Blackjack is a casino card game played between player and dealer. To win the game, players must create a hand total higher than 21 without going over 21. Each player receives two cards from the dealer who then distributes two more to themselves based on predetermined rules; during gameplay players may opt to take out “insurance”, an optional side bet which pays out at odds of 2-1 against dealer having blackjack; this bet increases house edge by about 0.5% however.

The game of blackjack has undergone significant evolution over time. Its roots can be traced back to 17th and 18th century Europe where an amalgamation of various card games gave birth to what we know as modern blackjack today. Over the course of 20th century casinos began offering blackjack as one of their top table games but since then this popular casino classic has undergone numerous significant alterations over time.

Mathematicians in the 1950s created an optimal strategy for blackjack known as card counting that allowed intelligent and disciplined players to defeat the house. This revolutionary development transformed the game; for the first time a group of mathematicians were able to calculate probabilities of every possible blackjack situation and devised an approximations technique which reduced computational burden while still upholding optimality of strategy.

For years, blackjack remained the go-to casino table game, even receiving a boost following 2008 film 21’s depiction of real-life exploits of an MIT counting team who brought blackjack back into public view. But as time marches on and competition from other casino table games such as baccarat and sports betting has begun to make itself felt, some casinos have begun cutting away at its player-friendly edge in an effort to make blackjack more profitable.

Some casinos have recently reduced the payout ratio for blackjack from three-to-two to six-to-five, increasing house edges by approximately two percent and rendering card counting effectively ineffective. This move has dealt another blow to its popularity while leaving many players upset; nevertheless, blackjack remains the world’s most beloved table game.

As a blackjack dealer, it is necessary to be someone who enjoys working in a fast-paced environment and can work in shifts lasting up to eight hours. Dealers are exposed to second hand smoke and fumes while standing for extended periods while dealing multiple hands simultaneously. To prepare yourself for this position, enrolling in casino gaming programs at vocational schools or private training facilities typically last six weeks before moving online for professional dealer courses taught by experienced professional dealers can also be helpful.