The history of roulette

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The history of roulette

There is a saying that we should not change good things. Yet, change has helped us reach this place where we are now, with technology that is the backbone of our everyday lives. We rely on it for anything from banking to saving lives. Some things, however, do not change, despite the technological advancements. People still desire entertainment, and casinos remain one of the most popular places that people go to to spend their free time and enjoy themselves. In casinos (whether they are land-based or online, with offers such as the Videoslots Bonuskod), one is bound to come across hundreds of games, but one that can be found in almost any casino is definitely roulette.

What is roulette?

The name of the game comes from the French word which means ‘little wheel’, and which is played by multiple players and a croupier. A roulette wheel consists of small compartments, each with a number from 0 to 36. The croupier spins the wheel in one direction, and the ball in the opposite direction; the ball travels over the compartments until it slows down enough to remain in one of them. Before the spin is made, the players can place bets on its outcome –they can either choose a single number, a group of numbers, a color, an odd or even number, or even high or low number outcomes. When the spin is finished, the players who guessed the outcome correctly are paid, new bets are taken, and the croupier spins the wheel once again.

How did it come to be?

There are various theories of how roulette was invented, but what we can certainly say is that it was invented in France, sometime in the 18th century. One of the more popular theories is that it was invented by Blaise Pascal in his search for a machine that could provide perpetual motion. By the end of the 18th century, it was already present in most of the casinos in France, and it spread to neighboring countries, such as Germany. By the 19th century, it has spread throughout Europe and the United States, and it earned its place as one of the most popular casino games.

Roulette today

Today, roulette has merged with technology to become more accessible than ever. A popular option nowadays is roulette machines, where no croupier is needed, as the wheel and the ball are spun automatically, and physics do the rest; the players sit around the table and place their bets. For those who cannot go to these types of machines, there are always online casinos with roulette games, where everything is done digitally, with no physical balls or wheels. This option is great and very handy as it brings the popular game from casinos and into the world –you can enjoy your favorite game wherever you go.