a perpetual motion machine that could keep operating continuously without any outside energy source. His attempt involved a wheel with numbered slots and a ball. The wheel would spin indefinitely, but the ball would eventually lose momentum, land in a slot, and disrupt the perpetual motion – essentially an early primitive form of roulette.

While we’ve looked at a broader overview of roulette’s history, the game’s most important advances happened in Europe. During the early 1800s, roulette spread beyond France to other continental European countries. We’ll cover this in the section below.

European Influence and Spread

In the mid-1800s, roulette became a famous gambling activity in luxury European spa resorts and casinos. Wealthy English tourists would visit the German spa town of Bad Homburg and play in the casino, helping to spread the game’s appeal. Monte Carlo, in the tiny principality of Monaco, became the most legendary roulette destination. When Prince Charles III legalized gambling in the mid-1800s to generate revenue, lavish casinos were opened to attract the elite.

Monte Carlo casino helped cement roulette’s reputation for sophistication and glamor. Crowds flocked to experience the dramatic spins and high stakes of roulette. Famous Europeans like Napoleon Bonaparte and writer Fyodor Dostoevsky were said to be avid players. European novelists and playwrights portrayed the risky excitement of Monte Carlo roulette – and this stereotype is something that remains even today, especially in Hollywood films.

As roulette gained popularity across Europe, however, some countries saw it as dangerous – citing potential negative social repercussions. Some European countries went as far as the US to ban the game – but these bans proved short-lived, and the game continued to become a staple in European casinos.

American Evolution and Changes

Roulette arrived in America in the late 1800s, introduced by European immigrants. The game quickly gained popularity in the U.S. for its fast pace and big payouts. But gradually, it developed some uniquely American traits as well.

When early European settlers came to America, many brought their love for gambling. Roulette wheels could be found in saloons and gambling halls across the country, and they became especially prominent in frontier towns. In the late 1800s, Monte Carlo-style European casinos started appearing in resort towns like Saratoga Springs, drawing wealthy industrialists to the game – and bringing in vital profits for local businesses.

But roulette was also spreading to more working-class gamblers across America. Then came the nationwide gambling prohibition of the early 20th century. This drove many roulette games underground and ended up having the opposite effect to what the government wanted; public interest surged, and the game’s popularity rose faster than pretty much anyone could have imagined!

As the game expanded west, French names for bets were replaced with English translations like “colors” for rouge/noir. Outside bets on red, black, odd, even, and 1-18 or 19-36 became popular with casual players. The language and gameplay gradually took on American nuances.

Most notably, in the 1800s, American roulette wheels developed a key physical difference from European wheels. The American wheel layout has green 0 and 00 slots, which was perhaps the biggest change in roulette number history, while European wheels have just one 0. This significantly raises the house edge in America, making the game more profitable for casinos. It impacts betting strategies as well.

In 1907, American entrepreneur John H. Patterson brought roulette wheels to the carnival circuit for the first time. He hired barkers to lure crowds with the promise of big 36:1 payouts on number bets. This boosted roulette’s mass appeal in America as a carnival attraction – and today, more than a century later, it remains the most popular casino table game in the states.

Indeed, online roulette is also hugely popular – and you’ll be able to play this iconic casino table game at pretty much any online gambling website.

Online Roulette: A Modern Twist

The internet revolutionized gaming, and roulette was one of the first casino games to make the transition online. As early as 1994, the first online casinos started offering virtual roulette tables. Over the next decades, online roulette exploded in popularity thanks to the convenience, accessibility, and variety it offered players.

In the early days, graphics and gameplay were pretty basic, but it was quickly apparent that online roulette offered one huge benefit over playing the game in land-based casinos; players could enjoy the game from their homes without needing to make a trip to their local casino.

Another major benefit of online roulette was that it allowed players to access a much larger selection of games than was previously available. For example, in conventional land-based casinos, American players were limited almost exclusively to American roulette – an exciting game, but one that carried a much higher house edge than the versions found in Europe. The internet changed all of this, and players were now able to access more profitable versions of the game, like French and European roulette.

Aside from graphical improvements, online roulette remained largely unchanged until the 2010s when game developers like NetEnt and Playtech started creating live casino games. These games once again revolutionized the online gambling industry and allowed players to enjoy playing the game from their home – but with a live video stream showing the action playing out in real-time.

How to Play Roulette: A Beginner’s Guide

Regardless of whether you play at the best online casinos or at land-based venues, roulette is played on a wheel with numbered slots that spin, along with a ball that rolls around the wheel before settling into a slot. You bet on which number the ball will land on, as well as other betting options.

To begin, players exchange cash or chips at the roulette table, then place bets by putting chips on areas of the table. On a standard roulette table layout, the numbers 1-36 are arranged in a grid, with additional outside bet areas for red/black, even/odd, 1-18/19-36, dozens, and columns.

Once bets are placed, the dealer spins the wheel and rolls the ball in the opposite direction. As the wheel slows, the ball bounces around until it stops in a numbered pocket. The dealer marks the winning number, clears losing bets, and pays out winners.

Below, we’ll look at some of the most popular bets you’ll find at the roulette table: