History of Blackjack

How did the game of blackjack evolve? Find out about the interesting history of the game of 21 and how it got started.

How It All Began...

Casino blackjack, sometimes referred to as 21, might just be the best known game in the world. The topic of countless books and movies, it is one of the most popular casino games and with very good reason. The casino blackjack game offers everything a player could want, from easy to understand rules, to fast action and player-friendly odds.

Blackjack is one of the oldest card games in the world, and as such its origins are difficult to trace. Similar games date back to 18th century France, and one of the most popular versions among them was known simply as 21. The game made its way to the United States via the French colonists and quickly spread cross country on the riverboats.

When the state of Nevada legalized gambling in the first half of the 20th century, blackjack was officially given its name and was ready to hit the big-time.  The name came from a special bonus which was designed to draw more attention to the game. It was decided that any hand which had the ace of spades and any of the black colored jacks in the deck (either spades or clubs) would pay 10:1. Though the bonus has long since dropped from the game, the name stuck around. 

Despite its many changes, blackjack remains one of the most popular games in both online and brick-and-mortar casinos alike.