Blackjack is one of the most popular gambling games in the world. Whether you’re hitting the Vegas strip or you choose to play casino games at Royal Vegas, you’ll want to try the game out. While you can gain a lot of experience and have a lot of fun playing online at Royal Vegas, it won’t help you learn the history of the game. Blackjack is an older game than many might think, but it’s also a game that’s perfectly adapted for the modern era. In many ways, the history of Blackjack is a perfect encapsulation of the history of games – ancient in origin, but always evolving.

 

We don’t really know when blackjack was first played, nor from where it originated. We know, for example, that it eventually evolved out of a game that was referred to as ventiuna, or twenty-one. Twenty-one was much like the modern game, save for the fact that it was played with a Spanish deck that left out the eight and nine cards. Many elements of the game remain unchanged from that era, including the goal of hitting or coming in under twenty-one and the dual role of the ace as a one or as an eleven.

 

We do know for certain that ventiuna was played in Spanish speaking countries, both due to the etymology of the name and the fact that it was featured heavily in a story by Miguel de Cervantes. The dating of that story, published sometime in 1601 or 1602, tells us that the game probably originated no later than the end of the 16th century. Further sources let us know that the game would spread at least as far as France, with some likely variations in play due to regional variances. Even before making it to the United States, blackjack was a truly international game.

 

Twenty-one didn’t gain its new name until it hit the shores of the United States. To draw players to the table, dealers would offer bonuses for specific hands. The best offer was for a hand that consisted of an ace of spades and either a jack of spades or clubs. This hand, called the black jack, would become the popular shorthand for the game and would eventually become synonymous with the game itself even after the bonuses were discontinued. The term blackjack continues to refer to any ace/ten pairing in the hand, as well as the name of the game.

 

Blackjack has come quite a long way since it was introduced as a rather niche Spanish gambling game. It’s changed names, crossed oceans and even changed rules as it has grown in popularity. Today’s blackjack is a game of numbers, skill, and luck, and one of the most popular in any casino. Whether you want to gamble in the real world or take it online, there will always be a game waiting for you. While we can’t tell you how blackjack will change in the future, this much is certain – blackjack will continue to be a favorite of gamblers for years to come.