In order for any company to develop, it needs an entrepreneur. A person who is the first to attempt a new type of work and has a strong desire to achieve it. That’s because usually few people want to help you and dare that something more and more can come out without being tested. But that’s what people are for, people who have high self-esteem and really believe in what they’re doing. Without these people, today’s casinos, online casinos, and gambling would not exist.
One of those credited for having access to this leisure activity is Francois Blanc. This French businessman was the first character who dared to open a gambling establishment, leading to the construction of such imposing halls that we will see around the world in the future. It made an important contribution to roulette, but also to countries like Germany or France and regions like Monte Carlo. Thanks to him, the Monte Carlo casino took off, although he had been through a lot up to this point in his life.
The first was his childhood. A childhood that Blanc shared a very special fixation for the circus, along with his twin brother Louis. They both enjoyed each time this show was presented in the small town of Courthézon in the south of France and dreamed of one day learning all about this profession and becoming rich from it. The truth is that they took very different paths throughout their lives, although the world of entertainment remained their focus.
It was in Marseille that the Blancs discovered their fondness for casinos. American roulette caught their attention and they spent several months testing this game. They not only tried, but also made a profit, which motivated them to open their own betting shop in the city. When they earned a little more, they decided to expand into the real estate business. However, their business aroused suspicion and they began to attract the attention of the authorities. They were eventually arrested and released as there was no law allowing their arrest and transfer to Paris. In the French capital, they continued their approach and did very well.
But the passing of new regulations forced them to move again, this time to Luxembourg and finally to German territory. They didn’t fare badly in their new deals, though Bad-Homburg caught her attention when one of that city’s monarchs asked her for help in attracting more tourism to the region.. François was aware that the way forward was to make casino tourism attractive. That’s why he developed this Bad Homburg Casinoin which he introduced a variety of games and put all the meat on the grill with roulette.
Blanc made the classic American double-zero roulette available to its customers, but promoted the single-zero roulette, European roulette. This type of wheel offers greater advantages than the American one, and while the bank receives a lower return, it makes up for it with more players willing to play. This is how a player and entrepreneur in the business world became a real casino magnate. He perfectly knew the mechanics and in a few months he achieved his goal.
Bad Homburg became popular because of its range of entertainment. Hotels, other gambling halls, and lodgings sprung up around the city dedicated to catering to the rich, famous, and interested who flocked to the German city. However, this only happened in the summer season. In winter, tourism shifted to warmer places, leaving this place as a recreational and holiday destination. Blanc earned the nickname “Homburg magician‘ while creating a legend that said everything the Frenchman had achieved was thanks to a pact with the devil, the outcome of which was the sum of all the numbers on the roulette wheel from 0 to 36,666.
Everything was going well until Frankfurt decided to abolish gambling, which seriously hurt Blanc. His goal was the renewed Monte Carlo region, where these activities were legal. In 1850, the country lacked roads for means of transportation, and Blanc found it difficult to work. The businessman was asked not only to help them build a casino, but also to promote the development of tourism. After founding an association and taking over its management, he reached this new milestone in 1865.
A milestone that cost the nobility two million francs and 10% of the arcade’s profits for the next 50 years. Of course, if you factor in the characters who had previously attempted to make the project and failed, Blanc’s fees might even have been cheap. Later, under the direction of François, several renovations were carried out on this historical relic of Monte Carlo before its life ended. With this he received the title “Magicians of Monte Carlo“.
In short, a successful life linked to the game and important advances in roulette. Not only in this game, but also built spas and other services around its casinos, which today are the holiday resorts that we all know.
