In contrast, Europe has remained loyal to the single zero roulette table.Īn additional difference is the ‘la partage’ rule, which you’ll find in European and Atlantic City versions of roulette. When roulette was taken to the States, the double zero was reintroduced and today, for the most part, double zero roulette wheels dominate.

That led to the development of Monaco as the world-famous resort it is today. Until 1933, roulette was available to play exclusively in Monaco. This version was invented by Francois and Louis Blanc in 1842, but as gambling was illegal in France at the time, they took the game to Hamburg, Germany.įollowing the banning of gambling in Germany, Francois and Louis Blanc took the game to Monaco, where they established a casino so that their game could be played. Modern European roulette now features a single zero, which reduces the house edge. Some players found this confusing, so the green background for the zeros was adopted. The only difference was that the zero was on a red background and the double zero on a black background. The wheel back then was identical to the one used today in American roulette, with a zero and double zero. Pascal’s version was named roulette – the French word for a small wheel. In fact, the true origins of roulette maybe Chinese.

However, other similar games with a wheel and spinning ball have been around for many centuries. Roulette, as we know it today, was invented by Blaise Pascal in the mid-17th century. But when the result is so random, why do so many people bet on it?įor the answer to that, we have to go back to the beginning. Few others hold the same level of suspense and anticipation. The excitement that you get playing at roulette tables, especially in new UK casinos is second to none compared to other games. Part of it is the hypnotic effect of watching the ball bouncing around the wheel as it spins quickly at first, and then gradually slows down so you can see which numbers the ball is bouncing on and begin to guess where it might come to a halt. There’s something about this classic table game that draws players in. There are plenty of iconic casino games but one of the games that often features in film casino scenes is roulette.

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