Blackjack, also known as 21, is one of the oldest and most popular table card games in casinos around the world. With the recent opening for online casinos in the U.S. and Canada the trend is expected to continue in the online space as well.
Blackjack is a game that will not go out of fashion anytime soon and one of the reasons is so popular is because generally the player has a much better edge when compared to many other games and with strategy and hard work, a player will have an even better chance to come out on top.
Origins
It is generally believed that Blackjack originated in the French casinos in the 18th century. The French game was called “Vingt et Un” which translates to “Twenty-one.” Apparently, the card game was even played at the French Royal Court during the reign of King Louis XV but also by Napoleon Bonaparte. The first mention of the game was actually in Cervante’s Don Quixote which is dated in the 17th century.
In America the game gained popularity during the 19th century after being introduced by French colonists. The game would be seen in New Orleans in 1820 at the legalized gambling halls. Interesting enough, during this time the rules were different from the contemporary Blackjack we now know. For instance in the earlier form of Blackjack only the dealer was allowed to double.
In 1931, when Nevada was granted a state legislation of gambling, the game was still being called 21 and it changed its name when casinos start offering all kinds of payouts with one of them being to pay extra if a black jack (a jack of spades or clubs) was dealt along with an ace of spades. Somehow, the informal name blackjack stuck with players and carried forward even after these offers stopped.
The rules have also changed following the legalization of gambling. Defined by the Nevada Gaming Commission, the game rules are still used nowadays.
