March
30
Evolution of Roulette in the UK
Roulette is undoubtedly one of the best known casino games in the world. But, how did it come to the UK? And, how has the style and gameplay changed over the years? Let’s take a look.
The Origins of Roulette
Nowadays, Roulette remains one of the most popular table games for casino-enthusiasts in the UK. This is so much so that, thanks to a digital transformation, there are many different ways to play Roulette, and many different themes to choose from. When players choose a game from Paddy Power Roulette these games are played in real time, hosted by a real croupier, for an immersive and authentic experience. Players can choose from themes like Gold Vault Roulette, Lightning Roulette, and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Roulette with additional features and gameplay mechanics that offer a unique experience.
However, when Roulette first made its way from France to the UK, the game was a little more illusive – though gameplay hasn’t become too dissimilar. It is thought that the first evidence of such a game came in 1730 under the name Roly-Poly. This is backed up by evidence from 1745 and 1824 that refers to ‘Roulette or Roly-Poly’ as if they are the same game. Roulette (or Roly Poly) was banned in 1745, after which it is thought that the game of Even-Odd may have been developed to get around the ban. By 1875, Even-Odd began to die out, being replaced by the traditional game of Roulette.
American Developments
Despite the development over the years, the gameplay of Roulette has largely stayed the same. The roulette wheel has either 37 or 38 divisions, where a rolling ball can land in the numbered pockets. Players place their bets on the table, guessing which number the ball will land on. The bets are placed in the betting area of the table, which is formatted like a grid. There are two different versions of Roulette – American and European. According to the Cresent School of Gaming and Bartending, the American version developed in the 1800s, which came with slight differences in the table.
In American Roulette, the wheel is typically at the head of the table, which is positioned vertically with the betting area directly beneath. However, in European Roulette, it can either be laid out like American Roulette, or it can be positioned horizontally, with the wheel in the middle of the table, and the betting area offset to either side of the wheel. This is the traditional French-style setup. It is worth noting that most casinos operate using American tables these days, though European Roulette is not uncommon in the UK and South America – it just depends on the casino.
Another key development from American Roulette is the use of double zero – though Trad Games believes that this was actually a French development that was simply adopted by the Americans. Nevertheless, the double zero was added to skew the edge slightly, which makes for a different speed and intensity of gameplay. These zeros – and single zeros too – also developed to be clearly marked in green rather than either red or black like the rest of the pockets for additional visibility and clarity.
And there you have it – just a brief overview of how Roulette originated in the UK, and the key developments the game has seen over the years. All that’s left to do is to try and spot these historical quirks in the game.