Roulette, The Game and the Origins
Ok, what’s the most “recognizable” game in the casino? Meaning, when you see that advertisement for Las Vegas or Atlantic City, what is the casino game people are usually shown playing?
Here’s a hint: It’s not cards or craps – it’s Roulette.
Roulette is an exciting and high-spirited game that pits the player against a small, spinning wheel that spins in one direction, while a small ball is thrown into the wheel from another direction. The ball and wheel spin independently until the momentum of the ball stops, settling into one of the thirty-six numbers on the wheel. If your bet matched the number, then you stand to win a lot of quick and easy money. With the wheel spinning one way, and the ball spinning another, it’s mesmerizing to watch – that’s why it’s such a “show” game used in all advertisements – Roulette just screams “Casino Gambling”.
But where did Roulette come from, exactly? It is certainly different than the usual card game fare that a player typically finds in the casino. Roulette isn’t exactly a new face when it comes to the gambling scene, either. It has been around since the 18th century, and was introduced in the lovely city of Paris, France, most notably in 1796. Those origins, however, may go back even farther to 1758 in Canada.
The Roulette wheel itself has a series of numbers from 1 to 36. Each of these numbers are either black or red, with the exception of a green “0” slot (or in America, there is also a green “00” slot).
Roulette’s play strategy is largely dependent on the theories of probability. Betting in Roulette is done by choosing the number or the color where the ball will land on. These bets are made on a specially marked table. There are two types of bets: “Inside Bets” and “Outside Bets”. Depending on which bet the player decides to choose will reflect in both the payouts as well as the odds in winning. People can keep continuing to bet until the dealer announces: “No more bets”.
As this is a probability game, it is hard to determine where the ball will land exactly when thrown into each play. While it is not really possible to guess where the ball will land each time, some players will place high bets in hopes of winning big payouts. Either you are going to lose really big, or win really big. Some gamers will even try to predict the performance of the wheel itself, but again, this is a random shot in the dark, and is not a set winning strategy.
Playing Roulette is an “anything goes” sort of game that is exciting and fun to play in hopes for making the best bet in spite of the random circumstances. For a little bit of a different gaming experience, sit down at one of the tables, and let “Fate and Fortune” take you for a spin.
