It wasn’t long until roulette made its way stateside. And the roulette variant known as American roulette was born. It is believed that the earliest references to roulette in North America were in French Quebec. As well as descriptions of the game being played in the riotous gaming halls of 19th Century New Orleans.
The earliest version of American roulette had three ‘zero’ pockets (instead of two today). With the third pocket simply consisting of an image of an American eagle UFABET
This extra pocket gave the house a ludicrous edge of 12.9%. Which was so unpopular with gamblers that it was quickly scrapped. As roulette expanded out of the gaming halls of New Orleans and made its way west via the steamboat casinos on the Mississippi. A new form of roulette was born that would become the version of American roulette that we know and love today.
In this version, there are two “zero” pockets instead of one (as there is in French and European roulette). Although this still gives the house a higher edge than in European roulette. At 5.26% instead of 2.7%. It is the version that stuck and that Americans continue to prefer.
Before long, American roulette was a mainstay of the gambling world. And would quickly feature in the first casinos to be built in Las Vegas in the early 20th century.