A Look at the Different Types of Roulette
Pretty much anyone even vaguely familiar with casino games knows that Roulette is played with a wheel and ball, and it’s no wonder, because that wheel is one of gambling’s most famous symbols.
In the 200 years that players have bet on the king of casino games, different versions have popped up in various parts of the world. Of these, the three that have stuck around are the American, French and European versions.
If you’re very new to gaming, you could be forgiven for thinking that the American version is reserved for Americans, or that one needs to wear a beret to play the French version. As frustrating or entertaining as that could be, thankfully this is not the case.
You see, no one quite knows how Roulette originated. Some people suspect that it’s a fusion of several English, French, and Italian games, while others suggest that Blaise Pascal developed the prototype of the famous wheel while trying to invent a perpetual motion machine.
However it began, it didn’t remain in its original form for long. First played with a wheel that featured a zero and a double zero among its numbered pockets, the game was modified in France, Germany, America, and Monte Carlo. This was done to increase the house edge or to try combat possible cheating. Whatever the reason, we now have three incredibly popular different types of Roulette.
The American version still uses both zero and double zero pockets, and, yes, the double zero still gives the house extra edge. However, this version usually offers handsome payouts but it is considered the most challenging.
The European version’s wheel features only a zero pocket among the numbers one to 36. This game, like the others, lets you bet on numbers, the colours red or black and columns.
The French version of Roulette uses the same wheel as the European version, and any apparent differences on the table are usually cosmetic, with French words being used instead of the casino’s dominant language. The French version also uses a few different rules and bets, such as La Partage and En Prison, which could work in your favour if the ball lands in the zero pocket.
If you’d like to find out which version works best for you, Spin Palace features different types of Roulette, including Microgaming’s European Roulette Gold.
