Roulette in popular culture – film, television and literature, Casino spinning wheel game, Online gambling

Roulette in Popular Culture – Film, Television and Literature

16 August 2024

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Roulette in Literature and Film

Roulette is one of the most popular table games at a casino (both online and land-based). So popular that this table game has even popped up multiple times over the centuries in film, television, and literature. Roulette features in multiple popular culture moments as film/ television directors and novelists draw inspiration from this game of chance.

Now, with the rise of online casinos, playing roulette has never been easier. Places like roulette77.co.uk provide easy access to play this legendary game in the form of a demo and even different demo versions as well, like 20p roulette, which allows for a 20-pence minimum bet!

Where exactly has roulette taken center stage in popular culture? All the biggest popular cultural moments can be found below:

Roulette in Film

Roulette has been featured in countless films throughout the years, including the likes of:

Iron Man (2008)
Rush Hour 2 (2001)

Casablanca (1942)
Indecent Proposal (1993)
California Split (1974)

Fast Five (2011)

On top of this, roulette is featured throughout the James Bond series (both in the literature and in the films). While no casino table game is off limits for Bond, roulette is known to be his game of choice.

Likely the most well-known appearance of roulette in the Bond films came in Diamonds Are Forever (1971). Famously known for his straight-up 17 black bets, this particular bet has become popular with other players who try to replicate Bond’s success.

Roulette in Television

The big screen isn’t the only place where roulette is immortalized! Roulette has also made multiple appearances on the small screen as well. One of the biggest examples has to be the game show, Wheel of Fortune.

One of the biggest and longest-running game shows of all time, Wheel of Fortune has been inspired by roulette. In Wheel of Fortune, a roulette-style wheel is spun by contestants, with the wheel landing on a certain wedge that could feature anything from a “bankrupt” to “$5,000”.

When looking at scripted television shows, there are a few examples over the decades that can be used. Two in particular stand out and are from two different eras. Check out the two television shows that include roulette below:

Television Show

Where Roulette Is Shown

I Love Lucy

It’s a blink and you’ll miss it kind of thing, but in season five, viewers see Lucy go to Monte Carlo. In true I Love Lucy fashion, she attempts to return a chip she found off the floor but instead ends up placing a bet on the roulette table.

The number she placed the bet on wins. She then tries to explain to the croupier what happened and that the chip isn’t hers, but he doesn’t understand and pays her out as a winner.

South Park

More recently, roulette has been featured in the adult cartoon, South Park. In season seven of South Park, the owners of the Three Feathers Indian Casino purchase the entire South Park town, in the hopes of turning it into a gambling hotspot.

The citizens of South Park work to buy their town back, and to do so, they pool all their money and play roulette. They place all their money on 31 black, and the number hits. Instead of stopping there, though, they get greedy and continue to play, losing it all.

Roulette in Literature

Just like in film and television, there have been many examples of roulette in literature. As mentioned above, it is important to mention the James Bond series again, as Ian Fleming’s 007 books featured roulette before being adapted into a film series.

In Casino Royale, Bond again plays roulette in the books; however, this is not translated into the movie, with Daniel Craig’s character opting for poker instead. Lovers of the 007 books will know that roulette and other casino games are featured multiple times throughout the series.

Another example where roulette is featured in literature comes from Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s “The Gambler”. Dostoyevsky himself was an avid roulette player, and he ended up losing his fortune through the game after struggling with gambling addiction for almost a decade.

His short novel, featured in the fictitious German town of “Roulettenburg” was written in less than a month after he was under immense pressure from creditors. It has never been confirmed which real-life town “Roulettenburg” was based on.

The Influence of Roulette on Pop Culture

Roulette is certainly intertwined with pop culture, and this extends beyond film, television, and literature. Roulette has also influenced music and fashion over the years. For example, while not as popular as “Waking Up In Vegas,” Katy Perry has also released a track called “Roulette.”

Many fashion designers have been inspired by roulette and provided a twist on the classic table game. The bold Roulette77 red and black colors are used, as well as the 0 or 00 green, to create unique and interesting designs to capture the imagination of many.

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