People who play traditional casino games like blackjack often ignore their origins, but the truth is that many of these games have been around for centuries, if not longer. If you are interested in the world of casino games and are truly fascinated by their history, continue reading to find out more about the thrilling origins of one of the most popular games of all time: Blackjack.

The Origins of Blackjack

Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games out there, and because of this, many people already know how to play it and often win real money online blackjack as well. However, the origins of the game of blackjack are very mysterious and still debated among experts. One of the most popular theories talks about blackjack being first born in French casinos over 300 years ago. This is due to its mention in the infamous Miguel de Cervantes novel Don Quixote. It seems like even back then, this game was played in some of the best blackjack casinos. Back then, blackjack didn’t quite have the same name, and it was instead referred to as “vingt-et-un,” which means 21 in French. Another completely different theory is that the Romans already played this game, or something remarkably similar, with the aid of wooden blocks. Later on, English ving-un developed into an American variant, which developed its own rules and was renamed “blackjack” near the end of the 19th century. Every game evolves over time, just like many other human creations.

The Development of Blackjack

Legend has it that when vingt-un was introduced into the United States; gambling houses were offering bonus payouts to stimulate players’ interest. One of these bonuses was a ten-to-one payout; which would occur if the player’s hand consisted of the ace of spades; and blackjack, either of clubs or spades. That’s the main reason why, at least from a mythological point of view, this game was called blackjack. This story has interested many historians, one of them being the French card historian Theirry Depaulis, who studied this matter to get to the bottom of it. He claims that the name was given by prospectors during the Klondike Gold Rush, as the name “blackjack” also refers to the mineral zincblende, which is often associated with gold or silver deposits. He suggests that this mineral name was transferred by prospectors to the top bonus card. Even if he did not find any historical evidence for this, he still wanted to share with the world this interesting cultural blending of card games and historical phenomena such as the gold rush with the world. Now that you know more about the origins and developments of the game of blackjack, let’s dive into the rules of the game to find out more about it.

How Do You Play BlackJack?

Today, blackjack is played in all the best online blackjack casinos; and people all around the world are drawn to it day by day. You can even use Bitcoin to play the game! For people who don’t know the rules of blackjack yet, they’ll briefly be explained in this section. Every best blackjack online casino has a section explaining the rules, but here’s a quick summary of them as well – so you can call out anyone who tries to cheat at the game. To start a game of blackjack, the dealer faces five to nine playing positions on a table that is usually semicircular. Between one and eight standard 52-card decks are shuffled together. At the beginning of each round, players place bets in the betting box offered by each position. The goal of the game is to beat the dealer’s hand without going over 21. The dealer begins the turn by giving two cards to each player, including themselves. All cards are usually dealt face up, but one of the dealer’s cards is up; called the “upcard,” and the other is face down, called the “hole card.” Players take turns deciding how to play their hands. There are a number of things they can do, such as hit, stand, double down, or split. If they chose to hit, they could request an additional card to increase the total in their hand. They can continue doing so until they decide to stand or until their hand exceeds 21. This instance is called a bust. After every player has completed their turn, the dealer reveals their own hole card. Usually, the dealer has to follow a set of specific rules; where they typically hit until they have at least 17 points or until they bust.

How Do You Win at BlackJack?

Players can win if their hand is closer to 21 than the dealer’s hand without exceeding 21. A proper “blackjack” is a unique winning hand where players have an Ace and a 10-point card, therefore 10, Jack, Queen, and King. Typically, a blackjack pays more than a regular win. Sometimes, ties and pushes can occur. For example, if a player and a dealer have the same hand value; that is called a “push.” In that instance, the player’s bet is returned, and no one wins or loses.

Final word

This was a short overview of the origins of the game of blackjack; which is nowadays played in all the best online blackjack casinos. There was also a concise summary of the actual rules of the game. Now, you have a better understanding of blackjack’s origins and a short introduction to every step of the game. Let’s hope this article was helpful and that it worked as a functional introduction to the world of blackjack and casino games.