Roulette is a French word meaning "small wheel". There are several interesting myths about roulette origin. No one is quite sure where the game of roulette was born. Some point to the early 17th century in France and credit it to a French mathematician. Other historians believe that the game was developed in China and was brought to Europe by Monks who traded with the Chinese merchants.

According to one myth, Blaise Pascal tried to find the perpetual motion. He made a device in a form of a big wheel for his experiments. One of his friends gave a good idea to use this device for gambling.

Another mystic legend tells about Francois Blanc who founded the first casinos in Monte Carlo. They say he sold a soul to devil for the secret of roulette.

Regardless of its origins, the French are credited with developing the game. The game of roulette became one of the most popular games during the 18th century. French emigrants imported this game into USA and the first American casino appeared in New Orleans in 1800. In 1861, a casino was opened in Monaco that became the capital of gambling business after the ban of casino in Europe in 1873.

Roulette continues to be one of the most popular casino games around. The most well-known variations of roulette are the American roulette wheel and the European roulette wheel. Although the games are similar in nature, they do have a little difference in rules and payouts. One major difference in the two versions is the color of the chips. Another difference is that in the European version of the game, there are 37 pockets of wheel and in American version there are 38 pockets of wheel. Another major difference is that the European roulette wheel has a single zero pocket whereas the American roulette wheel has one single zero and one double zero pocket.

By 2009, there were several thousand casinos worldwide offering roulette games. Now, every casino in the world has a roulette wheel. Roulette is popular because it is simple, easy to play, exciting and thrilling.