Blackjack has become one of the most popular games played in online casinos over the last decade or so, but when and where did the game actually originate? Read on for a brief history of blackjack and an introduction of this fascinating and enthralling game. Then choose from any of our recommended online casinos to play USA online blackjack.
The origins of the game of blackjack that we know and love today are steeped in mystery and folklore, but research has suggested that it is an adaption from the game of “21” which came from France and spread to Spain and other parts of Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. This game in turn appears to have grown out of others which pre-dated it, notably “quinze” (meaning “15” in French) which was also known as Ace-low and was popular in France in the 17th century.
The oldest game to which blackjack bears a remarkable resemblance, however, is the Spanish game “trente-un” (meaning “31”), which was referenced by a priest way back in the year 1440 and – more famously – by Miguel de Cervantes in 1570. Either way, all these games were similar in that they involved players using the value of their cards to get as close as possible to a specified total.
As many Europeans emigrated from Europe to America, they brought the game of 21 with them, and it soon gained new rules which made it more interesting and – crucially – more winnable. Notably, players were now able to see the dealer’s first card before deciding what to do with their own hand, something that wasn’t allowed in the European versions of the game.
Another innovation when the game came to America, that was introduced around the time of the First World War, was the addition of bonuses for hitting certain combinations of cards, such as when being dealt an ace of spades and either a jack of spades or a jack of clubs (which is where the name blackjack comes from).
Since then, there have been all sorts of additional rules and variations on the game that sometimes work in the players’ favor and sometimes help the dealers. One thing is for sure, though: you certainly have more of a choice than they did in 17th century France, and with many of the online casinos featured on this site offering excellent welcoming bonuses for blackjack players, we suspect you also have a much better chance of making a big profit too.
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