Roulette

Roulette (meaning ‘small wheel' in French) has always been, and continues to be, the gambling world's most popular game. This is true for land-based as well as online casino roulette.


However, not all roulette games are created equal. Though they make look very similar, European roulette tables contain 37 pockets (or slots) numbered 1 to 36 along with a single zero. American versions, on the other hand, have 38 pockets numbered 1 to 36, plus two zeros.


The game is played with players placing their chips on the number, or numbers, they predict the roulette ball will land on when the wheel comes to a stop. The dealer, or croupier, then turns the wheel as the participants await the result with wild anticipation. Should a player bet on a single number and win, the payoff is 35:1, that is, for each dollar wagered, the player wins an extra $35.


Additional wagering options - however with smaller payoffs - include wagers on a variety of numbers in a range of combinations such as on all odd or all even numbers, or according to color. The rules of the game are basically the same for both online casino roulette and that of traditional casinos.


The original form of roulette was created in 17th Century France by Blaise Pascal, a mathematician said to be inspired through his fascination with perpetual motion contraptions. In 1842, two French brothers François & Louis Blanc added the zero to the roulette wheel so as to increase house odds. (Francois Blanc is also credited with establishing Monte Carlo's first casino.)


Roulette arrived to the US in the early 1800s, and to further boost house odds, the second zero ‘00' was introduced. The game spread wildly across Europe and the US throughout the 19th Century, ultimately becoming the best known casino game in the world. Today, some refer to roulette as the ‘King of Casino Games,' perhaps due to its connection with glamorous Monte Carlo.


Roulette, like many casino games, has also developed its fair share of fascinating tales over the years. One legend in particular lives on still today regarding François Blanc who allegedly made a deal with the devil to acquire the secrets behind roulette. The story is based on the fact that should you add up all of the roulette wheel's numbers (1 to 36), you wind up with a total of 666, aka the ‘Number of the Beast' and thus representative of the devil.

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