How was roulette invented?

Roulette is one of the most popular casino games worldwide and the simple wheel with 37 numbers (38 in the US) has caused many people to lose their money and mathematicians to lose their minds over the years trying to solve the mystery of whether it is possible to "cheat" the roulette. A favorite game of many, in which luck is the only factor you need to possess, is an invention whose roots are unknown, because some legends indicate that the game existed as far back as Antiquity, but we can find definite historical data only in the 17- and a century.

China and Rome - possible origins of roulette

According to one of the most common legends, roulette originated in China and the game is based on an ancient Chinese board game. The game was a square with 37 animal figures arranged around the square, and the aim of the game was to arrange the figures in a different way. The game reached Europe through Dominican monks, but this story has no confirmed historical sources.

Another legend points to the "source" of the game as Ancient Rome. The soldiers did not have special privileges, so a number of gambling games were allowed in the various troops - the favorite activity of the legionnaires. One such game was the idea of spinning a shield (round shape).

A prototype of roulette

The first reports of the creation of a roulette-like game come from France, and the father of the game is considered to be the French inventor and mathematician Blaise Pascal. According to the most common information, he worked on the creation of a perpetual motion machine (something he never achieved). While working in this direction, however, in 1657 he invented a game with a ball and a wheel in which there were different sectors for the ball to fall into. According to another version of the same story, his game was based on his research into the potential mathematical probability of anyone winning the lottery in 36 tries.

The modern image of roulette

Over the years there have been many variations of the game "roulette", but in 1796 in Paris, the game we know today began to be played. The game was extremely popular in casinos and cafes, and the sectors were similar to those we see today - numbers from 1 to 36, black and red, high and low numbers.

In 1842, sector "0" was added, and the addition was the work of the French brothers Francois and Louis Blanc. The goal, of course, is to add an edge to the casino. This solution automatically makes roulette the preferred game for casinos, as the advantage is always in their favor. Later, in the USA, they added another sector - a double 0 or "00". The game was a real hit and to this day is among the most played by gambling lovers.