Originating from France the title 'roulette' comes from the French word for a small wheel.
There are several versions of the actual origins of roulette as a game, although they all agree that its source is in France, they nonetheless diverge quite largely.
One well known theory is that while trying to invent a machine capable of perpetual motion Pascal built a large, wheel-type machine which a friend of his decided to put in use as a tool for gambling.
Alternatively, it is told that the proprietor of the first casino in Monte Carlo, Francois Blanc, prostituted his soul, with a bargain with the devil in order to know the secrets of roulette. This is part of the explanation given to the sum of all the numbers on the roulette board which totals six-hundred and sixty-six (666).
The layout by which gamblers play roulette today dates back to Paris in the mid-eighteenth century. Then later in the early nineteenth century, Parisians and other French immigrants brought it to New Orleans and the USA. By the late nineteenth century the first casino had appeared in Monaco. Then, following the banning of casinos that swept Europe, Monaco emerged as the gambling capital of the region.
Roulette is a standard casino game today. No casino stands without at least one, if not many, roulette wheels. Its simplicity and excitement makes is a much enjoyed and popular game amongst all levels and types of gamblers.