Gaming is one of the world’s most common pastimes today, thanks to consoles, computers, mobile phones and even TVs enabling us to enjoy the latest titles. Since the beginning of time, people have used games as a form of entertainment and many of the world’s oldest are still played today. The likes of Mancala, a type of two-player board game with varying rules depending on the region its being played in, is still popular in a number of countries today, despite having been played by the Ancient Egyptians. Noughts and crosses, roulette, bowling, billiards/pool and badminton are other examples of ancient games that have managed to stick around.
Roulette
According to historians, one of the world’s most recognisable casino games, roulette, was first played in the late 18th century in Paris. Historians believe that the wheel was first introduced by Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician, inventor and physicist who stumbled across the design while trying to create a perpetual motion machine. It was quickly introduced into French casinos and soon spread to Germany and the USA. Today, roulette is a staple of the gaming industry, and you can find roulette wheels at thousands of casinos around the world, as well as online. The system of how the numbers work is easy to understand. A ball is placed on a horizontally spinning wheel which generally has 37 spaces numbered from 0 to 36, with numbers coloured either red or black, apart from 0 which is green. Once the wheel stops spinning, the ball lands in one of the spaces, with money awarded to the players who bet on that number. Players can bet on as many individual numbers as they like, or on groups which are based on odd or even numbers, colours, or proximity on the table.
Billiards/Cue Sports
Cue sports like snooker and pool have been around in some form since the 15th century. It is believed that most games which use a pocketed table with cues and balls evolved from outdoor stick and ball lawn games like croquet and golf. France’s King Louis XI was the first known owner of an indoor billiard table and was known to play an obstacle-based billiards game similar to miniature golf. By the early 18th century, a form of billiards was being played in most cafés in Paris. Early versions of the game were played with wooden or clay balls, while the table featured obstacles like an arch, a port and a skittle. Pockets or holes in the tables were initially used to add further jeopardy to games as extra hazards to avoid, but they later became something to aim for, which helped games like pool and snooker rise to prominence. The popularity of these games has fluctuated at different points in history, but they have maintained a high level of public interest since the 1960s. These games remain popular today as professional spectator sports, or pastimes that are enjoyed in pubs, bars and dedicated clubs with multiple tables.
Bowling/Skittles
Archaeologists have found wall drawings in ancient Egypt dating back to 5200 BC that depict a game of bowling. A ball and miniature pins have also been found in an Egyptian grave from around the same time. Since then, we’ve seen countless art and literature from at least the 15th century onwards that shows people bowling. Royalty like Henry VIII were extremely keen on the sport and began to pass laws to limit participation so that it was only availble to the rich. It became professionalised in the 19th century with universal rules, lanes, skittles, and balls being introduced, as well as organised tournaments and competitions, which helped boost the game’s popularity. Today, bowling remains popular, with the professional scene commanding an impressive following, and even more people playing for fun with friends. It is now a common activity for dates, birthdays, school trips and celebrations and has even been featured in video games, which helps maintain its popularity among all ages.
