The invention of Roulette has been credited to many sources: The Chinese, Ancient Romans even French mathematician Blaise Pascal. Whatever the origins of the game it was only in the 17th and 18th centuries that documented games involving a wheel and spinning ball were invented. And it took until the end of the 18th century for games that developed into modern Roulette to be introduced into Paris casinos. The single zero (European) wheel was invented by Francois and Louis Blanc in 1842.

Since its introduction the wheel hasn't changed much. One change has been the introduction of the colour green to the zero and double zero slots. Originally the zero slot was red and the double zero slot was black but this confused some players so the black and red colours were changed to green to eliminate this confusion.

Because gambling was illegal in France the inventors (Francois and Louis Blanc) introduced Roulette in Germany. When Germany banned gambling Louis Blanc accepted an invitation to go to Monte Carlo to set up and operate a casino there. The venture was a huge success and the game of Roulette remained exclusive to Monte Carlo until 1933. Roulette captured the popular imagination due in part to: the luxurious Monte Carlo casino, the rich and famous players and the large wagers made there.

Roulette has evolved differently in Europe and the United States.

In the United States the double zero game has become the standard and in often referred to as the American wheel. The game became popular in the United States during the California gold rush and then spread to casinos in the rest of the country. However the large house edge of 5.26% has kept the game from becoming as popular in America as it is in Europe.

In Europe the better odds of the single zero wheel (house edge 2.70%) eliminated the double zero wheel (house edge 5.26%). The game was further refined with the introduction of the "En Prison" option which reduced the house edge further to 1.35%. These two changes are likely responsible for the huge difference between the popularity of Roulette in Europe and the United States. In European casinos the Roulette revenues are approximately 50% of the total revenues while in the U.S. it is around 5%.