Casino

A Complete History of Roulette

Is there a game more synonymous with casino glamour than roulette? There’s the legendary games that are poker and Blackjack, but visually we’d argue that roulette is the most iconic. The red-and-black wheel is a mainstay in Vegas, Macau, Monaco – you name it, and it’s also one of the most popular casino online games too.

Here at Casino777.be, we strive to offer our players the best roulette online games from providers we respect and trust. Every roulette variant on our platform is chosen for its great graphics, exciting features, generous pay-outs and compliance.

As an online casino player, many of you may have never played on a real roulette wheel, and you might not know much about the rich history of the game. In this article, we’re going to find out exactly how this amazing wheel came into existence and evolved into the various offline and online versions gamblers can enjoy today. Let’s spin that wheel…

Origins of Roulette

Like many iconic inventions, roulette was created by accident. In the 1600s, French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal, who is best known for his impressive contributions to mathematical theory and early models of the mechanical calculator, created an early version of the roulette wheel.

One of his experiments was to see if he could create a perpetual motion machine. While the laws of physics make this an impossibility, he accidentally created a horizontal wheel that spun smoothly and rapidly like never before in 1655. He didn’t know that this would become a world-famous casino game. The word ‘roulette’ means ‘little wheel’ in French, so calling it ‘roulette wheel’ is actually naming it twice!

European vs American Roulette

Gambling establishments took off in a big way in 17th and 18th Century Europe, and the roulette wheel became a mainstay in these exciting new casinos. 

European roulette is now the standard version, with the numbers 1-37 in red and black, and a single zero, often in green, added in 1842 for King Charles III of Monaco, to give the house a bigger advantage over the player.

American roulette is the same setup but with a double zero as well as a single one, giving the house an even greater edge.

Emergence of Online Roulette

When online gambling took off in the mid-90s, it wasn’t long before online versions of roulette were created. Initially these RNG games showed video versions of the wheel spinning. Today, with the increasingly sophisticated technology we have, players can enjoy Live Online Roulette with real-time dealers thanks to webcams.

There are tons of roulette variants available on our site, with Multiplayer live versions to enjoy in our Live Casino lobby, as well as round-the-clock standard roulette, Lightning Roulette and more to enjoy. Whatever your budget or experience level you can enjoy playing this iconic roulette game at your leisure.

You can play the finest online roulette games on your phone or tablet, as well as on desktop, here at Casino777.be, and at other top online casinos.

Whether you choose to play at Casino777.be, or any other online casino, always remember to bet responsibly. Here at Casino777.be, we regard player well-being as our number one priority – check out our Responsible Gambling tips and tools page for more information.