Written by: Stefano Rossi | The review was last updated: 03 July 2024 | Fact-check by: Kim Birch
Roulette's a crowd-pleaser at casinos worldwide, and its name comes from the French for 'little wheel'. You'll find this ripper table game in pretty much every casino, always drawing a mob.
Most of the game-changing tweaks came from Monte Carlo Casino, and they've stuck around for yonks, giving pro roulette players something to sink their teeth into. From high-roller Phil Ivey to silver screen legends like James Bond, we've seen plenty of big names having a punt at the roulette table.
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While most punters hit the casino for a bit of fun, there's always a handful of serious gamblers trying to beat the house. Along with other casino games, some roulette players have made a name for themselves as the best in the business. Here's the lowdown on some roulette legends who've left their mark by taking on the casinos like pros.
Joseph Jagger: The Bloke Who Cracked the Roulette Wheel
Ask any punter about their top pick for table games, and chances are roulette will be right up there. This timeless classic has been a hit in casinos for yonks. Invented back in the 1600s, it's barely changed a bit. It's pretty much the same game it was three centuries ago. The only tweaks have been to the colours and zero placements in some versions.
Roulette's got that perfect mix of simplicity and excitement. There's nothing quite like the tension as you watch that little ivory ball spin around the wheel, bouncing through the numbers.
Let's face it, roulette's all about luck. There's no skill involved, and you can't influence the outcome - which is part of its charm. Over the years, some big names have made their mark on the game. We'll take a look at these famous punters and their legendary bets that have gone down in roulette history.
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Throughout roulette's history, there've been some legendary players, but Joseph Jagger stands out as one of the most famous punters to take on the wheel. He's known far and wide as "The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo".
Back in 1873, Jagger cottoned on to the fact that not all casino wheels are spot-on. Some have tiny flaws that can be exploited for big wins if you're sharp enough to notice before the house does.
After days of watching different wheels, Jagger figured out that one particular wheel favoured 9 specific numbers. That was all he needed. He hired a crew to scope out the casinos and track the wheels. Then Jagger hit that table hard, raking in about €65,000 - which is roughly $3 million in today's coin.
Fast forward to 1891, and another bloke named Charles Wells tried his luck. In July, Wells, a bit of a dodgy character, rocked up to a casino with a few grand of questionable origin. He cleaned out every roulette table he touched, playing for 11 hours straight. He came back in November and won about a million Francs. Unlike Jagger though, Wells was riding on pure luck, not exploiting any wheel wonkiness.
Then there's Gonzalo Garcia-Pelayo, another roulette whiz who made a killing. Like Jagger, Garcia-Pelayo sussed out a dodgy wheel that favoured certain numbers. This one was in a Madrid casino, and Garcia-Pelayo pocketed over a million Euros before they caught on. He milked that wheel for all it was worth, betting big while the going was good.
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Some punters have etched their names in gambling lore with massive wins. A few have even become famous for single bets rather than marathon sessions. Take Ashley Revell from London, who in 2004 took a risk that many would call bonkers; this bloke flogged everything he owned and decided to bet the lot on a single roulette spin. Revell raised $135,300 from his garage sale and then headed to the Plaza Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. He put it all on red, and wouldn't you know it, he won! Revell pocketed $270,600 and left a $600 tip for good measure.
In 2009, punters watched another famous roulette spin live on the telly. Derren Brown, a well-known TV personality and illusionist, tried to predict where the roulette ball would land after a spin. Brown borrowed 5000 quid from someone to spice things up and aimed to double it in one go. He reckoned he could pinpoint the landing spot using maths and physics. As the wheel spun, Brown took about 3 seconds to pick his number, wagering the lot on 8. Unfortunately, the ball landed one spot over on 30. It was a bit of a silly idea, but it got everyone talking and became one of the most famous roulette spins ever.
Another legendary spin came from Chris Boyd, a regular 40-year-old bloke who worked as a computer programmer. Out of the blue, he decided to bet his life savings on a single roulette spin in Vegas. Most casinos turned him away - his $220,000 bet was too risky for them. Finally, Binion's Horseshoe Club gave him a go. While most would call him a few sandwiches short of a picnic, Boyd got lucky and doubled his money.
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Aussie flicks feature iconic Roulette moments in casino scenes
Roulette and cinema go way back, with a rich history. For yonks, filmmakers have used the spinning wheel to amp up the drama in their flicks. You've probably seen it a hundred times - the hero's skint, heads to the casino, chucks some cash on the roulette table, and bam! They're rolling in it.
Heaps of films have showcased this classic casino game. Take the German flick "Run, Lola, Run" for instance. Lola, the main character, puts 100 marks on number 20 twice and wins both times. She walks away with over 129,600 marks, way more than the 100,000 she needed to sort out her boyfriend's debt drama.
Then there's the iconic Casablanca. Humphrey Bogart's character owns a cafe with a roulette wheel, which he uses to fleece punters. He even helps a Bulgarian couple bribe the cops by telling them to bet on a specific number.
But when it comes to roulette on the big screen, nothing tops the legendary James Bond series. Our favourite British spy jets around the world, hitting up casinos left and right. He's mad for a punt, often having a crack at the roulette tables and baccarat games. You can catch him in action in the seventh Bond film, Diamonds are Forever.
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Celebs are just like us when it comes to having a punt at the casino, and for many, Roulette's the go-to game.
Take Ricky Hatton, one of the world's top boxers and a massive Roulette fan. He's gone toe-to-toe with the best, including the undefeated Floyd Mayweather. After his loss to Mayweather, a video of Hatton went viral showing him heading straight to the casino for a spin on the Roulette wheel post-fight.
When asked about his Roulette obsession in an interview, Hatton admitted he's a huge fan and loves having a crack at it with his mates.
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Aussie Roulette Legends: From Crowns to Casino Thrills
Former Miss Universe Lara Dutta isn't just a world-class beauty; she's also mad for Roulette. Known to hit the casinos when she's in Macau for swanky award dos, Dutta's love for the wheel is no secret. She's often seen trying her luck at the tables, showing she's got more than just looks in her arsenal.
Dutta credits her mate Ritesh Deshmukh for getting her hooked on Roulette. He showed her the ropes, and now she's a dab hand at it. In chats with the press, she's not shy about her growing obsession with the game. Seems like this Bollywood star's found her second calling at the Roulette table - who'd have thought?
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These stories about famous punters and bets in roulette history are pretty wild. But let's be real - roulette's all about chance, so never bet more than you can afford to lose. Most of these players didn't have a winning strategy (except Jagger), they just got lucky. That's risky business. Don't stake too much for a laugh, and definitely don't rely on gambling to make a quid. If you reckon you can come up with some foolproof strategy to beat the casino, think again. Gambling's for fun, not for profit.
The people we've mentioned aren't pros, just regular folks who struck it lucky. Apart from Jagger, none had any special knowledge about the games. Trying to predict roulette outcomes? You'd need some seriously detailed info to even start. Take the different types of roulette games - American, European, and French. Each has its own quirks and different RTPs (Return to Player percentages). European and French have better odds than American, but even if you sort that out, you've still got to deal with all the betting patterns and other technicalities.
Bottom line: there's no way to rig the roulette wheel. When you play, it's all down to luck.
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Top questions about legendary Roulette punters and their unforgettable wagers
There's no set rule for the max payout in Roulette - it varies between casinos and their specific guidelines. Our research turned up some pretty wild betting limits, with some places allowing punters to wager up to $16,000 AUD per spin. That could potentially lead to a massive win of around $590,000 AUD on a single go - sounds bonkers, right? Despite these eye-watering figures, the crown for the biggest roulette win in history still belongs to Charles Wells, who cleaned up big time back in the day.
As we've covered in the article above, there's no foolproof strategy to come out on top in Roulette. It's a game of pure chance, and no amount of number crunching or fancy formulas will help you predict where that ball's going to land. At the end of the day, Roulette's all about luck, and that's what keeps punters coming back for more.
Your best shot at winning roulette is a 35:1 chance on a European roulette table, or 36:1 if you're playing the American version. These odds might seem long, but they haven't stopped some punters from making it big at the wheel.
Throughout history, some punters have landed mind-blowing wins at the Roulette table. But the all-time record for the biggest Roulette win goes to Charles Wells. Back in 1881, this bloke scored a whopping 2 Million Francs at a Monte Carlo casino. It's the stuff of legends, really.
Ian Fleming's iconic spy, James Bond, is a household name worldwide. This British secret agent, known for his love of high-stakes gambling, often employs a clever betting strategy in the films. Bond's approach involves placing multiple wagers to boost his chances of winning, a tactic that's caught the eye of many punters. While it might look flashy on screen, it's worth remembering that real-world roulette doesn't always play out like it does in the movies.
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