Roulette is one of the most popular games both online and in physical casinos. Thought to have originated in the 17th century France, roulette – which takes its name from the French for ‘little wheel’ – has continued to entertain players for almost 400 years. For many people, in fact, the game is an iconic part of the casino experience, regardless of whether they’re playing online, at sites such as liveroulette.com, or off.

But why does the spin of the wheel still excite us? And what exactly makes roulette so enduringly popular? This article will explain why roulette has passed the test of time and seems set only to increase in popularity.

High Stakes Roulette

The excitement of gambling comes from its unpredictability – and the higher the stakes, the more exciting it becomes. One of the reasons why roulette is so popular is because the potential winnings can be huge. Between April 2008 and March 2019, an incredible £308.72 million was awarded to roulette winners in Great Britain alone. One of the highest roulette wins ever was paid out as recently as 2017 when a businessman named Pedro Grendene Bartelle won $3.5 million at the Hotel Conrad casino in Uruguay.

You might not be destined for $3.5 million, but it’s still true that you have a higher chance of making money at the roulette wheel than you do at the baccarat or blackjack table. This is because you play fewer spins than you would hands of cards, meaning there’s less chance of a loss.

The Rules Are Simple

Roulette is a popular choice both with novice gamblers and professional roulette players alike. Its rules are simple to understand, which for complete beginners makes it a less daunting choice than intricate card games. Although many past winners have attributed their success to a roulette strategy – for example, a group in 2004 used a laser scanner linked to a computer to determine the probability of landing a particular number on the wheel at the Ritz casino, winning over £1 million – other people have won the jackpot on pure luck alone.

No strategy is fool-proof, but the simplicity of the rules means that a number of different strategies have emerged over the years. Some of the most famous are known as the Martingale strategy, the D’Alembert strategy, and Labouchere.

The D’Alembert is generally considered to be one of the safest ways to play. In contrast to the fierce ‘doubling down’ policy of the Martingale, D’Alembert works on the assumption that there’s a roughly even chance of different outcomes occurring – meaning the roulette ball will land on a black number as often as it will land on a black.

Roulette Is Iconic

When you imagine a casino, chances are one of the first things you picture is a roulette wheel. Popular culture – most notably the James Bond films – has historically depicted roulette as a glamorous game, characterised by excitement, possibility, and drama. For anyone who wants a taste of Monte Carlo when gambling, playing roulette is an excellent way to capture that sense of glamour and sophistication.

Thanks to the rise of online gambling and virtual casinos, which bring the elegance of roulette right into our hands, it’s safe to say the game will only increase in popularity during the years to come.