Many people are drawn to roulette, which is a game of chance and skill. Some even claim to have developed betting systems that can beat the odds.

Players bet on a table layout, which is split into sections for different bet types. These bet types include either individual numbers, small groups of numbers or color combinations.

Variations

While they look a bit different on the surface, all roulette variations follow similar rules and payouts. European roulette, for example, has 37 pockets and features a single zero. This improves players’ odds and makes it a more popular choice for many. French roulette, on the other hand, offers additional special rules like La Partage and En Prison that further enhance a player’s chances of winning by allowing them to recover some of their losing bets when the ball lands on zero.

Origins

The exact origin of roulette is unclear. Various theories exist, including that the game evolved from older games such as roly poly and even-odd. Moreover, it has been suggested that it was inspired by the rotating wheel of chance that was a common feature in carnivals. However, these games don’t share much in common with roulette beyond the use of a spinning wheel.

Some historians believe that 17th century French mathematician Blaise Pascal invented the modern European roulette wheel. However, other scholars believe that the game originated in China and was brought to France by Dominican monks as part of their travels. Once it arrived in France, its popularity quickly grew, and it was soon adopted by casinos across Europe. Eventually, the Blanc brothers adapted the game by eliminating the double zero pocket, which led to its current form.