Roulette in some form or another has been around since the 17th century, although the version that is popular today was developed in the 18th century. However it wasn’t until the 18th century in France that the version we play today was developed. One of the earliest recounts of roulette can be read in an old French novel titled La Roulette. The earliest the versions of the game had two house slots to give the house a mathematical edge, this changed over time and now there are two versions of a roulette table, one with one zero and another with two zeros.
Roulette was popular in the French territories as well as the French mainland, so much so that it was quickly banned in Quebec in 1758. It was in the 19th century that casinos and gambling dens alike began to include only one zero rather than two. Even though the casinos made less money with tables that only had one zero, because the game was so popular that attracting new players made up for any revenue that would be lost. Many countries banned roulette after this change because roulette’s popularity took a new turn and skyrocketed.
Roulette continued to grow in popularity in America. The game was extremely popular in several gambling dens across the territories. The American version had two zeroes as opposed to one and still does to this day. Because of the rugged and untamed nature of America at that time cheating was widespread by both players and dealers alike. This lead to many innovations that simplified betting and in the display of the wheel in order to ensure players that no trickery would occur at any given establishment.
Roulette has remained a popular game and has only gotten more popular with the development of the internet. Players no longer need to venture out to casinos and risk being cheated or swindled; they can now enjoy many versions of online roulette from the comforts of their own home.