Blackjack has been frequently played for centuries, with the love for the game seemingly increasing as the years tick by. With players seeking games such as Sky Vegas live Blackjack and themed games online and in-person, the game has seen many variations over the years, yet the premise of the game has almost always almost stayed the same.
Blackjack Through the Years
And, with such popularity, there are also players who are left wondering where the game began and the details of its journey through the years.
For example, the rise in popularity, which has resulted in Blackjack becoming a game that’s played around the world both in land-based venues and online sites.
Read on to find out more.
18th Century
There are rumours that the original version of Blackjack began much earlier than the 18th century, within Roman times to be exact, but there is no clear evidence of this. Therefore, we will start our Blackjack journey at the start of the 18th century.
Originating in French casinos in 1700, the game was then known then as Vingt-et-Un, translating to twenty-one. It is said that Blackjack/Vingt-et-Un derives from the French card games Chemin de Fer and French Ferme, which at this time were all the rage.
Another card game that is said to of helped birth Blackjack, was a Spanish game called One and Thirty. Within this game, the aim was to, you guessed it, reach 31, with a minimum of three cards.
As the popularity of Vingt-et-Un grew, the game eventually hit the American shores via French colonists.
19th Century
‘21’ or Vingt-et-Un soon began to pick up the pace and spread across the States in the 19th Century. It wasn’t until 1931 in the state of Nevada that the game really took off when a new law to make gambling legal within the state was passed.
The game grew further in popularity with more players joining the Blackjack table and the word of the hit card game spread across the globe.
20th Century
As we entered the 20th century, the game was still known as ‘21’. However, the name of Blackjack was soon seen to replace ‘21’, and has stuck ever since.
And this wasn’t the only big change the gaming world saw within this century. With the advancements in technology ever-growing, in 1983, the world witnessed the birth of the internet. The start of the internet has opened many doors, both in technology and gaming.
And in 1994, the first online casino doors opened to the world, giving players around the world a chance to come together and enjoy games from a computer screen, rather than in person in a brick-and-mortar establishment.
21st Century
With the internet advancing even further, and more gaming opportunities arising for eager players, Blackjack’s popularity began to reach an all-time high as we entered the 21st century. At first, the standard version of Blackjack was the only version of gameplay available to online players.
However, this wasn’t the case for long, as with the ever-advancing technology, new formats and ways to play online casino games developed and it is fair to say that Blackjack benefitted greatly from this. In today’s online casino lobby, you can find many variations of Blackjack games, waiting for players to hit play!
Now that you know a little more about the journey Blackjack has taken to reach your device screens, next time you dare to take on the dealer, keep in mind how much has come before the more modern version of the game.