Roulette is one of the most played casino games in the world. With time, its popularity has only grown.
Roulette has evolved with time, in accordance with the changing tastes of audiences, and this has only added to its fame. Technology has also helped fuel the rise of roulette and many websites offer players the chance to participate in a game of online Roulette, from the convenience of their homes.
Let us now delve into the history of Roulette.
A variation of Roulette was created by a French mathematician named Blaise Pascal in the 17th century as he was trying to make a perpetual motion machine.
However, it is also believed that people played games similar to Roulette even in ancient times.
Origins Of Roulette
Success has many fathers, and it’s no surprise that many countries claim to be the birthplace of Roulette.
For example, some experts claim that Roulette was a Chinese game that involved arranging 37 animals in a magical square. They have even put a name to it. Apparently, Roulette was first discovered by a monk called Dominican, who was highly involved with all aspects of Chinese life.
There is no documented information on how the Chinese game was played. But it is commonly believed that the monks changed the square layout into a circle, and a slot for zero was added.
Roulette later moved to Europe with some modifications.
There is also a Roman connection! In ancient Rome as being a soldier was not comfortable or exciting. Apart from the short life expectancy, they witnessed their comrades being killed and tortured.
In order to lift their morale, their commanders allowed them to have as much fun as possible, which includes letting them gamble. Many of these games involved spinning the chariot wheel which resembled Roulette.
Ancient Greeks also used to spin the wheel. Even the Greek soldiers used to play gambling games when they were not on duty. They used to play games similar to Roulette, whereby they drew symbols on their shield and spun to bet on the signs that would stop in front of the arrow.
However, these are fables, and there is no evidence that Roulette evolved from the Greek and Roman soldier games.
The most commonly accepted theory is that Roulette originated in France.
However, the game was influenced by other popular 17th-century games that involved spinning a wheel and betting.
Blaise Pascal, a French a mathematician, was an excellent gambler who created his version of the wheel. Gambling was, however, illegal during those days until the 18th century.
Later, Roulette got its biggest impetus in Monaco. Prince Charles of Monaco was going through some financial hardships. He had a brainwave of using the rising popularity of Roulette to make Monaco an international gambling destination.
He established several gambling sites in Monaco. This made the game really popular among the aristocrats and royalty. The Roulette that was played in Monaco is closely related to the Roulette played today. Even the betting options were also almost the same.
Roulette Gains Popularity In Europe
It’s also important to describe the roles of two Frenchmen, Francois, and Louis Blanc in the rise of Roulette. They were responsible for removing the double zero pocket, and created the present European Roulette.
They later moved to Germany since gambling was illegal in France. In Germany, the game gained momentum and became very popular. Roulette was introduced to the US by settlers who made their homes in Louisiana in the 19th century.
Conclusion
Roulette is now a classic gambling game at many casinos all over the world. It has a rich and colourful history that has added to its allure. In recent times, Roulette has been introduced in its latest avatar in online betting sites.
