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UK
Casino Times
> Casino
Articles
13 November
2006
History Of Roulette
Roulette is a game of
chance that has been one of the most popular casino games
since its invention. Roulette is a game associated with
French aristocracy and the gambling parlors of Monaco, but
has now made its way to everyone's home through online
casinos.
Roulette, meaning
‘little wheel' in French, is a casino game of chance,
whereby the croupier spins a wheel full of numbered slots
and throws a ball into the wheel. The numbered slot where
the ball lands determines whether bettors have won or lost
money – depending on the wager, a player can
potentially win as much as 35:1. Roulette has been one of
the symbols of casino culture since its formal arrival on
the scene in the 1800s. The exclusive French gambling houses
in Monaco were the first to spread the popularity of
roulette, while these days, the entire world is able to
experience the thrill of roulette in the online
version.
The roots of roulette are
theorised to originate in China where a similar game was
played by Chinese monks. These monks spread their religion
and other cultural aspects (roulette) to the masses, as well
as Dominican monks. The Dominican monks in turn traveled
around the world and introduced the game to West. There are
others who believe that Ancient Romans used to turn the
chariot wheels on the side and spin them as a form of
entertainment.
Blaise Pascal, a French
scientist who lived in the 17th century is credited with
inventing the roulette wheel as a by-product of his quest to
invent to perpetual motion machine. The first official
account of a spinning wheel and ball being used as a gaming
device was found in the early 1700s in England. A game
called Roly Poly was very popular with the upper classes but
the anti-gambling laws of 1739/40 put an end to this
pastime.
The concept of roulette
found its way to French shores and in the late 1700s, Prince
Charles of Monaco thought that introducing gambling into his
territory would be a solution to economic hardship amongst
the people. The game became immensely popular amongst the
French gentry and nobility and with the help of two brothers
Francois and Louis Blanc, the concept of the luxurious
Monaco gambling houses was born. Over the next few decades,
French nobility and other upper-classes from around the area
flood into Monaco to enjoy the exclusive ambiance and
superior gaming offered by roulette.
European settlers, who had
been exposed to roulette in the French territory, brought
the game with them to the United States in the early 1800s.
The rules were changed slightly by American gambling
proprietors and added the 00 to the wheel in order to
increase their odds. Roulette was a revolutionary type of
game in the American gamblers, who until now had been
restricted to cards as a form of winning money.
Today, roulette is
immensely popular in European circles and somewhat popular
in the United States. The European version of roulette is
still preferred due to the higher odds it gives the player
because it only has one zero. These days, one's geographical
location does not determine which type of roulette has to be
played, thanks to the explosion of the online casino
industry. Online roulette is a great game to play as an
alternative to the regular card games. With the help of a
random number generator, a player can experience the thrills
of the game from the comfort of his living room, while
feeling like the French gentry in the gambling parlors of
Monaco.
Want to play roulette
online? See the links below for recommended places to
play.
Also see:
US
Online Casinos
Online Casinos where USA players are accepted.
UK
Online Casinos
Reviews of the leading, approved UK online casinos. Includes
details of the free money welcome bonuses offered to new
players by the online casinos.
Euro
Online Casinos
Online Casinos where you can play in Euros
currency.
British
Online Casinos
The best in British online casinos for UK
residents.
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