Online roulette is one of the most popular online casino table games among players worldwide. But what is it about this centuries-old game that keeps people coming back for more?
Read on to learn about the history of roulette, the basic rules of the game, why it remains such a popular gambling experience, and more.
A Brief History of Roulette
According to Britannica, roulette didn’t actually come about as a result of the work of French monk and mathematician, Blaise Pascal, but was actually a combination of two other games, hoca, and portique. The name “roulette” first appeared in 1716 in Bordeaux, but it wasn’t until around 1790 that the game acquired its iconic wheel and table layout. After this, the game exploded in popularity in Europe.
As a result of increased competition between European casinos in the 19th century, the game’s wheel underwent its first change. Francois and Louis Blanc, two French entrepreneurs, got rid of the double zero pocket, reducing the house edge for their version of the game. This change helped to draw gamblers to their casinos, with this new wheel eventually becoming the most popular way to play in Europe. Of course, the game’s growth didn’t stop there. Its popularity grew and grew until it became a central part of the casino experience all over the world.
The roulette table’s popularity at traditional casinos also led to it becoming one of the first games to be adapted for online play in the late 1990s. As computing and other online technologies continued to advance, so did the online roulette experience.
The Basic Rules of Roulette
While the sight of a roulette table might be intimidating to newer players, roulette is actually a very simple game to play. All you need to do is choose a bet, place your wager, and wait to see where the roulette ball lands once the wheel has stopped spinning. If luck is on your side, you’ll receive the corresponding payout. If not, your bet is unfortunately forfeited.
The Similarities and Differences Between Roulette and Online Roulette
While roulette fans may enjoy offline and online roulette in equal measure, this doesn’t mean that they offer identical experiences. There are some key differences between these two games:
| Offline Roulette | Online Roulette |
| Features a physical wheel with 37 or 38 pockets, depending on which variant you’re playing. This wheel consists of one or two green pockets with a zero or double zero. There are 18 red and 18 black pockets with odd and even numbers, respectively. | Features a virtual wheel with 37 or 38 pockets, depending on which variant you’re playing. This wheel consists of one or two green pockets with a zero or double zero. There are 18 red and 18 black pockets with odd and even numbers respectively. |
| Offers a variety of bets and side bets with varying payout odds, depending on the game’s roulette odds. | Offers a variety of bets and side bets with varying payout odds, depending on the game’s roulette odds. |
| Tends to have a higher minimum bet to play. | Tends to have a wider range of bets. |
| Fewer roulette games are available. | More roulette games are available. |
Reasons Why People Love Online Roulette
While gamblers could visit their favorite brick-and-mortar casino to enjoy some in-person roulette, many choose to play at a casino online instead. Here are the reasons why so many people love to play roulette online.
1. A Huge Range of Online Roulette Games
Part of the appeal of online roulette is the sheer volume of roulette games you can find online. There isn’t just a choice between the traditional variants like American roulette and European roulette. There are many other exciting variants, each with its own unique twist on the game, for example:
- Auto Mega roulette: Enjoy non-stop roulette action with a roulette wheel that spins automatically and offers multiplier bonuses with its Mega Round.
- Double Ball roulette: All the excitement of regular roulette but with two roulette balls.
- Roulette X: Select your own volatility and bonus multiplier and you could win 1,000x your original wager.
2. It’s Easy To Pick up and Play
Even though roulette has a large range of betting options, the game is still easy to pick up and play. All you need to do is decide what you want to wager on, place your bets, and wait to see where the roulette ball lands.
3. Unbelievable Graphics and Sound Effects
Online gambling has come a long way since the first online casino launched in the late 1990s. Where online casino games like roulette once had low-resolution graphics and very basic sound effects, the same can’t be said of these games of chance today. Many online roulette games are almost impossible to tell apart from their real-life counterparts, and even those that aren’t photo-realistic are visually still incredibly appealing.
Despite how complex the graphics and sound effects have become, you don’t have to have the latest gaming hardware to enjoy the cutting-edge visuals and audio. Most modern mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, have enough power to run these games smoothly, making them accessible to the majority of people.
4. Choose an Online Roulette Game That Suits Your Bankroll
The range of betting options in a physical casino will always be smaller because of the sheer number of roulette games you can play online. This incredible variety of online roulette games means that you can almost always find the right range of bets to suit your bankroll when you play online.
5. Unmatched Convenience
The main reason why so many people play online roulette for real money is its convenience. You can play online roulette from the comfort of your own home, on your way to work, during your lunch break, or even while you’re travelling on holiday. No matter where you are, as long as you have a stable broadband internet connection and you’re physically located in Ontario, you can enjoy playing at online gambling establishments like BetMGM Casino.
Play Fantastic Online Roulette In Ontario
Wondering where to play online roulette? You can find all the best online roulette games at BetMGM Casino. Give these titles a spin to find out what luck has in store for you:
- American Roulette
- Black & Yellow Roulette
- European Roulette Pro
- First Person Roulette
- Roulette – Azure