Card games have been around for centuries. They’re played at tables for a long time before eventually moving to apps and mobile websites. Some people play for fun. Others play for competition. 

Card games could mean a fast-paced round of blackjack or a chilled-out game of solitaire. It is fair to say that the world of card games is full of surprises and options. When it comes to gambling card games, there are more weird and wonderful facts than most people realize.

Let’s take a look at a few.

So… Why Is Blackjack Called Blackjack?

Blackjack might sound like a made-up name, but there’s actually a reason behind it. It’s definitely catchy. The game of blackjack is based on a French game called Vingt-et-Un, which means twenty-one. The goal has always been the same: reach 21 without going over. A new twist came to the game when it started to make its way around the world.

At one point, players could earn a special payout if they had the ace of spades and a black jack, either the jack of clubs or the jack of spades. That combination was nicknamed “blackjack,” and even though the bonus rule disappeared, the name stuck. When people look for online blackjack games, they may not realize the specific origins of the game. 

The game is called blackjack everywhere. This is true even though the original reason behind the name isn’t part of the game anymore. As the world has moved to play blackjack online, a lot of people don’t realize the origins and the name. Americans have had a huge influence on the game and the way it is known around the world.

The rules of blackjack are well known and widely accepted, and even variations of the game crop up without needing to change from the blackjack branding.

The Deck Has Its Own Secret Code

Most people know there are 52 cards in a standard deck, split into four suits and thirteen ranks. But here’s something strange: the numbers in a deck add up to something interesting. If you take every card’s value, with ace as one, all the way to king as 13, and total them all up, you get exactly 364. Add a joker, and it jumps to 365. That means one for each day of the year.

There has been a lot of discussion about the secret stories of decks of cards and some of the interesting patterns that crop up.

Some say the suits represent the seasons. Some think colors represent or the deck as a whole reflects the calendar. Is it true? Hard to say. But it’s a fun theory that makes card decks feel more than just tools for games.

Poker Has Been Played in Some Unusual Places

Poker is one of the most famous card games of all time. It’s been played in casinos for decades – and even in some more extreme settings. Over the years, poker games have taken place on submarines and on mountaintops. It’s even been played in space.

Velcro cards and chips made it a bit different, but it still followed the same rules. Not many games can say they’ve gone out of this world.

The Oldest Playing Cards Weren’t Originally for Games

Before people were playing poker or blackjack, cards were something different entirely. The earliest known playing cards go back over 1,000 years. They came from China, and some of them were used more like a mix of game pieces and collectibles. It is said that many of them had artwork created on them, and they weren’t always used for gambling.

Card games spread to Persia and eventually Europe. Each culture added its own twist. The idea of a standard deck only came much later, once printing made it easier to make cards in bulk. Today’s decks might seem ordinary, but they’ve taken a long road to get here.

Some Casino Card Games Are Based on Very Old Rules

Lots of people are stunned when they find out how old card games are. 

Baccarat is an example that might seem like a modern card game, but it has roots that go way back. The game’s basic idea means two hands, and betting on which will be closer to nine. It has been around since at least the 1400s. Baccarat may have started in Italy and later became popular in France, before eventually spreading across the world.

It has had a variation called Chemin De Fer that has been popular at times in casino gaming. Baccarat is now the most popular form by far.

The same goes for many other classic games. Their shapes might have changed, but their bones are old. It’s one of the reasons they’ve lasted so long. People like games with simple rules and timeless style.

Card games have come a long way. What started as decorated paper sheets in ancient times has turned into an entire universe of games. There have been some fascinating stories and facts that have cropped up over that time.