Live Roulette UK | Casino Game | Roulette History

Roulette is believed to have its origins in France and the word roulette means small wheel. The idea of using a spinning wheel for the purpose of gambling, however, dates much further back, to the Greco-roman times and possibly even earlier. The Hoca in Italy and the English game of E-O are similar and are believed to have been very popular for at least a century or so before live roulette become the game of choice in Paris at the end of the French Revolution. The invention of roulette wheel is credited to the French man and mathematician named Blaise Pascal around 1655. He is believed to have introduced a primitive form of roulette in the 17th century in his search for a perpetual motion machine.

The live roulette wheel as we recognize it now with its shiny look, odd and even numbers with alternating colours was invented in Paris some time during 1796. Some fifty years later, a particular game having a single zero was developed by Francois and Louis Blanc. As gambling was illegal at that time in France, the game was played in Hamburg City, in Germany where it proved immensely popular. Legend has it that Francois Blanc negotiated with devil to gain the roulette wheel secrets. When all the numbers in roulette wheel are added together it is 666", which some religions popularly associate with the number of the beast.

The classical form of live roulette was introduced in the US by early nineteenth century. French immigrants made it quite popular. The first casino was started in New Orleans in 1800. However, a modification that increased the odds in favor of the house was put in place and this became the American roulette wheel. The house odds were increased by adding another zero to the wheel. The game started gaining popularity from New Orleans across Mississippi, and subsequently toward west regions. But, because of unethical means adopted by gamblers as well as dealers, the wheel was subsequently placed on a flat table. This prevented use of hidden devices beneath the table or wheel. Along with this the betting layout was changed.

By the 1860s, Francois Blanc established the first casino in Monte Carlo, which remains to this day, a gambling Mecca for the elite of Europe. It was here that the single zero live roulette wheel became the premier game. Today due to technological advancements the game can be played in a multitude of ways, from real live casinos to online or even on your television set.