Blackjack is one of the most popular games in every land-based casino. One of the key advantages of Blackjack is a large number of options that allow you to collect a winning combination. This game is both simple and exciting, interesting and incredibly thrilling.
1. The favourite game of Napoleon
Blackjack was the favourite game of the commander. Napoleon Bonaparte was well versed in the rules of the game and often won against his soldiers. Many other famous personalities were also quite into this gambling entertainment. Today, anyone can play Blackjack for money just by visiting a popular online casino.
2. The origin of the game
The origin of the Blackjack game has not yet been fully explained. It is reputed that it was first played in Italy or France in 1700. Today, this card game is perfectly known to all fans of thrilling competitions. According to opinion polls, Blackjack is the favourite game of more than a third of the US population.
3. The ban on Blackjack
In the USA, Blackjack has been an illegal card game for a long time. Since the 19th century, underground Blackjack tournaments have been constantly held in America. But the ban did nothing but increase the popularity of the game. The official ban was lifted only in 1939. It was then that underground games were legalized in Nevada.
4. Blackjack or vingt-et-un
The Blackjack game is known to many as “vingt-et-un”, which means “twenty–one” in French. This gambling game got the name which is popular now back in the 30s of the twentieth century in Nevada. In those years, land-based casinos attempted to attract the highest number of players by offering generous payouts.
It is known that the largest bet at that time was a combination of the jack of clubs/of spades in combination with the ace of spades. This combination allowed players to acquire a payout, the size of which was ten times higher than the original bet. Despite the fact that these generous payments were quickly eliminated, the name “Blackjack” (Black Jack) has remained today.
5. Blackjack and the baseball
Blackjack is the most popular card game. At the same time, many of the terms used during the game had been borrowed from baseball. It is believed that the player sitting on the left side of the dealer is located, by baseball analogy, at the first base, and the one to his right is at the third. Experienced players tend to choose the third base. This arrangement allows them to count the cards, gaining an advantage over the gambling establishment and their opponents.
6. Blackjack Decks
The player’s success is largely determined by the number of decks used. The fewer of them there are, the higher are the chances of winning. Every casino knows about this advantage. Hence, at card tables where less than six decks are used in dealing, the game’s rules become more complex. It is also worth knowing that about 9% of all Blackjack deals end in a draw.
7. Hall of Fame
Considering the huge popularity of Blackjack, it is not surprising that this card game has its own hall of fame, which was founded in 2003. It is located on the territory of the California casino called “Baron”. Each player who was lucky enough to document his name here has the right to live in the casino and visit the restaurant for free. He is not able to play at this casino, however.
8. Blackjack statistics
When the player follows the basic strategy of the game, the probability of them losing with three deals is at 14%. It is believed that more than 85% of unsuccessful draws fall on twelve to seventeen dealings. The probability of receiving them is estimated at 43%.
9. Blackjack is the most profitable card game
Blackjack is the simplest card game. Moreover, it is also the only one where a casino visitor gains an advantage over the establishment. In this match, you can earn money using your knowledge and mathematical calculation. However, this rule applies only in land-based casinos because the cards are thoroughly mixed after each dealing in the online versions. For example, in a virtual gambling club, io-club, the gamers can only increase their chances of success through online casino bonuses.
10. Chances of winning
One of the most talented scientists from the University of Pennsylvania, Smith Bracket, studied the popularity and varieties of gambling. While carrying out the research, he found out that Blackjack loses in popularity only to roulette. The casino’s advantage over the player in Blackjack does not exceed 0.5%. He explained the demand for this gambling game by high chances of succeeding.
11. Blackjack and the books
The most famous book dedicated to this type of card game was Beat the dealer, written by Edward O. Thorp. It was presented in the 1960s. This scientific work described the details of the mathematical calculations of Blackjack in great detail. It is officially believed that the book’s author became the first player who was able to count the cards. Many fans of thrilling games have studied the book very carefully. And just a few years after its release, casinos began to lose to their visitors quite often. For this reason, the casinos began to modify the rules of Blackjack, which led to the appearance of many of its varieties.
12. Ban on counting the cards
Casino representatives have repeatedly tried to pass laws prohibiting players from counting cards. Despite this, no legislative act prohibits players from using this technique to date. All judicial authorities come to the conclusion that counting cards in Blackjack is legal when reviewing such cases.
13. Blackjack and films
A team game of Blackjack is considered one of the best ways to outsmart the casino. For the first time, such a technique was used by Professor AlFrancesco. He managed to win several million dollars at a Nevada casino with his students. A few years later, this story was laid at the basis of the American film “21″. Today, many films have been made about the ways of counting cards in Blackjack. The most popular of them are: “The Last Casino”, “Rain Man”, “How to make millions”.
14. Blackjack online
Many visitors of virtual gambling clubs opt for Blackjack. According to the statistics, more than 1.1 million were made in this game throughout the 2009 online giveaways. In 2010, this figure exceeded 1.5 million dealings. Today, this game is available to everyone who has access to the internet.
15. A life-changing win
One of the most striking stories about blackjack winnings is the story of Frederick Smith, the founder of FedEx. When he was going through financial hardship and severely lacked money for business development, he went to the casino. At the time the game started, he had 5 thousand dollars in his pocket. After several rounds, he left the casino with 27 thousand dollars. This sum of money helped him cover all current fuel costs and take his business to a new level.