Online Casino

Blackjack is believed to have been first played in French casinos in the 17th century. Then it was in the guise of a game called “Vingt En Un.” In French, this meant literally 21. While Vingt En Un resembled the game of blackjack we know today, there were some different aspects of the game from its modern equivalent.

The goal of Vingt en Un was to gain 21 points in your hand, which was known as a “natural.” In fact, there was a particular feature of Vingt en Un, in which an extra payout was awarded to a hand containing a Jack as well as the Ace of Spades which was known as “Blackjack,” which was the forerunner of the modern title of the game.

Interestingly, the modern term of “bust” originated from a card game known as “Seven and a Half” which was played in Italy and used only the face cards and the 7, 8 and 9. The goal of the game was to obtain seven and a half points, with face cards having a value of half a point and all other cards a value of one. The King of Diamonds was wild and able to substitute as any other card. A player busted when they exceeded seven and a half points.

In 1789, following the French Revolution, blackjack crossed the Atlantic to North America. At first the game was unpopular, but it gradually gained popularity thanks to a lack of card game laws prohibiting gambling at that time. Due largely to its potent mixture of player skill and game of chance, blackjack has since grown to become the most popular of all casino games, including that of online casinos being only second to online slots in popularity amongst gamers.