The History of American Roulette
American Roulette – the younger sister of French Roulette – is a version of roulette played mainly in the U.S. Its history is that of the classic game of roulette, with a few changes along the way.
The name of the game - "roulette" - is derived from a French word meaning small wheel. The origins of roulette are somewhat in dispute. Most gambling historians believe that Blaise Pascal, a 17th-century French mathematician, invented the roulette wheel. Other researchers say that roulette originated in ancient China and came over to the European continent with Dominican monks who were in the trade business with the Chinese at the time.
Modern Roulette
Modern-day roulette, however, made its first appearance in 1842 when a pair of French brothers, Francois and Louis Blanc, invented the original single-zero roulette wheel. Later on in the 19th century, the game found its way to the United States where it was altered and the double-zero wheel introduced, although early forms of American roulette changed the double zero to an American Eagle. Thus, American Roulette was born. American roulette became very popular with gamblers in the West, particularly during the California Gold Rush.
What Makes American Roulette Different from European Roulette
The American Roulette wheel has 38 numbers including 0, 00 and 1 to 36. Having two zeros gives the house a higher (5.26%) advantage, whereas the house edge with a European Roulette wheel is a mere 2.70%. This is the major difference between American and French Roulette, but there are others.
Another factor that sets the American and European games apart is the color of the chips. In American Roulette, each player gets different colored chips, which makes it easier for the players to differentiate between their chips and the other players’ playing pieces. In European/French Roulette, all players use the same colored chips (making for a somewhat more confusing game).
Another – more subtle - difference between American Roulette and its European counterpart is that the croupier in the European game will use a “rake” to gather all the chips, while the American dealer will simply use his hands to sweep the chips off the table.
The Fun of American Roulette
Essentially, however, American Roulette is roulette for all intents and purposes. Its popularity has made it synonymous with casinos. It is a classic – if slightly altered - game of chance that is played by bouncing a small round ball onto a spinning wheel. The goal in a game of American Roulette is to guess which number the ball will fall on as it spins on the wheel. If the bouncing ball lands on the color, number or combination of numbers that you have bet on, you’ve won. In American Roulette – also known as double-zero roulette – there are many bets to choose from – inside and outside bets, complicated and simple bets, etc. – but the excitement never wavers and the fun never stops.
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