Blackjack origins are not very clear. A lot of people think that the game appeared around 1700 in French casinos and was known as “vingt-et-un”. As time passed the name Blackjack started to be accepted because of the fact that most casinos offered a higher payout in the event that the player won with the Ace of Spades or Jack of Spades as one of the first cards. Spades are black and jacks became very important so the term “Blackjack” stuck.

In USA we saw blackjack being played ever since the end of the 18th century. The problems appeared when gambling became illegal around 1910. That was when we saw a break in the history of blackjack. Casino gambling became legal again in 1931 and since that time Blackjack constantly gained popularity. It is very easy to understand why. The card game is very easy and the casino has a very low house edge if you play properly.

Ever since the beginning of Blackjack history the game stayed unchanged. No new modifications in rules appeared except the fact that nowadays casinos, both land based and online, will not pay out more when you make blackjack with a jack of spades or an ace of spades. Besides this minor fact the game stays unchanged. We are still faced with a bet that is done up front, 2 cards being dealt with one of the dealers being face up and decisions in hitting or standing done by the player. The low house advantage is given by the fact that the dealer has strict drawing rules as he/she must stand if 17 or higher was reached. Whenever a player has a natural 21 he/she will win unless the dealer also has the same hand. If this happens we are faced with a tie. Most casinos will pay you 3 to 2 when you have a natural blackjack hand. Are you interested in the gambling history? Read about Las Vegas history.

The next evolution of Blackjack history appeared thanks to the development of the Internet and more specifically Internet gambling. Nowadays players have the possibility of gambling online in the comfort of their own home. Blackjack constantly enjoys popularity raises due to the fact that more people are signing up for real money accounts in online casinos. This can bring in a lot of money for some people that really know how to play blackjack. If you take the time to learn blackjack strategy and you do pay attention to the cards in land based casinos you too can be among blackjack winners. To know more about blackjack progressive betting, take a look at our dedicated page.