Reversi is usually traced to the late nineteenth century. The exact origin is not perfectly tidy: histories often mention Lewis Waterman and John W. Mollet, and some accounts note that the two were connected with competing claims. What survived from that period was the central idea: trap a line of opposing pieces and turn them over.

Older Reversi rules were not always identical to the version most people play today. Historical Reversi could begin from an empty board, with the first moves placed into the center. The familiar four-disc opening is associated with the modern Othello ruleset.

Goro Hasegawa developed the modern game in Japan and patented Othello in 1971. The name came from Shakespeare's play, and the black-and-white disc conflict made the reference easy to understand. Hasegawa helped organize Japanese tournament play, and Tsukuda Original released the game commercially in Japan in 1973.

The first Japan Othello Championship was held in 1973. The first World Othello Championship followed in Tokyo in 1977, with five players from five countries. Hiroshi Inoue became the first world champion. The event later grew from a small invitational field into an international competition, and the World Othello Federation was founded in 2005.

Computer play became part of the game's history too. Othello has attracted researchers because the rules are simple but the positions are difficult to evaluate. Strong programs eventually became very hard for humans to beat; Logistello's 1997 match win over world champion Takeshi Murakami is one of the better-known milestones.

Online versions changed the way many people first learn the game. A browser board can highlight legal moves, handle forced passes, animate flips, and keep score automatically. That removes bookkeeping, but the main question is the same as it was on a physical board: which square should you choose?