Gamblers for generations have enjoyed casino table games. Many of these played in Las Vegas casinos are the same that players enjoyed as the strip opened its first properties in the 1940s. The same is true for online casinos. After creating an account, you will be invited to enjoy timeless casino classics like blackjack, roulette, and baccarat, each of which has been enjoyed by several generations of gamblers.
But why is this the case? Are casino gamers creatures of habit? And how old are these traditional and much-loved casino games still prevalent on gambling sites and in brick-and-mortar casinos today? Let’s take a look now.
Blackjack has its roots in 16th century Spain
The earliest known reference to blackjack, previously known as 21, was made in a book written by the legendary Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes. Written early in the 1600s, a short story within his Novelas Ejemplares tells a tale of two card cheats who rig games of 21 to their advantage. The inclusion of this story indicates that Spanish gamblers probably enjoyed blackjack for years prior to Cervantes’ tale. Playing blackjack is still one of the most popular table games today.
A French physicist pioneered roulette
In seventeenth-century Europe, French physicist Blaise Pascal pioneered a perpetual motion machine that would continually spin using only its own energy. This invention lay the foundations for the creation of the roulette wheel, which appeared regularly in French casinos in the late eighteenth century before spreading to other parts of Europe and the US. The form of roulette enjoyed in today’s casinos is almost a carbon copy of the version that gained popularity amongst the upper echelons of French society in the eighteenth century.
Sure, some variations have cropped up – for example, you now get American Roulette, French Roulette and European Roulette – but the basic foundations of all the games and how you play them are the same.
Baccarat was first played in Medieval Italy
Going back even further in history, baccarat, a favourite of the modern-day James Bond, is thought to have originated in Medieval Italy in the 1400s by a man called Felix Falguiere. The name comes from the Italian word for zero (baccara) because all of the face cards and tens present in the game were worth zero.
From its Italian roots, baccarat was then adopted by the French. It was a favourite game of King Charles VIII before travelling across the channel and becoming popular in the UK. British writer Ian Fleming portrayed his most famous character, James Bond, as an expert baccarat player and an undercover British spy upon its arrival in the UK. The rest, as they say, is gaming and cinematic history!
Why are these ancient games still popular today?
It’s interesting to consider why the likes of blackjack, roulette, and baccarat are still so popular today, given that they’re centuries old. Even as technology has advanced to incredible heights, the format of the games has changed very little over the centuries.
But that’s not to say casinos themselves haven’t undergone significant transformations in recent years. For instance, you can’t walk into a brick-and-mortar casino and enjoy a few spins on Charles Fey’s 1894 Liberty Bell slot machine. Instead, you’re faced with a plethora of slots powered by many different slots developers, providing incredible variety to players, exciting themes, and a range of bonuses and special offers. New types of slots, like those with the Megaways mechanic, provide players with around 17,000 ways to win on any spin.
So, even as slots have changed beyond recognition, your favourite table games have stayed the same and retained their charm. Perhaps the best way to explain this phenomenon is the fact that players don’t feel the need to change their table game experiences. Part of the allure of going to a brick-and-mortar casino or indeed joining an online gaming site is having the opportunity to try your luck at these classic and timeless games. Like many popular sports such as football, rugby, and cricket, transformative innovation is unnecessary, as people thoroughly enjoy the original game’s premise, rules, and design.
Blackjack, roulette, and baccarat still remain three of the top five most popular casino games enjoyed anywhere in the world, both online and in casinos. If casino gamers want variety, they can turn to the ever-evolving slots and new technological innovations that enable participation in live dealer games from anywhere in the world via online casinos. As creatures of habit, casino gamers remain thrilled with their centuries-old table games and wouldn’t want anything different as they sign into their online accounts or head out for a night at the casino.
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Source: Igaming
