American and European Roulette
The game of roulette has been around for many centuries and has changed forms a number of times. However, one thing has remained constant: the game's popularity. From its early beginnings, roulette has attracted many players from all walks of life to test their luck against the ball and wheel. With the evolution of the game, there have been many alterations and the game known today is split between the American and European varieties.
The Game's History
Many different stories exist as to the development of the game, but it is clear that the game started in France. The name itself has French origins and translates to "small wheel." Some experts attribute the game to famed French mathematician, Blaise Pascal.
This theory states that he came up with the idea for the game in the 1600's. Other experts insist that the game existed in previous versions in Asian countries and was brought to France through trading with Dominican monks. Regardless of how the game fell into French hands, it is conclusively known that it became popular in the late 18th century.
The head of the Monaco royal family, Prince Charles, decided to legalize gambling as a way to help his impoverished country. One of the games he introduced in the new casinos was roulette. After its inception in Monaco, the game was further developed into the modern version that includes a slot for the number 0. When the game spread to the United States, another zero, 00, was added to make the game more profitable for casino and gambling operators.