The History of Online Blackjack
Most players who enjoy blackjack would struggle to tell you how old the game is, but this kind of info can make an already good game that much better. It is interesting to know how the game has changed over the years, and what the effects of recent technology have been. This article outlines the highlights.
How the Game of Blackjack Began
It may surprise you to learn that card games have been around for almost as long as human beings have, and are thought to have originated with the Ancient Chinese. When one takes this into consideration, the birth of blackjack seems much more recent, even though it has been around for 100s of years.
The French are credited with its invention, in around the 16th or 17th centuries, and it was originally named Vingt en Un, which means 21 in French. The rules of that game are much different to the ones in place today, however, with the best example of this being the fact that only the Dealer could Double-Down.
The Italians Add Their Flair
The French were not the only ones to ensure blackjack remained popular over the years, with the Italians also making a contribution. Their version was known as 7 ½, not 21, and considerably affected the online blackjack NZ game as we know it today.
The French Revolution Takes Blackjack to the USA
During the period of the French Revolution, the conditions which prevailed saw many people choosing to immigrate to the New World, as the USA was known then, and these travellers brought their favourite casino game with them. The timing was ideal, as the States had no anti-gambling laws in place at that time.
Thanks to this fact, blackjack quickly caught on, and became very popular countrywide. Not even the advent of anti-gambling laws later on could stem this tide, and it was in the States that the game of 21 was christened blackjack.
The Hand that Gave the Game its Name
The casinos offering blackjack in the United States of America were trying to motivate more people to play it, and so they offered players the chance to be on a black Jack and the Ace of Spades. This led to the name we now know it by, and although this wager eventually fell away, the name didn’t, and this is how we refer to it so many years later.
Online Blackjack Makes its Appearance
Online gambling is a very recent phenomenon, and when it started becoming more popular in the late 1990’s, online casino operators very quickly realised that blackjack would need to become part of their gaming catalogue in order to please players.
The ease and convenience which typifies online gambling has made it into the multi-billion dollar industry it is today – you do not need to stir from your home in order to play it, and can even enjoy games by means of your smartphone or tablet if you want to.
