Russian Roulette: Truth About the Game of Chance

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You’ve probably heard about standard American, European, and French Roulette. But haven’t you forgotten about another important one — a crazy game of chance that can’t be played at any casinos, Russian Roulette?

This brutal yet entertaining (for some) form of roulette doesn’t involve a classic roulette wheel. Instead, the game is played by spinning the cylinder of a revolver loaded with a single bullet. But are there any chances of winning in this “game,” or is the outcome inevitably deadly? Well, let’s find this out by getting deeper into the origins of the game of Russian Roulette.

Origins

It’s believed that the game originated in 19th century Tsarist Russia, where prisoners were forced to play the game to entertain Russian soldiers. The term “Russian Roulette” was first implemented by Georges Surdez, a French-Swiss author of adventure stories only in 1937, where he described rules of the game played (supposedly during the last days of the First World War involvement). However, the first trace ever of this game of chance can be found even earlier in an 1840 story by Mikhail Lermontov, “The Fatalist.”

Outlook

The classic lethal game of chance is played by a group of people (or only one person) and involves the use of a 6-chamber revolver and a single bullet. Players spin the cylinder in turns, put the gun against the head, and pull the trigger. The outcome can be mathematically calculated as follows:

• if you spin the cylinder after each round, the number of pulls of the trigger before the bullet fires is 3.5.
• if you don’t spin it, the number increases to 6.

Some experts also note that the odds can also be somewhat affected by gravity. But with that said, if you’re allowed to stop the cylinder, the bullet is more likely to land on the bottom due to the fact that the bullet chamber would have weighed more than the empty chambers.

Odds of Winning

It’s not a good idea to consider taking up Russian Roulette, even regardless of the amount of money you can theoretically win and the adrenaline rush you can experience. After all, the explanation is simple: the chances of fixing a mistake once it’s done are literally equal to zero.

However, we can still theorize about the odds of winning the game. So if we take into consideration a 6-chamber revolver, your chances will be as follows:

The math of Russian Roulette shows: the more people participate, the more chances of winning you have. However, we would certainly not encourage anyone to try playing this game with guns!

Who’s First?

The number of players participating in this lethal game certainly matters; however, we should also keep in mind that the starting number of each player also has an impact on the final outcome.

Theoretically speaking, it’s always better to be the first person to pull the trigger. This is simply explained by the fact that once the cylinder is rotated, the chances of taking the bullet in the first instance are lower. On the other hand, if your gameplay involves six players, being the last one to shoot also increases your chances of staying alive — because the bullet will most likely be fired before your turn.

Hype: Magician’s Attempt

Back in 2003, the famous illusionist Derren Brown decided to play Russian Roulette live on television, with the help of a volunteer he randomly picked. Over three million viewers were watching in awe and fascination as Derren was playing the game.

And although shortly after the show, the game was exposed as a hoax by the Jersey police department, the shock and the emotional pressure the audience felt were more than real!

The Death Toll

Statistics show there are at least two thousand confirmed deaths that came as a result of Russian Roulette, and God knows how many else remain unknown to us today. Many famous people have also been dragged into this game and, sadly, lost their lives while playing:

• Aimo Leikas — a magic performer from Finland, who became viral thanks to the Russian Roulette trick. During his show, he loaded a 6-chamber gun with 5 blanks, claiming he could select any of the safe barrels with the power of his mind. And he did — again and again for over a year; until that tragic 1976 when he finally picked the wrong number.
• Jon-Erik Hexum — an actor in the American TV Series Cover-Up. In between filming, he started to play with one of the revolvers, which were supposed to be loaded with blank cartridges only. However, when he pointed the gun to his head, pretending to play Russian Roulette, and pulled the trigger, the weapon appeared to be one of the most potent hand cannons in the world. And even eventually no projectile came out of the gun, the shockwave was strong enough to fracture his skull and cause brain death.
• Katlyn Alix — an officer from St. Louis, Missouri. The most recent case of death during a game of Russian Roulette took place on January 24, 2019. That’s when Nathaniel R. Hendren, the officer on duty, suggested for Alix, who was off duty, to play the deadly game at his place. This was a similar game to the standard one, but with one difference – the participants pointed the gun at each other’s head instead of their own. In the second round, the gun went off, instantly killing Katlyn. Shortly after the incident, the officer Hendren was accused of involuntary manslaughter. He was supposed to face up to 10 years in prison, but in March, he was sentenced to home arrest and a $100,000 bond. But as it turned out later, that wasn’t the first situation where Hendren had forced women to play Russian Roulette.

Chechen Roulette

Well, if you thought there’s nothing more awful than Russian Roulette, then let us tell you about the Caucasian or Chechen one! In this version, your chances of winning are drastically reduced as it requires a fully loaded gun with only one bullet removed. Chechen terrorists used to make prisoners play this deadly game solely for entertainment.

Safe Russian Roulette

They say you can’t have Russian Roulette without a gun; but in reality, things are a bit different. Any random element can be turned into the concept of Russian Roulette without any deadly consequences, yet still bring the same adrenaline rush!

For instance, the bullets can be replaced by alcohol shots. Only one of them will be filled with an alcoholic beverage, and the person who ends up drinking it loses the game.

Another game that can bring you much more excitement is slots. Yes, you’ve read it right, slots are indeed the best version of Russian Roulette! But the only difference here is that instead of one bullet, you get a whole plethora of chances to win big!

And, let’s not forget about the old classic Roulette. If you really love spinning, why shouldn’t you spin the wheel of the game, place a bet, and win real money without the deadly risk! After all: nobody is harmed, and everybody’s happy!

You Would Also Like to Know

• Is Russian Roulette legal?

Since in the US, a number of people have been convicted of murder on account of participation in the game, and assisted suicide is considered illegal in most states, Russian Roulette is considered to be illegal around the globe, even though this isn’t explicitly stated anywhere.

• What are the reasons people play Russian Roulette?

Players use the game as a chance to impress others, or to feel the adrenaline running through their veins, or simply because they have suicidal thoughts. However, most people still consider the game extremely stupid, and they’re right!

• Can you place bets on the Russian Roulette outcome?

You won’t find any casino online and offline that will allow you to place a wager on the game’s outcome.

• Are there any movies showing Russian Roulette in action?

The most notorious scene about the game is portrayed in The Deer Hunter movie, starring Robert De Niro and Christopher Walken. And without giving away any spoilers here — that piece of art deserves to be seen.