Blackjack History

The Origins of Blackjack

The original game of blackjack has probably been around for longer than what the official history of blackjack states but most seem to agree that it all started in France. 300 years ago the French were busy playing the game called Vingt-et-Un which means 21. In this game you had the same object of getting 21 but not more but you would bet after every round. Another special feature was that only the dealer could double. 

Blackjack History in America

When Blackjack came to America during the French Revolution it became a success much thanks to the lack of laws against card games. It wasn’t hard for skilled players to see that this game could let them win a lot of money. It would take some time for the authorities in the US to catch on to this game and make it more difficult for players to enjoy it. 

The Underground Game and Blackjack History

When the American Government finally put a halt to card gaming in the 19th century blackjack had no choice but to become an underground game which was a big part to the history of blackjack . It was way too popular for people to give it up and they carried on with the risk of getting caught. 

Blackjack Card Counting History

To many, blackjack is synonymous with card counting. The first real book written on this subject was Beat the Dealer by Edward O. Thorp. He was a professor of mathematics and his work had a great impact on blackjack history. Using math and computers inserted in their shoes, Ken Uston and his team managed to cheat their way to thousands of dollars from Nevada’s casinos. 

History of Online Blackjack

Blackjack is becoming more and more popular and this is all thanks to the Internet and the many blackjack online casinos offering the game. Today anyone can enjoy this game and online it is even possible to play for free without any risk of losing money on bad bets. USA has traditionally been the biggest market for this game. Due to the restrictive USA Gambling laws currently in force in America, US players don’t have the same big variety of blackjack online gambling sites offering the game at their disposal.