When it comes to playing roulette most people will be familiar with the idea of there being the classic French version of the game. For those of you researching playing live online roulette with live dealers, there are a few variations of the game for you to choose from.
Each has its own stamp of character and flare, with differences in rules, betting, as well with the interface and table layout. We’ve put together this simple guide to help you understand American roulette, especially when compared with the French and European variations of the game.
A Brief History of American Roulette
Roulette has been around as a game for centuries, first being created accidentally by French mathematician Blaise Pascal in 1655 when he was attempting to develop a perpetual-motion device. The ‘little wheel’ as roulette means in French, soon became a popular game and was later moved to become part of the first casino in Monte Carlo by the Blanc brothers, who developed what has since become known as French roulette.
American roulette came about through the impact of French immigrants in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana at the end of the 18th century. The problem was, that roulette wasn’t welcomed quite as warmly in Louisiana as it had been back in France because of the low house edge. To create a difference, American roulette was developed with the addition of another zero to the wheel.
In modern day American roulette the double zero remains, but you’ll also find that the numbers differ to the European and French versions of the game. These changes date back to near the beginning of roulette being available in America, with the game becoming ever more popular on the casino riverboats of the day and gambling halls across the region.
These days, real life American casinos push American roulette over the European counterpart, with bets restricted on European and French roulette from counting towards bonus specifications and loyalty points in some cases for both physical and online casinos. Where you do find European roulette in casinos, they are often restricted to high betting minimums and VIP sections. It has meant that to the everyday American gambler, the American version is the only type of roulette they’ve really had a chance to play.