The Evolution of Casino Roulette

Roulette has inspired countless gamblers to great risk both on and offline. With movie heroes bravely the odds and putting it all the money on 17, or taking a spin and placing less risky odds, the game has served to excited and challenge players for several centuries. The evolution of casino roulette takes players from 17th century Europe to the online casino games that can be played at players' homes or even on their smart phones.

The Origins

While no one is ever sure where casino games get their exact starts, the most likely origins for roulette suggest that the game was brought over to Europe with traders from China. By the early 18th century, a similar game was documented in France with a special wooden wheel that was spun to determine winners and losers in a betting game. Sometimes the game involved a single notch to indicate the winning spot, while others involved the lead ball that we play with today.

American Roulette

Over the next several decades the game became standardized across Europe, using the ball method to determine the winning slot. The zero slot that had previous been either red or black like the rest of the slots was tinted green and designated as a house benefit. As the game travelled to America, casinos decided they wanted an even greater edge over players, and the introduced a new double zero slot that also went to the house.

Today, players can decide if they want to play the casino roulette version that features one or two zeroes. There are also a number of complex bets that have emerged to give players more chances to win big and try to beat the house.