Have you ever stopped to consider how online blackjack, or just blackjack in general, got to be so popular?
The game of blackjack goes as far back as the 1700’s when it was called Vingt et Un in France. This is why it should come as no surprise that Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte played blackjack; in fact, it is has been reported that it was his favorite card game and the one he played most often. So think of it this way when you are playing out your hands of blackjack online: you and your blackjack mind are in the company of Napoleon.
So you picked up that blackjack was not always called blackjack. Vingt et Un is French for 21. This is why the game is commonly called 21, which makes sense considering that the point of the game is to beat the dealer without going over 21; 21 is the star hand in the game—it is the hand players cannot go beyond and it is the hand that awards the highest payout.
So if the name of the game is supposed to be 21, where did the name blackjack come from? The game was so popular in the 1920’s American casino scene that it was nicknamed blackjack as slang for 21. This is derived from having a hand made up of the Ace of Spades and the Jack of Spades; it was the most popular hand, and even today there are some blackjack variations that payout even more if the blackjack is made up of the Ace and Jack of Spades.
When playing blackjack, be it blackjack online or in a casino, you now have a sense of history. This is not just a casino game with really good odds and house edge; it is a casino game with a strong history and popularity.
