The history of roulette is a long and interesting one that is bound to fascinate anyone with an interest in the game. We have compiled a brief history of roulette that we hope you will find informative and entertaining. 

Roulette has been one of the most underrated casino games since it moved into the online domain. Before the advent of the online casino, when the classic brick-and-mortar casinos were at the height of their powers, roulette was extremely popular and had a huge buzz about it. Thankfully, the great game of roulette is now making a comeback via the numerous online venues. So, where did it all start?

The Foundations of Roulette 

Biribi, an Italian game of chance, is thought to have been the roulette origin. The original roulette was only played for low stakes, but it worried the authorities so much that it was banned in 1837. However, roulette history involving the actual word ‘roulette’ stems from France, the country that coined the term. It translates to ‘little wheel’. The history of the roulette table as we know it is as old as the game itself.

Incidentally, roulette wheel history is a slightly dark one. The numbers on the wheel add up to a total of 666, the number of the beast (the devil), and this led to religious types coining roulette the ‘devil’s game’. It was, therefore, widely shunned by the religious community which had an impact on the growth of its popularity.

The earliest written rules of roulette were published in 1801, yet the history of the roulette table dates five years before this in 1796 when it was first played in Paris. That is where the game stayed for about 50 years. 

From Europe to the USA

The history of American roulette is shorter than that of its French counterpart but is no less interesting. In the early days of its growing popularity, roulette was a classy affair as it was only played by aristocrats, the very rich, and high-ranking members of society. The European and the American roulette history are similar in the way the game developed, however, there are slight differences in the versions now played.

Two types of roulette can now be played: American Roulette and French Roulette, otherwise known as European Roulette. The only difference in the rules is that the former has two green zeros, and the latter has just one. The extra zero in the American version means a bigger advantage for the house. That is why many players prefer the European version of roulette.

A Dark Twist in the Tale

In addition to the previously mentioned devilish history of the roulette wheel, the game encountered another twist of fate in 1937 when the infamous Russian variation of the game was invented. So, what is the history of Russian roulette?

We know that this macabre twist is a fiendish variation of the game, but what is the history of Russian roulette? Georges Surdez a writer of adventure stories first mentioned it in one of his books. He described Russian army soldiers playing the deadly game with a revolver. Since then, it has become a part of urban legend, has been featured in movies, and used as a form of torture by murderous regimes.

Russian roulette history makes some of its most notable appearances in the USA. For example, Malcolm X claimed in his autobiography that he played Russian roulette and pulled the trigger as many as three times to prove to his friends that he was not afraid to die.

Lucky Roulette Winners 

It is thought that one of the biggest roulette wins in history was by Mr. Charles Wells, who won two million Francs in Monte Carlo back in 1881.

In modern times, Sir Phillip Green won $2 million in London in 2004, and Pedro Grendene Bartelle won $3.5 million in Rio de Janeiro in 2017. Of course, the stakes would have been very high for these men but imagine winning that much cash in one spin of the wheel.

Obviously, the more money you can afford to gamble at the roulette table the more chance you have of having a big win. That is simply because you are buying more chances. Of course, some lucky people place one bet and walk away from the table with a tidy profit. It does happen but it is a rare event. 

Roulette’s history also has some familiar names in the mix. Sir Sean Connery, most famous for his role as the one and only James Bond, won a cool $27,000 in Saint-Vincent in 1963. That would be an enormous amount at today’s value. 

An Auspicious Sign?

Whether you believe in providence or not, you’d be hard-pressed to argue against the red 7 in roulette. It comes to the table so much in the game of roulette that people believe there is some form of divine intervention involved. 

Roulette winning numbers history revolves around this figure. So much so that there have been players who will only put their money on that number!

Red 7 might be a good place to start if you want to base your first few turns of the game on the folklore of roulette.

The Future of Roulette

Nowadays, a lot of the roulette business takes place online thanks to fantastic live online versions of the game. You can play along with a live dealer or just play the classic CPU version of the game.

The fact that you don’t have to leave the house to play roulette has revitalized the game as a whole, but still, playing it in the brick-and-mortar casino is quite an experience that is hard to beat.

Final Thoughts on the History of Roulette Spins

The original roulette has won many players a lot of money through the years, has seen some famous faces, and has been a feature of the high life in casinos all over the world.

On the flip side, roulette, through no fault of its own, has by the use of its name become associated with a kind of gambling that is abhorrent. Some people have died engaging in the menacing Russian variant. 

The history of roulette is a rich and interesting one, and you can be a part of it too by playing it online today!