Here’s why blackjack has been so popular for centuries

Table of Contents:
Blackjack is a great game with a long history
Blackjack is good for your brain
A very high game tempo
Online and offline accessibility
Blackjack has the lowest casino advantage
Simple rules
A great variety
Bonuses
Conclusion

Blackjack is a great game with a long history

It's hard to pinpoint when and where this game was invented, but the most widely accepted version is that blackjack originated in France at the end of the 19th century. An 1875 American reference book lists the game under the name Vingt-et-Un, which is "twenty-one" written in French. Most likely, the first blackjack games were played using a French card deck.

Interestingly enough, blackjack is not the most popular game these days, as it peaked in the mid-1980s when 2/3 of all gamblers visited casinos just to play it.

Blackjack is good for your brain

People who play blackjack regularly have a sharper mind than those who don't. This game is an excellent combination of skill and luck. To be good at it, you have to spend a lot of time practising and constantly think about the right action.

And when you start thinking about the best possible moves and ways to win, your brain is constantly working: you are permanently using your memory, analytics, card-counting skills, etc. As a result, scientists claim that playing blackjack will significantly reduce your chances of developing Alzheimer's disease.

A very high game tempo

Blackjack has the fastest pace among all popular casino games except slots. You don't have to wait until the roulette wheel stops spinning or for other players to decide whether they should fold or call.

A single hand can be played in about a minute, and this is a significant advantage for people who like to play fast. The only downside is that if you have a bad day, your blackjack game may end much sooner than you think it should.

Online and offline accessibility

Even the crappiest casino will always offer you these three games: Roulette, Slot Machines, and Blackjack. As for online casinos, there will always be a variety of blackjack machines or live blackjack tables. You'll always be able to play blackjack even at the most popular casinos during rush hour, as the casino owners have taken care of that.

Another good thing about playing blackjack online is that since a lot of blackjack games are available without any dealer, as machines, you'll be able to set a very low minimum bet. Thus, players who prefer to play with small sums of money should consider playing this famous game. Besides, players willing to spend lots of money can find a high stakes table with an attractive dealer, and in the end, all players will be satisfied.

Blackjack has the lowest casino advantage

Of the casino games, blackjack is the game of chance with the lowest house edge. This means that your winning odds are the highest possible, regardless of your skill level. Even players who play this game for the first time often leave the table in the black.

But if you're a skilled player with a blackjack strategy, or even if you use card counting, you have almost a 100% probability of being in the black. Just don't demonstrate that you know how to count cards and don't use any third-party specialised systems or programmes, as no casino approves of that.

Simple rules

A lot of people come to play the game of blackjack because the rules are simple and easy to understand, even for a child. If you get good cards, you won't even need to think, as you'll win automatically. That's why blackjack is such a popular game among new players.

Though it's a great game to learn its rules as it goes, it's more than hard to become a real pro at it. Considering how many varieties of blackjack one can find these days and how many blackjack strategies there are, it might take years to master this game.

A great variety

Even if you only play blackjack, you'll probably not get bored with it. Blackjack has many variations, even though the basic rules are pretty much the same. Such regional game variations have specific additions to the standard rules, for example:

• Open Blackjack, where the croupier deals all the cards face up
• The British version of blackjack that is called “Pontoon”
• Chinese blackjack with two decks and interesting winning combinations
• Spanish blackjack with no cards of 10
• Bonus Blackjack with bonus side bets
• Blackjack Switch, where a player can exchange two cards after the first deal

Bonuses

In the past, online casino bonuses were mainly offered to slot players. But nowadays, blackjack players get their portion of bonuses as well. Note that if you get a blackjack bonus, you can wager it only at blackjack.

If you play at the same casino regularly, you'll always be able to earn cash bonuses, gifts, cashback and so on. Additionally, in some land-based gambling houses, you may also receive enjoyable gifts from the house, if you are a real patron.

In addition, some online casinos offer blackjack tournaments. Winning such a tournament can bring you generous winnings, so don't neglect such events once you get good at BJ.

Conclusion

As you can see, blackjack is a very popular game around the world, so if you haven't tried it yet, you should definitely give it a shot. It can be played with any stakes and in many variations. Therefore, you will always find a place to play blackjack, and you can quickly learn all its rules and strategies.

Blackjack is also an excellent game for socialising and meeting new people. While players turn over their cards and check the card face to see how many points they've got, they may exchange a few words and banter.