Discovery of the ball game

Amateur or gambling enthusiast, do you know Boule or have you had the opportunity to play it? Did you know that it is one of the few games that appeared in the 20th century? In this mini-dossier, discover its history, its journey, as well as its rules.

The origins of the ball

The ball was invented at a time when land-based casinos were at their peak. In fact, it draws its origins from its illustrious ancestor: roulette. Its history begins around the 1920s when French establishments introduced a game called "little horses". This game, lacking an effective gameplay, did not generate much interest from players. Aware of this fact, a manager of the institution decided to revise it and make some improvements. In 1923, he then created a table game that he called "la boule". The ball The ball is based on the same rules as traditional roulette, but simpler. The reason was probably that at that time, it was the most popular in existing casino centers. This new version was therefore more likely to attract the majority of bettors. Thus was born this famous casino game called "French". And if Blaise Pascal had not developed the classic roulette system, the ball would surely never have seen the light of day.

Popularity of the game in its early days

Easier to play than any other form of roulette, the boule quickly gained popularity among various social classes. Seen in every corner of bustling streets, it was played standing up. The minimum bets were so low, earning it the nickname "the roulette of the poor". However, it was introduced in other French casinos, replacing the "small horses" which unfortunately fell into oblivion. Highly appreciated by the French, other countries also became interested in the game of boule, such as Switzerland, Spain, Denmark, and Macao. However, it turned out that it was not played in Anglo-Saxon countries. Perhaps because the winnings limits set by establishments at that time were less lucrative, although the betting system was theoretically effective. Over time, this other form of roulette gained popularity among online games, as well as in live casinos.

Basic rules

The game of boule contains 36 pockets with numbers ranging from 1 to 9. Each number appears four times on the table and two times on the wheel. One can also observe pockets of different colors, such as red or black, except for pocket 5. Number 5 is similar to "0 and 00" in roulette. Notice that it is the only pocket of yellow color. The goal is to bet on the outcome of a throw, and the bets must be placed before the ball is thrown. Players can choose from 6 different sets of numbers.

• red: 2 – 3 – 7 – 9
• black: 1 – 3 – 6 – 8
• even: 2 – 4 – 6 – 8
• odd: 1 – 3 – 7 – 9
• missing: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4
• pass: 6 – 7 – 8 – 9

Otherwise, when the ball lands on 5, all other bets will be considered lost. All single bets (on the numbers) are paid at 7 to 1. However, other bets (even, odd, red, black, high, low) are bets that double the initial bet. Unlike roulette, the number 5 and the yellow result are more frequent (11.1%) than the 00 or 0 (2.6%), or the green (5.26%). In the next round, the player will have the choice to leave their initial bet on the table to play the same number again, place it on another number, or leave the table. Here is the ball layout:

Bowling Strategies

The ball turns out to be an effective method of making money. Unfortunately, most casinos have imposed certain limits in order to reduce these chances. Like any other game of chance and gambling, the bankroll is essential. Therefore, one can choose from many strategies and take advantage of them. However, one of the most recommended is the negative progression, in which the player must double the bet every time they lose. The system is called "the grand martingale". Especially dedicated to those who like to play with fire, this system involves exposing a large sum to the possibility of big losses or huge gains. However, this method can be even more risky. Caution should be exercised during the gaming session.