The wild story behind jokers
Bob Kane’s iconic comic book villain—who sometimes leaves a joker at the scene of his crimes as a calling card—is one of the most interesting evildoers of all time, with Oscar-winning actors including Joaquin Phoenix, Heath Ledger, Jared Leto, and Jack Nicholson finding fodder in his unique psychopathy.
The joker has also found its way into popular music, such as Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck in the Middle with You,” in which singer Gerry Raferty complains about being trapped between clowns and jokers—leaving him (and his unnamed friend) as the only trustworthy and dependable people in the room.
Still, the joker’s chief function remains that of a playing card. And in that capacity, it has many roles and a rich history.
The story of the joker
Playing cards have been around in various forms for more than a thousand years, but a joker is a relatively new addition to the deck.
Jokers were invented in America in the 1850s to be used as trump cards in Euchre, a trick-taking card game popular during the Civil War. At first, they simply carried instructions on how to use them in the game. But by the 1860s, some jokers had pictures of a court jester, meant to fit thematically alongside a deck’s kings and queens.
Eventually, the joker found its way into modern French-suited decks, which are the cards we know and use today. Getting two per pack became standard sometime around 1940. But, in a handful of countries, decks have three or more jokers for regional games that require them, such as German Rummy.
The joker’s many faces
As jokers were added to common decks, people began to figure out ways to use them in other games, such as Canasta, Crazy Eights, and Go Fish.
In some games, like Gin Rummy, the joker simply serves as a wild card that can be used to fill in gaps. In others, it may take on a specific value or rank and can be used to complete certain types of hands, such as flushes or straights. Sometimes it’s coveted—one variation of War makes it the highest value card—and sometimes players need to avoid it, as in Old Maid, where it represents the losing card.
There’s really no limit to the joker’s versatility! You can have them sub in for a card that’s either been damaged or is missing from the deck, magicians often like to incorporate them in card tricks, and many people have even taken to collecting jokers from different packs as a hobby.
The joker’s role at the casino
The joker isn’t used in most Ontario casino table games, but there are a couple of places where you may still see it pop up.
Pai Gow Poker, for example, incorporates a single joker and uses it as what’s sometimes called a “bug.” It generally serves as a fifth ace, which makes it very important since five aces is the best possible five-card hand there is in the game. However, it can also be used as a wild card in specific situations, such as taking the place of a single missing card in a straight or flush. This makes it an integral part of the game. You can learn more about Pai Gow Poker strategies here.
The only other place you’re likely to find a joker in an Ontario casino is in the slot aisles, where it might appear as a visual theme in some games. There’s no way to use it to your advantage in these games, though, since slot wins and losses are always pure chance.
Jokers may be welcome to clown around at home with your friends and family, but it turns out they’re just a little too wild for most casino games.
So where do all those unused jokers go?
Card decks used in Ontario casinos still come with two jokers per pack. What happens to the unneeded jesters? Funnily enough, casinos actually take the handling and disposal of jokers pretty seriously.
Whenever a fresh deck is opened on the casino floor, the jokers are removed by hand before being “cancelled” with a marker to ensure they can’t be used accidentally. Then they’re placed back in the box and stored until they can be delivered to a company that specializes in destroying and disposing of sensitive materials.
So if you’ve ever wondered why the joker never pops up while you’re playing Blackjack, now you know!
