The Roulette Wheel

Updated: January 22, 2026 at 11:27 am GMT+0
Fact Checked by Scott McGlynn Scott McGlynn

The Roulette Wheel

A failed attempt by a gentleman called Blaise Pascal to create and demonstrate a perpetual motion machine ended up being the foundation of the Roulette Wheel as we know it today. After Pascal ultimately discarded the device it was found and eventually changed to become a novel and unusual source of entertainment, in the end having two versions being the European and American types of wheels.

The main difference between these two wheels is that the European (French) version has just a single green zero slot, whereas the American version also has an additional double zero green slot.

If you would like to make your odds of winning the best they can be then you would always choose the European version of the wheel. The house edge here is 2.7% however the American wheel gives the house an increased advantage over the player at 5.3%.

It was Louis and François Blanc who came up with the design of the European Wheel as they hoped to increase the number of customers to their casino because of the increased odds it gave to the player.

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There have been many people over the years that have speculated as to why the wheel was coloured red and black. Initially the single zero slot had been red and a double zero black. This however was changed so as to not be too confusing against the rest of the wheel.

It has been suggested that red and black were simply Blaise Pascal’s favourite colours and that is why the wheel was coloured the way it was. However it could also be that he sold his soul to the devil as others would imply due the fact that all the wheels numbers add up to 666 with Red and Black being the devils colours.

It could just be down to the fact that these two colours red and black compliment each other without clashing and makes the visibility of the ball within the wheel easy.

Did you know that some people have spent a great deal of time identifying flaws in roulette wheels so that they can hope to make their fortune. A wheel with a flaw is called a ‘loose wheel’.

Although casinos do their very best to alleviate this type of problem by constantly testing and checking their wheels, observant players still keep their eyes peeled for any roulette wheels that appear overly generous.

If you fancy giving Roulette a spin we recommend Winner Casino which offers a demo of its table games including roulette.

At Winners Casino you can familiarise yourself with the game and then when you want to play for real you can take advantage of their great welcome offer. Simply make a deposit of £35 or more and receive a 200% bonus worth up to a maximum £300 free.

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Craig Jones
Craig Jones

Craig Jones has been working in the sports betting and gambling industry for more than 20 years. With a wealth of in-depth knowledge, Craig has written for Free Bets for almost a decade, providing our readers with expert opinions and transparent reviews.

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