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What Does The Term "Monkey" Mean In Blackjack?

Don't be alarmed if you hear a player shouting "monkey! monkey!" at the blackjack table. There is an actual reason behind why players would use this term in blackjack, and we're going to discuss why in this blog post. And no, there are no actual monkeys climbing around the casino!

Blackjack Monkey Meaning 

When you hear the term "monkey" in blackjack, the player is asking for a ten or face card (a king, queen or jack). It is a slang word you may hear if you play blackjack in a brick-and-mortar casino.

For example, if a player is dealt an ace as their first card, they may shout the term "monkey" as the dealer is dealing the second round. By doing this, the player is hoping this will bring them some luck so they will be dealt a face card, making them win that round of blackjack.

Where Did The Term Monkey Come From In Blackjack? 

According to casino and slots enthusiasts, it has yet to be discovered exactly where the term monkey in blackjack came from. However, there are a couple of theories. 

One of those theories is that players were actually, in fact, saying "monarchy". This theory does make sense since the cards jack, king and queen are associated with the monarchy. However, over time and with mispronunciation or misunderstanding, "monarchy" became "monkey". This is why you hear people saying monkey when they play blackjack.

Similar to the above, some gambling historians believe the term "monkey" actually came from the word "money". This also makes sense since it is money that players want to win when playing blackjack casino games

Both of these theories are very interesting, but we think we prefer the "monarchy" explanation! Next time you go to a land-based casino to play blackjack, have a listen to see if anyone subscribes to this superstition and uses the term "monkey". If they do, now you know why!