The Enigmatic Joker: The Wild Card’s Mystical Origins

The Joker is one of the most peculiar and intriguing playing cards. In french suited decks, the Jokers are the odd ones out, that are neither suited nor have a ranking among the other cards. The Joker is one of the most important cards in trick taking or trump card games. Yet in other games, it can have a pretty colorful array of rules. It can be the highest ranking card or the lowest, and in some games it can even be used to skip the next player's turn.

Nowadays, the Joker has expanded beyond the confines of card games. There are slots games themed around this card, and it was also the inspiration for the Batman villain, Joker. The Joker has a place in pop culture like no other playing card or gaming equipment.

Where the Joker Card Comes From

A commonly held myth about the origins of the Joker card is that it came from Tarot. It would make sense, as the Tarot-Decks are packed with special characters and seemingly unique cards. But that is not the case. The Joker is a US invention, and it came way later than Tarot, or the French and Italian suited decks. During the 19th century, there were numerous popular card games in the US, including Poker and Faro in the Old West. It was also a time when popular fortune telling games such as Ouija came to the forefront of mainstream entertainment.

Aber es war Euchre, a trick taking game, that was responsible for introducing the Joker. Originally, the game did not use a Joker but instead had a 32-card deck, but a variant was born in the 1850s that created a new card. The Joker was used as a commanding card for a variant called “Euchre with the Joker”. In the game, the Joker was the “Best Bower”, a type of supercard that beat the others.

The blank card did eventually get a face, and it was rebranded with clowns or jokers. A brilliant kind of irony, considering it was considered the most powerful card. Euchre was the biggest card game in America in the 19th century. But just as it rose to prominence, the card game then quickly faded into obscurity. For the Joker cards, this was just the beginning.

The Joker and Ties to Tarot

The joker spread throughout Europe in the 20th century, and by the 1940s, the 52 card standard deck was expanded to 54, with 2 joker cards. Card games like Rummy, War, Crazy Eights, Canasta, and Klondike spread as joker cards became more a part of standard card games. Though they were never a part of mainstream casino games. To this day, jokers aren't used in poker games like Texas Hold'em. Nor do they appear in baccarat, blackjack, Video-Poker and other classic casino games.

These mysterious cards were often compared with The Fool cards in Tarot decks. They have similar characters, and their roles are also not too far apart. In Tarot, the Fool is the highest trump, and can also be used as an “excuse” card, which can be played to avoid a suit. For the most part, the Joker's role is either as a wild card, or as the strongest card in a deck.

Expansion of Joker into Other Casino Games

While the Joker didn't spread to the main casino games as a special trump card, it did have a symbolic impact in slot machines. The earliest slots in history were very simple games in which landing matching symbols across a fixed payline could win. Slots changed drastically in the 20th century, and when they were digitized, they quickly became the biggest games in casinos. Joker themed games popped up, and continue to be a popular theme among slots players. But the most influential role the Joker had on slots was inspiring the wild symbols.

In slots, wilds can substitute for any other symbol to form winning paylines. Plus, they don't necessarily substitute for just one symbol, as they can form 2 or more paylines in the right scenarios. This type of special symbol in the slots is a direct influence of the Joker in card games. In contemporary slots, there are loads of innovative game designs, going way beyond classic wilds. For instance, they can have sticky wilds that stay on the reels for an extra spin, or expanding wilds that cover an entire reels. Some games combine the role of wilds and scatters, so effectively you can trigger a bonus round if you land enough wilds.

The list goes on and on, but the point is one and the same. The Joker had a massive impact in slots. And the Joker has become part of the imagery and symbolism in casino games.

Culture and Legends of the Joker

You can find entire casino designs themed around jokers. Or, bonus initiatives that are framed with joker symbols or icons. In gaming circles, the Joker has a deep symbolic meaning. It is symbolic of mystery, a change, something special, or something very powerful.

The Joker cards were also the inspiration for Jerry Robinson, one of the writers who created the Batman Villain. Robinson stated that a 1940 sketch of a joker playing card served as the main concept for the character. Like the playing card itself, the character of the Joker is unpredictable, mysterious, and a real odd one out.

These cards also became the fascination of magicians and tricksters. They could be used at the center of magic acts, as a metaphor for something chaotic and incomprehensible. There are also people who collect these cards. Joker cards are rare, and no two manufacturers will make them exactly the same. In most decks you get 2 jokers, a red and a black. But some decks will only give 1 joker, while others may provide jokers with special designs or alternate colors. In collectible circles, these cards could become highly sought after talismans.

Why the Joker Isn’t Used in Other Casino Games

In a way, it is no wonder that Jokers are not included in the majority of real money casino games. And it's not because the majority of table games in a casino predate the Joker. It is because these casino games have been meticulously calculated to provide players with fair chances of winning, but to give the house a slight edge. Sure, there may be variants of blackjack or baccarat that mix up the dynamics a little. But having multiple hands in blackjack, or no commission baccarat does not turn the tables as much as introducing a joker into the mix.

It's not like they wouldn't bring a new element to the games, or that players wouldn't notice the jokers in the pack. But in bringing in such a chaotic and unpredictable card into these classics, the casinos would have to practically restructure the original games. Imagine having a joker in Blackjack. What would it do? Would it do any of the following:

• Instant blackjack
• Double the stakes
• Skip the dealer's draw

It would be quite a disappointment to just include it as another Ace. Or, as an arbitrary side bet card. The symbolism behind the joker, and what it has come to mean to players, creates a bigger expectation for this card. The bottom line here is that the Joker couldn't really fit into standard casino games because it is too much of a special card.

You can't sneak it in and write it off as an Ace or a “1”. Nor could you add it as an instant win card, as this would mean the casino should recalculate the Auszahlungstabellen and rearrange other aspects of the game to bring the house edge back. Chaotic, to say the least.

Supercards and Illusions

There is something mysterious about the Joker that cannot be shaken. Perhaps it's the mysterious origins of the card in a practically extinct game. Or, that the Joker has such a wide variety of roles in different games. But these have all helped build huge legends and myths around the seemingly innocuous playing card. For some, this is the winning card that beats everyone and wins the game. A supercard, if you like, that can create the biggest comeback and das Haus schlagen auf einmal.

Whatever the situation, it does give the card an almost superstitious aura in gaming circles. You can invent new games around the Joker, and even make your own variants of popular casino games, but implement the Joker. The card seems to have the ability to flip the script and completely change the course of a game. But if we strip away the illusion and the legends, how much impact does it really have?

If you take a standard 54 deck card, there are only 2 jokers to draw. If you are playing rounds of baccarat, and draw 5.5 cards per game, you are only seeing the Joker card once every 5 games, on average. It doesn't pop up as regularly as you may think, and the chances are even lower if you are using more decks, and the Händler shuffles every now and again. It is perhaps an overhyped card, one that players put too much hope into, or they exaggerate exactly how much influence it can have in a game.

Joker Equivalents in Casino Games

It is perhaps easiest described in the casino games with jokers, and any other special bonus rounds or symbols. Some gamers just put too much hope into the wilds or the bonus rounds. Sure, they can deliver sizable wins and lock in numerous payouts. But they don't come around frequently, and in many cases they may not pay off the X number of reels you span trying to get there. Just like with any other special rules, side bets, achievement rewards, or even jackpots. So, while charming, you shouldn't let these cards intimidate or mislead you in any way. Casino games may have jackpots and special characters or cards. But at the end of the day, these are calculated risks that the casino is taking. And it won't offer these special cards at the expense of its house edge.

So next time you are playing a game of Joker slots, or come across a special side bet or exclusive jackpot, remember the lesson behind the Joker. The casino games do not believe in superstition nor want to give you one card to completely flip the script. The symbolic meaning will definitely outweigh the odds of it making a material profit for you, in the long run. So play cautiously, and don't overly fantasize about these symbolic gameplay elements. Just enjoy them for what they are – something out of the ordinary and a fascinating addition to any game.