Blackjack

Blackjack’s precursor was vingt-et-un (”twenty-one”), which originated in one of the French casinos around 1700, and did not offer the 3:2 bonus for a two-card 21.

When it was first introduced in the United States it was not that popular. Gambling casinos started offering various bonus payouts in order to get new players to the table. One of the bonuses was a 10-to-1 payout if the player’s hand consisted of the ace of spades and a black Jack (either the Jack of clubs or the Jack of spades). This hand was called a “blackjack” and the name stuck to the game even though the bonus payout was soon abolished. As the game is currently played, a “blackjack” may not necessarily contain a jack or any black cards at all.

For more information visit Wikipedia section about blackjack game.