Fun Facts About Playing Cards
Whether you play blackjack or poker, playing cards are a huge part of the game. Playing cards isn’t just a part of many casino games, but they have some depth. While you may not take time to think about the cards themselves, you can learn a few things about cards. We share some fun facts about playing right here.
1. The Reason for a 52 Card Deck
The 52 card deck became the most popular variation of card decks and became a staple in many games. Over the centuries, there have been 48, 40, 36, and 24 card decks. There have been theories about how British and French colonialism played a part in the 52 card deck spreading worldwide.
2. Origin of Playing Cards
Most scholars say that playing cards originated from Chine in the 9th century. The printed cards also originated from China. These were in the form of 32 card domino decks printed on paper, wood or bone. From there, the cards spread across Egypt, Persia, India and Europe, allowing for different variations
3. Symbolism in Playing Cards
Who knows that there could be some symbolism in playing cards. There is an interesting theory that 52 cards in a deck correspond with the number of weeks in a year. But this could be a complete coincidence. The red and black colours on the card symbolize day and night, with the four suits representing the different seasons.
Even more interesting is that the 12 court cards represent the month in the year, and each suit has 13 cards that match the number of lunar cycles. Freaky right?
4. The character on the Cards
From the 16th century onwards, traditional decks had a few familiar faces printed on them. This is because they are inspired by popular figures from history. If you look a little closer, you may spot that the Queen of Spades resembles the Greek goddess Pallas Athena. The great knight Lancelot du Lac as the Jack of Clubs. The great Julius Caesar is the King of Clubs, and the King of Club is inspired by Alexander the Great.
5. The Addition of the Joker
The joker card was not always a part of the playing cards. In fact, the Joker was introduced by the Americans. In the 1800s, Euchre was the most popular card game, and once players began to enjoy the game, they made a few additions to the cards. The Joker was born and soon became a part of the deck of cards.
6. Regular Change of Decks in Vegas
In Vegas, cards are replaced on a regular basis depending on criteria such as how busy a particular casino table is and whether shuffling is done by hand or by machine. Before being discarded or sold, decks can endure up to 12 hours.
Any distinctive characteristics, like bends and scuffs, are removed from the decks, giving the game away to those searching for an advantage. With most Las Vegas casinos offering hundreds of card games, you can imagine how many decks they go through in a single day.
7. Cards are Based on a Class System
You’ll observe that there are four suits in a modern deck of cards. Hearts, Diamonds, Spades, and Clubs are the four suits. The suites are organized according to the European classification system. The clergy are represented by the hearts, merchants by the diamonds, nobility by the spades, and peasants by the clubs.
8. Casino Cards are Different
Any flaws in a pack of cards can reveal a lot to the keen-eyed player. This means that several safeguards protect casino cards. You’ll notice that the symbols and letters are much larger than usual to ensure that security cameras capture any suspicious activity.
Additionally, some casinos use 100 per cent plastic cards. They handle cards for games like poker before they get weary, dog-eared, and grimy. The cards are also changed frequently in this manner. The plastic cards also make it difficult for participants to cheat or mark the cards.
9. 100,000,000 Decks of Cards are Manufactured a year
United States Playing Card Company (USPCC ) is one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of playing cards. It produces several well-known playing card brands, including Bicycle, Tally-Ho, Bee, Congress, Aviator, Aristocrat, Hoyle, and KEM. The USPCC produces around 100,000,000 decks of cards per year on average! Every year corresponds to nearly two decks of cards for every American child!
10. Hidden 8 in Playing Cards
Did you realize that your deck of cards contains a hidden number eight that you have most likely never noticed? You might be able to notice it if you look attentively at the 8 of Diamonds. Allow your eyes to blur slightly as you stare at the centre of the card.
The number eight is formed within the white space of the card. All of the diamonds’ points and edges come together precisely to form this mysterious number that only a few people are aware of.
Final Thoughts on Playing Cards
Sure, knowing all of these statistics won’t affect any of your casino game strategies, but there are some fascinating things. Relax and unwind while playing some of your favourite card games.
If you’re going to celebrate National Card Day with your buddies at your favourite Aussie casino online on December 28. We’ve reviewed and rated some of the best online casinos, many of which provide generous welcome bonuses.
