Roulette is a casino game that involves spinning a wheel with numbered slots. Players place chips on a table and watch as a croupier sends a small ball around the wheel. If the ball lands in a bet section you placed your chips on, you win a payout based on the odds.
Origins
The origins of roulette are not completely clear. It is commonly thought that the game originated in 1796, when it first appeared in Paris’ gambling scene. Some believe that it evolved from games similar in structure, such as portique, hoca, bassette, and roly poly. These are all games that involve a spinning wheel and even-odd bets.
Other theories point to a more distant past, suggesting that the game was invented in China. Some historians also believe that the game travelled to Europe through the work of Chinese monks. In the 1800s, French brothers Francois and Louis Blanc changed the wheel from a traditional one with single and double zero pockets to the European version known today. This change helped them compete with the established casinos in France.
