Roulette History:
From the First Roulette Wheel to the Internet Casino
The history of Roulette itself is unclear. There are so many myths and facts intertwined with some fantasy that, sometimes, it seems easier to sit back, relax and enjoy the tale rather than attempt to pinpoint the exact creation of the game.
With this in mind, although the creation of the game is uncertain, it is generally attributed to the 17th century French mathematician and philosopher, Blaise Pascal, whose fascination with perpetual motion led to the first Roulette wheel. A point that leads to the belief that Pascal was the inventor of the Roulette wheel is the fact that "roulette" actually means "small wheel" in French.
Roulette, France, and Blaise Pascal
Pascal invented the Roulette wheel in the mid 17th century; by the 18th century there were already a few versions of the gambling game played in England bearing a resemblance to Roulette. By the end of the 18th century, early versions of the game, which included both the single and the double zero, were also being played in casinos in Paris. In 1842 two French brothers, Louis and Francois Blanc, created the first modern day Roulette table. This was the single-zero roulette table that is used in French or European Roulette games today.
At that time however, gambling was illegal in France. The Blanc brothers instead, introduced their table game to gambling halls across Europe as well as the United States. Roulette quickly gained a devoted following and became the most popular table game in the Western world! Many members of royalty played the game, and Roulette was soon called the "King" (or Queen) of casino games!
Roulette in Monte Carlo
In short time, the prince of Monaco, Charles III, invited Francois Blanc and his son Camille to introduce playing Roulette to Monte Carlo. Roulette became such a hit, that it was in Monte Carlo, that the first real casino was created, attributed to the Blancs! The notoriety of the Roulette game has stood strong over the past hundred and fifty years, and Roulette is still the most favored cash game at the Monte Carlo casino! In fact, the roulette wheel is regularly considered the symbol of Monte Carlo casino gambling to this day.
Roulette and The Devil's Wheel
In short deviation, it is interesting to note a tale told of Francois Blanc. It is said that he actually made a deal with the devil in order to gain insight to understanding the secrets of the Roulette game! One of the reasons for this legend is the fact that when all of the numbers of the Roulette wheel are added together, the sum total is 666, the number associated with the devil!
Internet Roulette
As the years have passed, and gambling has moved to new levels of popularity, Roulette has just as steadily moved along with it. With the advent of the
Internet casino in the 1990s, Roulette was sent to an entirely new height. Roulette, which had previously been considered a game of the rich, became accessible to all who were interested! Anybody with a computer and an Internet connection can now play
Internet roulette in all its variations. At
First Web Casino, one can play European Roulette, French Roulette, American Roulette, or progressive-jackpot Roulette Royale, all without even leaving one's home. This has caused Roulette to become an extremely popular and widely played game for people from all walks of life, all over the world! Although it is still considered the King of games, Roulette is no longer available only to royalty.
The game of Roulette, with such a humble beginning, has changed little since its inception. What has changed over time is the accessibility of the game. The Roulette wheel has moved from wildly popular amongst the royal and the wealthy, to widely popular for gamblers all over the world. With thanks to modern technology, one simply needs to click on their mouse to bring
Web Roulette into their homes. The humble beginnings have led to an extravagant game of luck and strategy.