What Is the Oldest Form of Gambling?

People love to gamble since ancient times. They roll dice, play cards, or even bet on sports and similar activities. Some of the casino games that we know today were also well known in history. People love card games, or gambling in general because it brings great excitement and is an interesting way of socializing. However, what they don’t realize is that gambling comes with certain risks.

That is why gamblers are required to be fully committed to bankrolling management and smart planning of activities. It’s really easy to embark on an adventure that you don’t realize could put you in danger. Our ancestors also knew that, and they tried to introduce rules in gambling that have lasted for centuries.

People today have an option to click here and register for online gambling, accessing many old and new games for sure. Things weren’t that easy in the past, because all the gamblers should gather and play in the casino or against each other. However, our focus today is precisely on those old gambling practices and games that originated a long time ago and are still popular today.

So, let’s see what are the most popular old gambling games:

1. Dice

Source: unsplash.com

Dice are the oldest form of gambling that is still played today. You can rarely find it in casinos, but it’s still popular among gamers. Dice were invented in China around 2200 BC. Dice are played using a set of six small cubes (dices) arranged in a triangle shape. Each cube is numbered 1-6. Players roll the dice and try to get numbers matching their numbers. If they do not match, then players keep rolling until they get a match.

2. Lottery

Source: unsplash.com

Lotteries have been around since ancient times, and they were first introduced in Mesopotamia. In these early days, lotteries were used to determine who would marry whom, who would inherit the land, and who would become king. Today, lotteries are still used to choose winners of some awards.

But the lottery in today’s sense is choosing a few favorite numbers from a system of 36 numbers, that is, a potentially winning combination is paid. Balls with written numbers are shuffled in the lotto machine, and then the drum selects six or seven numbers, depending on the type of game. If you hit all the numbers, you win the main lotto prize, which is usually money. Sometimes the prize can be an apartment, a car, or other tangible goods that can be sold or exchanged for money.

3. Roulette

Source: pexels.com

Roulette is a casino card game that was originally played in France. It’s a game of chance with a wheel that spins around, and a ball that falls into one of the numbered pockets on the wheel. Each pocket contains either red or black fields. Based on the color of the pocket, players make their wagers.

A roulette wheel usually has 37 pockets – 18 black, 18 red, and one 0 pockets. The American roulette has two zero fields on the wheel, which messes with the usual odds.

The player spins the wheel and waits for the ball to stop at one of the pockets. Once the ball stops, the player wins if his/her bet was correct. If not, they lose the bet and may proceed to make a new one.

4. Baccarat

Source: pexels.com

Baccarat is a casino card game that also originated in France. Two players bet on either side of a table, and a banker (or dealer) deals the cards face down to both players. After the dealer shuffles the deck, he turns over the top card and compares it to the number of cards dealt to each player. Whoever has the highest card takes the wager.

The banker (dealer) and players start out with 0 points. The banker’s hand consists of cards ranging from 10 to ace. The player’s hand consists of cards between 9 and ace. After both hands are dealt, the banker deals three cards face down to the table. Then, the player turns over the first card he/she wants to play. If the player gets a nine or above, he/she wins. If the player does not get a nine or above, then the banker gets three cards. He/she continues doing this until he/she gets a nine or above. When the banker gets a nine or above he/she pays off the player.

5. Poker

Source: pexels.com

Poker is a game of skill and luck. The player gets five cards to face down and tries to make the best hand possible. Texas Hold’em version is a newer one. The player gets two cards, and then the dealer puts additional three cards on the table. Based on players’ decisions, they can pull two additional cards, to increase the chance for a better guess. Players can raise their bet, call for other raises, fold, or check with the other ones.

It’s ancient, but it’s still popular among players all around the world.

6. Blackjack

Source: unsplash.com

Blackjack is another very ancient and popular game of luck. According to history, it originates from Caribbean Islands. It’s usually played with at least two decks of cards. The dealer begins by showing a single card face down. Next, the player places a bet. The dealer shows then two cards face down and tells the player to hit or stand. If the player stands, the dealer reveals the third card and compares it to the player’s cards. If the total value of the player’s cards is greater than 21, the player loses. If the total value is less than 21, the player wins.

The ultimate winning combination is a result equal to 21, which is unlikely to happen, but there is still a chance to hit it. But, if the dealer gets 21, they lose!

Conclusion

From this article, we can understand that gambling is a really old way of having fun and testing your luck. However, the rules remain relevant today, as does the advice to be smart and thoughtful when playing any of the games we’ve listed in this text. Be smart, dedicated, and take care of your money. Ancient gamblers did it, and you should too. Only in this way, you will save yourself from huge and unnecessary losses.