Last updated on March 11th, 2025 at 01:22 pm
Ah, blackjack. THE card game enjoyed by intellectuals, math wizards, and punters who fancy their chances at actually beating the house at its own game. Celebrated for its simplicity, strategic depth, and rich history, blackjack remains the undisputed #1 card game in physical and online casinos.
This guide gives you the complete rundown on the evolution and history of blackjack—from its hotly debated origins to how the modern game has evolved to this very day.
Blackjack overview
Blackjack’s appeal endures worldwide. Why? Because it’s one of the casino games you could actually beat. More specifically, blackjack allows you to beat the dealer with skilled play. As always, practice makes perfect—and here at Mega Dice, you can practice for free.
Despite its popularity, not a lot of punters are aware of the rich nature of blackjack history. It stretches as far back as the 1700s, with the game evolving to the current meta of online gambling as we know it. And it’s worth knowing. Its predecessor, chemin de fer, was once played in the courts of none other than King Louis XV.
Understanding the history of blackjack enhances your appreciation of how the game and its strategies have evolved through eras. Blackjack history adds a flourish of context and nuance to your play, which could help you make better-informed game decisions.
Blackjack Early Origins and Theories
Blackjack’s origins are shrouded in dispute. Some historians believe the game originated in France, while others postulate it goes as far back as the ancient Roman era. Another school of thought believes it evolved from a similar game played in Spanish and Italian casinos.
French Roots: Vingt-et-Un (Twenty-One)
One of the most hotly-contested debates in the gambling world is centered around the origins of blackjack. Consensus agrees it originates from a game called Vingt-et-Un (en: “Twenty-one”) played in French casinos at the turn of the 18th century. Scholars posit that it first evolved as a derivative of French card games Chemin de Fer and ferme, the card games in fashion at the time.
Vingt-et-un grew in popularity until it hit the halls of the hallowed French royal courts during King Louis XV’s reign, spawning variants across Europe, particularly in Spain and Italy.
Roman Influence Hypothesis
Another school of thought postulates that blackjack was invented by the ancient Romans. It is believed that Romans played a similar game using wooden blocks with different numbers painted on them. While the theory holds weight as ancient Romans enjoyed gambling, it has never been properly confirmed.
Spanish and Italian Variants
Not to be outdone, Spain may lay claim to the originator of blackjack. Based on a short story called Rinconete y Cortadillo by Miguel de Cervantes (of Don Quixote fame), dated to have been written at the turn of the 17th century, the progenitor of baccarat was a game called Veintiuna (medieval Spanish for “twenty-one”). It was played in the Castile region, and its objective was to reach 21 points without going over. In Veintiuna, ace cards were valued at one or 11, lending credence to the theory it was the spiritual predecessor of today’s game.
However, the origins of the Spanish game and how far back it goes are hitherto unknown. A Spanish game called trente-un, also known as one-and-thirty, was the subject of the Catholic Church’s scorn during the medieval ages. The game was popular, as evidenced by its numerous appearances in medieval Church sermons denouncing the game as evil, exhorting the masses to donate to a better cause instead of gambling their hard-earned money away. Unfortunately, the rules of play weren’t mentioned. Trente-un is regarded as the forerunner of Vingt-et-un and quinze.
Around the 17th century, an Italian card game called sette e mezzo, or “seven-and-a-half,” emerged. The game was similar to the French Quinze (“fifteen”) game, which was itself of Spanish origin. Quinze is regarded as the forerunner of the Vingt-et-un, which was essentially a two-player simplified version of Blackjack banked by the player dealing the cards instead of the house.
Blackjack in the New World
Irrespective of the game’s European origins, we know where it went next: the Americas.
Introduction to America
The introduction of what became blackjack into the New World was inevitable with the Age of Discovery. It was only a matter of time before French colonists brought the hottest card game with them to the first colonies in North America. By the turn of the 19th century, twenty-one was already a mainstay in the smoky gambling halls of New Orleans that were the forerunners of casinos as we know them today.
Eleanor Dumont and Vingt-et-Un in New Orleans
Blackjack entered the American national consciousness thanks to the efforts of a French immigrant named Eleanor Dumont. Believed to have immigrated to Nevada City, California in 1854. Dumont opened a gambling parlor aptly called “Vingt-et-un.” An extremely skilled dealer, Dumont was known as ‘Madame Moustache’ due to her five-o’clock shadow and her touch of flair when she dealt. Upon Dumont’s passing in 1879, casinos grew in popularity into the 20th century, increasing twenty-one’s popularity. It was during this time that the rules evolved into the game we recognize as blackjack today.
The Birth of Modern Blackjack
Twenty-one or Vingt-un became a mainstay in American gambling parlors, particularly in New Orleans, where Dumont had first popularized what became the forerunner of the modern game.
Transition from Vingt-et-Un to Blackjack
Exactly when the term “blackjack” dislodged twenty-one as the name of the game is still up in the air. But one thing’s for sure—it had to come from North America somewhere in between the 1800s and early 1900s. Apocryphal accounts claim “blackjack” came from casinos offering a bonus payout to whoever won a round of twenty-one with an ace of spades and a “black” jack. Another school of thought claims the term came from the Canadian gold rush. Since one of the valuable resources prospectors were mining was blackjack (a zinc ore), it was said that miners called the most valuable hand a “blackjack.” The name stuck and eventually overtook twenty-one.
Standardization of Rules
Twenty-one was finally rebranded as blackjack after casinos offered bonus payouts to draw players. By the 20th century, the Nevada Gaming Commission standardized blackjack rules, leading to the development of the modern game.
The Rise of Card Counting
One of the most important figures in blackjack history was Edward O. Thorp, a mathematician who flipped the script on how the game was played with the release of his seminal 1962 work Beat the Dealer.
Edward Thorp’s Influence
Thorp arrived at a startling conclusion—one that laid down the groundwork for card counting. By crunching the numbers, according to Thorp, players could tilt the odds in their favor. Thorp revealed the mathematics behind card counting in 1962 with Beat the Dealer. This drove countless players to try their luck at beating the casinos at their own game. Thorp’s influence evolved the game, with casinos each amending their blackjack rules to counteract this new meta.
Casino Countermeasures
The first response casinos made was to beef up their surveillance systems. Close-circuit cameras monitored blackjack tables for highly skilled players. They also trained staff to spot card counters. As the game evolved over time, they came up with more countermeasures as follows:
- Rule changes. One of the most successful countermeasures to counteract the card-counting menace was rule changes. Changes such as reducing natural blackjack payouts, capping the ability to double down, limiting the use of splitting, and removing the option of early surrender increased the house edge and were part of efforts to trim the card counter’s advantage.
- Introduction of multiple deck games. The transition from single-deck blackjack to multiple-deck heavily blunted the impact of card counting. The use of more cards made it significantly harder for card counters to keep an accurate count.
- Banning card counters. Casinos have banned, and still do ban, known card counters from their premises and blacklist them due to highly-skilled play.
- Shuffling machines. Automatic shuffling machines were a major deterrent for card counters. Since they constantly shuffle the decks, it is virtually impossible for card counters to keep count.
Blackjack in the Digital Age
Blackjack has maintained its status as the most popular card game well into the 21st century. It remains the most widely-played table game at physical casinos and their online counterparts like ours at Mega Dice. Here at Mega Dice, you’ll get to play various blackjack variants anytime, anyplace, and anywhere—with the option of playing in demo mode before wagering real money.
Online Casinos and Virtual Blackjack
Blackjack’s heyday is far from over—in fact, its popularity remains at an all-time high. The advent of online gambling virtually guarantees its popularity will only increase in the future. Online casinos are the new frontier of gambling. And unsurprisingly, blackjack continues to dominate the card game meta. From first-person virtual blackjack games using random number generators to ensure fair play to live dealer casino blackjack recreating the authentic feel of casino play, the internet has changed the way blackjack is played entirely.
Software developers like Evolution Gaming have created various blackjack variants, each with interesting rules, side bets, and gameplay tweaks to add some pizzazz to the traditional base game.
Mobile and Live Dealer Games
The rapid evolution of gambling technology and the internet have given birth to the next frontier of iGaming: mobile gaming. The world is increasingly accessing online gambling platforms through mobile devices. Now, the game has moved from the confines of the physical casino to desktop devices and on to mobile devices. At Mega Dice, you’ll get to play different blackjack variants from top iGaming software providers using your mobile device, including live dealer games—irrespective of your operating system.
The latest trend centers around live dealer casino blackjack—a hybrid version of online blackjack that recreates the classic experience of playing the game at a brick-and-mortar casino with the convenience of online gambling. The game is supervised by professional dealers, with every detail of the action captured on various high-definition camera angles and the ability to interact with the dealer and other players in real time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the origin of the name “Blackjack”?
Although its origins remain disputed, it is believed that the term “blackjack” could have originated from a special bet on 21 that gave out a 10:1 payout for players who landed an ace of spades and a jack of spades or clubs (“black jacks”). While the special bet was ultimately discontinued, the name stuck.
Did Romans really invent an early form of Blackjack?
The rumors were that the Romans might have played a similar game using wooden blocks with different numerical values. Romans used to play this game with wooden blocks of different numerical values. While the ancient Romans were gamblers, there is no hard evidence suggesting they created a game comparable to modern blackjack or any of its forerunners.
How did Blackjack rules evolve over time?
Blackjack rules have come a long way from their European origins all the way to the game’s import to America in the 1800s. The Nevada Gambling Commission laid down the groundwork for the modern game after standardizing blackjack rules back in the mid-20th century.
Who was Eleanor Dumont, and why is she significant to Blackjack history?
Eleanor Dumont is one of the most important figures in the history of blackjack. Also going by the moniker “Madame Moustache,” Dumont was a French immigrant who was credited for bringing Vingt-et-un across the Atlantic to New Orleans and then to Nevada City after the gold rush era—ultimately giving birth to blackjack as we know it today.