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Roulette is one of the oldest and most popular casino games. There are two main types of it, namely European and American Roulette. There is a slight but significant difference between these two types.
The American Roulette has two zero pockets, which increase house advantage to 5.3%. The extra zero pocket means that the house will always win more than the player.
The European Roulette, on the other hand, has one zero pockets. The result is that it offers a lower house advantage of 2.7%. Players, thus, have a higher chance of winning when they play European Roulette compared to the American version.
For the four hundred years, American Roulette has been around, evolved, and gone through different changes. Let’s go through the quick history of American Roulette, right from its invention to the modern versions you can play online.
The Invention of the Original Roulette
The original version was the French Roulette, invented by a French mathematician Blaise Pascal. He was trying to create a perpetual-motion device that would operate without using any external energy source.
According to the law of physics, a device can’t work indefinitely without a source of energy. Being an inventor, Pascal tried to defy the odds by creating such a tool but failed.
It was this failed invention that looked like Roulette that Pascal found another use for. He turned his project into the Roulette wheel, which has ended up being one of the most popular casino games today.
Adding Zero to the Original Roulette
The original Roulette wheel invented by Pascal did not have a zero, and it remained as-is for centuries. In 1842, however, Francois and Lois Blanc challenged the way people used to play this game and created a new wheel with a single zero for the Monaco governor.
At the time, the kingdom was undergoing financial difficulties so that the king decided to improve the Roulette to increase earnings. According to Femaac, adding a zero to the game became a big deal for the kingdom, as it gave it a greater house edge. Consequently, King Charles built a huge casino, where he introduced the new Roulette wheel to the people.
The Roulette made lots of money for the Monaco kingdom and became an essential symbol of the Monte Carlo’s high-end gambling culture. What made the Roulette with zero popular is that it came into the market in the same period when gambling was illegalized in France. It made the game and Monte Carlo more appealing to gamblers.
Roulette Lands In America
Having flourished in France for many years, Roulette crossed the ocean to the US shores in the 1800s. It was introduced to the United States by the French immigrants who landed in Louisiana, escaping the French revolution. However, it did not uphold the reputation it had back in Europe, as the reception was pretty cold.
During that time, New Orleans was the country’s gambling capital. The Casino proprietors there did not fancy the French Roulette because of its low house edge and, therefore, no income appeal. According to The Hustle, the American gambling community unanimously agreed to add an extra zero to the European wheel, and it became known as the American Roulette.
American Roulette
After the increase in zero, the American Roulette became more popular than the European version. It now had a bigger house edge and, therefore, a good source of income for casino owners. According to Gamblers Daily Digest, despite a player’s Roulette strategy, a more significant house edge would guarantee higher wins for the house anyway.
The earlier American Roulette versions had numbers ranging from 1 to 28, and they included double zero and American eagle symbol. The eagle version had an additional third pocket embellished with an American eagle shape. Casino owners loved this Roulette type because of its high house edge of 12.90%
The American eagle version highly favored the casino and, thus, did not catch on. Its double zero counterpart eventually became the standard wheel. It gained more popularity among the local gamblers.
The game was later changed from 28 numbers that were in the original game to 38 numbers, ranging from 0 and 00 up to 36. The improved version offered a higher house edge compared to the European Roulette while, at the same time, giving players good payouts. This game was offered in most casinos and gambling halls, and it took off in no time.
Rise of Online American Roulette
As the end of the 90s approached, more and more houses got connected to the internet, which led to the growth of online casinos. Everyone could now play the American Roulette and other versions from the comfort of their home.
From then henceforth, playing American Roulette online became a favorite thing for many players due to its numerous advantages. Some of its fantastic features included full-time availability and the possibility to choose from several table limits.
Also, the invention of online casinos has led to the creation of other interesting game variants, like Pinball and Card Roulette. You can find different types of roulette games on such amazing services like Online Casino Gems. You can learn more here about the best roulette offers here.
Online American Roulette with Real Dealers
While the online American Roulette boosted the popularity of the game, it had one drawback. It lacked the atmosphere present in a real casino. To address this need, some casino owners resorted to live streams.
Streaming live was far from okay. It came with many challenges, including blurred camera views, difficulties in interacting with dealers, and the overall quality of videos was wanting.
It were these challenges that led to the invention of dedicated live casino studios. These studios provided players with clear camera shots, live interactions with dealers, and an experience similar to land-based casinos. Today, live casinos are one of the best ways of playing American Roulette.
American Roulette Has Come of Age
American Roulette has gone through different improvements since its invention. While it is not the same game that it was four hundred years ago, it is not far from it and still has almost the same rules. The game has not only developed over those years, but it has become more interesting to play thanks to access to the internet and other technological advancements.
