Roulette History Is A Fine Story
The history of roulette is as exciting and challenging as the game itself and this is another reason why so many people are drawn to the roulette table. There are plenty of modern games to play from but sometimes players are looking for something with a bit more substance and tradition about them. The fact that roulette has been played for hundreds of years is something that appeals to a great number of people, allowing them to have a connection with the past. It is fair to say that the rewards and intensity of roulette is much higher now than ever before but underneath it all, the game is pretty much the same.
There are records of roulette being played as early as 1796 in Paris. A description of the game is contained with La Roulette ou Le Jour, a French novel written by Jaques Lablee. The novel focuses on a roulette wheel which was found at the Palais Royal in Paris. The wheel was described as having “exactly two slots reserved for the bank, whence it derives its sole mathematical advantage.” There is also a description of the fact that there was a zero and a double zero on the wheel, which is of course different to the expected European roulette wheel. This book was published in 1801 with many people citing it as the first recording of roulette although it seems that there are rules for the game, dating back to New France (Quebec) in 1758.
Colour has been confusing on roulette wheels
There are written records of the roulette wheels used in the Parisian casinos from the late 1790s stating that the single zero was red in colour and the double zero was black in colour. This obviously caused some confusion for player placing red or black bets and from the 1800s, green was utilised for the zeros in the roulette wheel. The introduction of the single 0 roulette came about in 1843, with the German casino and spa town of Homburg being the home of this altered casino. Frenchmen Francois and Louis Blanc were responsible for the new casino which was introduced to compete against other casinos in the local area. With a reduced house advantage available for this wheel, many people flocked to this casino.
There are records of roulette wheels in America from the late 1800s with the 1886 Hoyle Gambling Book indicating a rather different roulette wheel from the one that is known now. The wheel had numbers 1 to 28 on it, alongside a 0, a 00 and an America eagle. The American eagle was there to provide a further house advantage to the casino and of course, helped to make the game more American, cashing in on the popular symbol of American liberty. However, this eagle was removed very quickly and there are very few of these roulette wheels left. At the last count it is believed that there are less than 6 copies of this wheel in current existence. It is reported that these wheels can reach tens of thousands of dollars when they are put up for auction.
Monte Carlo became a casino town
It was the 19th century when roulette became one of the most popular games in Europe and in the United States of America. The game in Europe was changing all the time and with the German government abolishing gambling in 1860, the Blanch family switched to Monte Carlo, helping to create the gambling phenomenon that is still alive today. This location heralded the emergence of the single 0 wheel, soon becoming the standard game in Europe. American players have been using the 0 and 00 wheel but modern online casinos are happy to other both options to players around the round.
This alone would have been enough to guarantee the position of the Blanc’s with respect to the history of roulette but like all great historical tales, there needs to be something of mystery and intrigue to get people really interested. Throughout history, the appearance of the devil has astounded, scared and captivated audiences which mean that it is always a good story to have up your sleeve. You can believe whether it is true or not but don’t forget that casinos and gaming have often been held in the same regard as musicians and there are plenty of stories about Blues legends like Robert Johnston selling their soul to the devil in exchange for talent. It is a fantastic story with regards to blues legends and it is a fantastic story with respect to the history of roulette.
A deal with the devil for roulette
Francois Blanch allegedly bargained with the devil to grab the secrets of roulette. The fact that this legend has been kept alive owes a lot to the fact that the sum of the numbers on the roulette wheel, from 1 to 36, adds up to 666. This is regarded as the Number of the Beast, tying in the story to the devil. You can choose to believe it or not but there is no doubt that there is something special added to the history of roulette with its inclusion.
Even though the double zero originated in Europe, it found its home in America, moving from the Mississippi to New Orleans and then moving further west. This led to another change in the game where the wheel was positioned on the table to ensure that devices could not be hidden around the table or wheel. There were also moves to simplify the betting layout of the roulette table. This has created the minimal differences between the American roulette wheel and the European roulette wheel, with Monte Carlo being the home of European roulette whereas the US game made its name in gambling dens across the country.
Las Vegas and Monte Carlo were the main casino towns in the 1970s but since then, there has been a growing availability of casinos in towns and cities across the world. Add in the fact that online casinos can be found in abundance, there is no doubt that roulette is a game that is as popular today as it has been at any point.
