Brief History of the Most Popular Online Betting Games

Classic betting games have an air of opulence about them, but where did games like betting card games, blackjack, and roulette come from? We’re going back in time to discover the roots of some of the most well-known betting card games in the world. There’s evidence that humans have been betting since before recorded history, with everyone from the Mayans to the Ancient Chinese playing dice and card games that would be familiar to the current gamer. Whether you’re a seasoned pro player or have never touched a slot machine before, you’ll be familiar with all of the classic games on our list, and the history behind each one is fascinating.

• Roulette, which means “small wheel” in French, became popular in European and subsequently American betting clubs in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Fun fact: the numbers on a regular European roulette wheel sum up to 666, the so-called “devil’s number,” which is a significant phenomena for superstitious players. The roulette wheel, arguably the most iconic game in casino history, has one of the most intriguing origin stories of any game on this list: according to legend, an inventor named Blaise Pascal attempted to build a perpetual motion machine – a wheel that, once set spinning, would never lose its momentum.

• The earliest known playing card game is thought to be from the 9th century in China, but this game in its modern form did not arise until the 19th century, when it was first recorded in the United States. Despite the fact that the game’s name is derived from the French word “poque,” which loosely translates as “bluff,” the game’s origins are thought to be in France. This game was not the first betting card game, but it is the only one that has captured the imagination of players and culture in general.

• Blackjack, also known as 21 or Pontoon, is a popular game in both online and offline betting clubs around the world, but where did it come from? The first reference of a card game similar to Blackjack may be found in Miguel de Cervantes’ betting book, where he recounts a game called ‘Vingt-et-un’ (Twenty-one), in which face cards were valued 10 and Aces were worth either 11 or 1.

• Slot Machines, The first slot machine is nothing like the sophisticated online video slots that gamers have come to expect. Despite the fact that no single inventor is credited with its invention, it is widely assumed that the first slot machine was invented in 1895, right before the turn of the century. In 1895, the United States saw the introduction of a mechanically powered cabinet with five spinning drums that revealed playing cards at random. This coin-operated contraption, formerly known as The Liberty Wheel, would provide prizes based on the value of the hand displayed.

With the introduction of the Internet, came the introduction of online betting. As a result, land based online betting clubs have been shuttered in a number of locations. The modern world has determined that life through the Internet is more convenient, and there are now hundreds of thousands of online sites available to play at like jili. Some well-known brands have both a High Street and an Internet presence, and betting establishments are increasingly creating online betting facilities and vice versa.