The History and Origin Of Roulette Wheel
The game of roulette has a charm that has not been lost on players for centuries. From ancient Even-Odd games to the modern online roulette wheels, players worldwide love to spin. But who created this fun game? How did it come to become one of the most popular casino games? Where do its roots lie?
This article will answer all of these questions for you.
History of Roulette Wheel
Several theories tell different stories about the wheel and its origin. But one thing is sure, that the game was popular in the entire world even back then.
The Chinese History
It is believed that Dominican monks had designed a game that was built on a square. There were 37 animal figures placed in the different boxes, and in the centre lay the number 666, which is the total of 1 to 36. It is said that these monks brought the game to Europe, but no one knows why they changed the layout from the square to the circle. Also, the zero was added later on.
The Barbaric Romans And Greek
One more popular belief is that Roman soldiers unknowingly invented the game while having fun. Whenever the soldiers were not on battlefields, thinking about their fighting enemies, they were allowed all the fun they could have in their short lifespan. In the process, they invented the game with their shield and chariot wheels. They used to mark the shields or the wheels and then put them upside down on the ground. They also placed an arrow next to it and then spun the wheel.
The Medieval Influence
In medieval history, the traces of a Rota Fortunae can be found. The wheel of fortune used to depict a blindfolded goddess spinning the wheel. The wheel had kings trying to hold on to the edges and their fate depended on the wheel’s spinning by the Goddess. It was depicted as a representation of the ups and downs of life. The Goddess and her blindfold symbolized randomness.
The Mistake That Created The Wheel
It is said that great Mathematician Blaise Pascal invented the wheel. He was trying to create a perpetual motion device, but it neglected the laws of motion, which requires force. When his invention failed, his inner gambler surfaced, and he created the roulette wheel in the 17th century.
The French Contribution
There is one more popular belief about the French intervention in the evolution of the roulette wheel. As per a popular tale, the king of Monaco, Charles III, was in huge debt. It was the 19th century. At that time, two French entrepreneurs suggested opening a casino. To tilt the odds in the king’s favor, they introduced the idea of adding a zero to the wheel.
Two other games of Even-odd and Roly-Poly were also famous in France. They are strikingly similar to the modern-day wheel. There were different signs on the wheels, and the players used to bet on a random outcome.
And The Way Roulette Changed Europe
The 19th century was the roulette century. The credit for the modern-day European wheel goes to the two Frenchmen, Louis Blanc and Francois Blanc. These two were the same entrepreneurs who had inspired King Charles III. Then they moved to Germany and shared their gambling knowledge. It was the golden era of roulette as the game became very popular, and its popularity isn’t thinning even now.
Most people think that the double-zero roulette wheel was introduced in America, but it is not entirely true. The initial roulette wheel had double-zero. It was in the 19th century when one of the zeroes was removed, which brought down the house edge to 2.71% from 5.26%. It also added to the popularity of the game.
Off To America
When the wheel travelled to America, the Americans added their spice to the game. They added the sign of the American Eagle other than the zero and doubled their house edge. With time, things changed, and the double zero found its way on the wheel, replacing the eagle. From New Orleans, the game became popular in the entire country.
Apart from the grand establishments, the game became popular in smaller alehouses and other places as well. But it increased the cheating on the parts of the players and the house. So, the roulette wheel was put on the table, and since then, it has been on the table. It made the game faster and exciting, and even today, you can find crowds of roulette enthusiasts surrounding the wheel on the table.
The Modern Day Roulette Wheel
The roulette wheel didn’t undergo many changes after that. European roulette is popular due to the lowest house edge. The American Roulette has its fair share of players in the US. The third variation is the three-zero roulette invented in Las Vegas when an extra spot was found on the wheel and triple zeroes filled it.
The Online Roulette
When casinos went online, the roulette wheel found its place there too. People love to play online roulette games as there are different versions of the game in one place. They can play at the European table, American table, and triple-zero table from their home, and also there is a double ball version which increases the chances of the player. The roulette wheel has had a very exciting journey and is still ruling the hearts.
Wrap Up
It is all about the origin of the roulette wheel. The journey was quite interesting, and the wheel is still special for players as the beautiful ball and the charming wheel has a certain appeal to them.