Blackjack - The Popular Casino game of 21

Vingt-et-Un (twenty-one) originated in French casinos around 1700. When Blackjack was first introduced to the United States it was not very popular, so gambling houses tried offering various bonus payouts to increase players. One bonus was the payout of 10-to-1 if the player's hand contained the ace of spades and a black jack (jack of clubs or jack of spades). This hand was called "BlackJack" and the name stuck even though the payout was soon abolished.

Today, Blackjack (AKA Twenty-one or Pontoon) is considered one of the most popular casino games in the world.