Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games with a long, rich history. Blackjack's precursor was vingt-et-un ("twenty-one"), which first appeared in French casinos around 1700.

Blackjack got its current name due to a bonus payout that was added in an attempt to make the game more popular with players. If a player was dealt an ace of spades and a black Jack (either spades or clubs), the player received a special bonus payout of 10-1.

The bonus payout hand was called a "blackjack" (due to the requirement that the Jack be spades or clubs) and the name stuck to the game, despite the fact that casinos quickly stopped paying out the 10-1 bonus. Today any hand with an A and a 10 value card is called a blackjack, regardless of suit.

Blackjack's popularity is also due to the fact that it's one of the few casino games where skill can actually turn the tables on the house, due to card counting and playing perfect basic strategy. Skilled blackjack card counters can actually play with an advantage over the house, unlike other games such as roulette or slots where the player is always at a disadvantage. If playing as part of a card counting team (such as the MIT card counting team that has been the subject of many books and documentaries), profits can be very large, in the millions of dollars.

While card counting isn't illegal, casinos obviously don't like handing over money to players if they can help it, so nearly all casinos monitor the behavior of blackjack players and ban anyone they suspect is a successful card counter.

Although card counting teams have created many headaches for casinos, it's also served to increase the popularity of the game, drawing new players to the game who believe (rightly or wrongly) they can beat the house consistently.

• Blackjack Rules
• Blackjack Odds
• Blackjack Strategy