History of Blackjack

Blackjack (also known by the names of "Twenty-one and/or "Pontoon"), amongst all casino games, is one of the most played card games around the world. Blackjack became popular because of the elements of chance and skill. The modern casino has mostly ruled out the single-deck game, to discourage card-counters, so that method is slowly going the way of the dinosaur.

Blackjack is rooted in the casinos of France in the year 1700. At that time, blackjack was not yet offering bonuses, such as 3:2 payout for a 21 two-card (or "blackjack", as it's commonly referred to).

Following France's lead, blackjack then came to the United States. In the United States blackjack was still new, and not many gamblers were yet giving any attention to the game. Gambling houses in the U.S. came up with different bonus payouts to attract players to sit in at their tables. An example of the bonus is the "10-to-1". If the player gets the ace-of-spades and a jack that is colored black (it may either be clubs or spades) then the player wins a bonus payout. From this particular hand the game has gained the name "blackjack".

The player's goal is getting a higher number total in their cards than the dealer, up to a total of 21 points; if both the dealer and the player have the same card point value, then this is referred to as a "push" - nobody wins the game.

To win at the game of Blackjack the player needs to have the highest point total in his hand, but it cannot be over than 21, or else it is a "bust". If the player receives a "bust card", they lose their bet. A two-card dealt 21-point hand automatically wins the bet if the dealer can't match it immediatly with their first two cards, at a 3-to-2 payout.

Every casino has various minimum bets for playing blackjack, with different tables offering different minimum bets. However, the most famous minimum bet in the United States is usually $5. These are commonly found in the mid-level casinos.

Blackjack has developed terms in describing the game:

Hit: This means the player can take another card to add to their total. Stand: This means the player will not add anymore cards to their hand. Double-down: The player will double their bet, add another card, then stand. This is done when the two dealt cards total 10 or 11. Split: The bet will be doubled, and the two dealt cards are then played seperatly. This option can only be exercised if the two cards contain the same value. Another term is the "Surrender" - The player gives up half of his wager money and drops out of the game after the initial deal, providing the dealer hasn't received a dealt 21. "Surrender" is not available in all casinos, but it was popular in the early and mid-20th century.

Blackjack became popular and loved by many casino gamers, and still is immensely popular to date.