Online casino with live Blackjack has risen through the ranks over the years and quickly become the nation’s favourite pastime.
A classic since the 16th century, Blackjack has developed dramatically – mostly online. Having been part of the gambling scene for so long, it’s no surprise that there’s a lot of things that may not be commonly known about the game. Read on to find out about some of the most exciting Blackjack facts.
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Fact #1
When Blackjack first became popular in land-based casinos, bonuses were offered to players whose hand consisted of the ace of spades and a Blackjack. If only that was still the case today!
Fact #2
The chance of getting a “natural” 21 is around 4.8% in a single Blackjack deck. Of course, this may change based on how many decks are being used in a game – sometimes in live Blackjack games at your favourite online casinos, up to eight decks can be used at a time!
Fact #3
A total of 16 is the worst hand that you can be dealt in any game of Blackjack – although it is one of the most frequent hands.
Fact #4
Blackjack has one of the smallest house edges of all of the most popular casino games. The classic form of Blackjack has an extraordinarily high return rate, thanks to that minimal house edge. The RTP (Return to Player) usually equals something like 99.87% – so definitely worth taking your chances with!
Fact #5
We’re sure you’ve heard of the “winning streaks” – and perhaps even felt that you’ve had one of your own – but when it comes to Blackjack, a streak is considered to be a very unlikely feat. Finding yourself in the midst of a good or bad streak is essentially an old wives’ tale, most probably manufactured in order to keep players in the games for longer.
There are three possible outcomes – win, lose or tie/push. On average, you will have roughly a 50% chance of losing, 42% chance of winning, and an 8% likelihood of a push. As you achieve each win, there’s less of a chance that you will win the next – the likelihood of having seven wins in a row is pitched at 0.99%.
Fact #6
In 18th century France, an earlier form of Blackjack was known as “Vignt-et-un” and was even played in the royal courts. Napoleon Bonaparte, the famed military leader and Emperor of France, quickly became a huge fan of the game. Upon his infamous exile on Elba, Napoleon really got to perfect his Blackjack-playing skills, also forming the belief that the game was so captivating that he banned his soldiers from playing so that they wouldn’t be distracted!
Fact #7
Ever heard of the continuous shuffling machine? No? Well, this contraption was created to increase the time and efficiency of shuffling the decks between dealings, constantly shuffling the cards for ease. The cards are not only shuffled after each hand, but they also get mixed in with the other cards inside the machine.
This creation was first introduced back in 2000 by a company called the Shuffle Master – depending on a system that is very similar to a Ferris Wheel, following a pattern that is determined by a pre-set number of cards in each deck.
So, there you have it. Seven of the juiciest Blackjack facts to peak your interest – what version will you choose to play?
Simon has held senior content leadership positions at online casinos and sportsbooks for 20+ years. He leads a team of quality writers who produced trusted and authoritative iGaming content for casinos, sportsbooks, poker and bingo sites. Simon is Managing Director of Magic Word Media.
