For thousands of years, games of chance have been a popular pastime. Whether played by ancient Roman soldiers, or in royal Palaces; a variety of games have stood the test of time, adapting to become the casino classics we know and love today.
Arguably two of the most popular casino games are Blackjack and Roulette. But what makes these so special? And most importantly, which is best?
Join us as the two classic games battle it out…
Blackjack
Originating in France, in the 1700s, Blackjack as we know it today, was then known as Vingt-et-Un – a direct translation of Twenty-One. As the game evolved and became popular in America, a bonus payout for players winning with a hand involving the Ace of Spades and either of the black Jacks, would win what was known as Blackjack. Time moved on and the bonus payouts were phased out, but the name stuck.
The game itself is fairly easy to play. Numbered cards are worth their face value, face cards are worth 10, and Aces can be worth the value of either one or 11, depending on which best suits your hand. The aim is to beat the dealer, and you can win by receiving a hand value that’s equal to 21 when the dealer does not, the dealer’s hand exceeding the value of 21, when yours does not, or by holding a hand higher than the dealers.
Cards are dealt one at a time, the first face-up to you, and then another face-up to the dealer. Then another card is dealt face-up to you, and the second card in the dealer’s hand will be face-down. Then, you’ll have the option to ‘hit’, ‘stand’, ‘double down’, ‘surrender’ or ‘split’, in order to make the most out of your gameplay and hopefully beat the dealer.
What’s more, you can play both Blackjack and Roulette online, so brushing up your gameplay knowledge and getting a taste of both these casino classics has never been easier!
Roulette
Primitive forms of Roulette have been played for hundreds of years, but it wasn’t until 1655 that French mathematician, physicist and inventor Blaise Pascal accidentally created the earliest form of the Roulette wheel we know today, that the game really began to take off. In 1843, French brothers Francois and Louis Blanc removed the double zero pocket, leaving only the single zero pocket and lowering the house edge – creating what would later be known as European Roulette.
As the game spun into popularity, both versions of the game became a hit, with American Roulette being more frequently enjoyed in… you guessed it, America, and European Roulette being preferred by those in Europe. Both wheels are made up of numbers one to 36, with the European wheel having a green single zero pocket, making the house edge 2.70%, and the American wheel having both a green single zero and double zero pocket, making the house edge 5.25%.
Gameplay is simple, as Roulette is a game of chance and there is no way to know what the outcome will be. The aim of the game, however, is to correctly predict the outcome by placing one or more of the many bet types available. You can choose from a selection of outside bets, like betting on the odd or even numbers, or you could choose an inside bet, where you’ll choose more specific numbers like a straight-up number bet.
Which is best?
As both games date back to similar times in history, we can’t base the winner of this battle on which has stood a greater test of time. You can, however, differentiate the two by deciding which style of gameplay you prefer, perhaps while playing at utländska casino med Trustly. If you like to mix chance with a little bit of tactical thinking and a low house edge, then Blackjack is the clear winner. However, if you like to rely solely on chance, and enjoy letting your instincts, fate, or just the pure excitement of the unknown lead your gameplay, then you’ll want to place a bet on the Roulette wheel, and crown that the winner instead.
So, which casino classic wins your battle – Blackjack or Roulette?
