An Overview of Roulette Gambling

An overview of roulette gambling explores the history of roulette and a description of the roulette gambling table.

There are many different gambling games available. However, if you are looking for a game that moves quickly, and is consistently exciting and fun to play, then roulette gambling is the game you are looking for.

History of Roulette Gambling

The word roulette in French means a small wheel.  The roulette wheel looks somewhat similar to a cart wheel.  It is not so clear exactly when roulette gambling began, however, it is known the the modern version that we play today was created by Francois and Louis Blanc.  The game that they created was the game with the single zero (0) in 1842.  Around that time, the game was brought to America, where an extra zero was added to the roulette wheel - thus, the double zero (00) was born.

It is somewhat unclear where the pre-1842 version of roulette originated.  Some say a similar game was played in China, and came to Europe with Chinese merchants, and monks that were involved in trade.  Some believe that Blaise Pascal invented the roulette wheel in the mid-1600s while trying to create a wheel that would have perpetual motion.  (The perpetual motion wheel did not become a reality.)  The basic Pascal design did not change for about 200 years, until the Blanc's added the zero to the game in 1842.

While the potential of roulette gambling was well known at the time, it is unlikely that the inventors of the modern game had any idea how popular it would become.

The Roulette Table - A Brief Description

An overview of roulette gambling would not be complete without describing the roulette table.

The roulette table consists of the roulette wheel, numbering 0 (or 00) to 36.  The numbers are not in order, however, the colors they are written on alternate between red and black.  The zeros are on the color green.  In the middle of the wheel is a handle.  This handle is what starts the wheel spinning.  The wheel is sent spinning in one direction, while a small white ball is sent spinning in the opposite direction.  The number that the ball settles on when the wheel stops spinning is the winning number.

The wheel is on one end of the table, while the other end of the table, covered by felt, is the place where chips are placed and bets are made.  Printed on the felt are the numerous betting options available.

Changing to Colored Chips

In America, when players join a roulette table, they exchange some of their regular casino chips for colored chips.  Each player has a different color that they will use throughout their time that they are at that specific roulette gambling table.  As there are many chips placed on any number of bets at one time, these colored chips make it easier for the dealer to keep track of who has placed their chips, and in which locations.  Using different color chips also means that players can stack chips on top of other players' chips in order to keep things more orderly.