The History of Craps
The casino is full of games that go back centuries, with some originating in ancient civilizations before making the leap into licensed venues and later into online sites. The stories of many are iconic, and even those with a tenuous interest in casino gaming can rattle off some of the facts surrounding their origins.
Others, though, might be more obscure and less obvious to those outside of the casino circle. Craps is one of those, with it having a less obvious cultural influence than games like poker or roulette. That’s why we’ve come up with this potted history of craps, including what it is, where it comes from, and how it became a staple of online casinos today.
An Introduction to Craps
Because of its perceived lesser popularity when compared with other more famous casino games, some are unsure what craps even is. Put simply, it’s a table game that utilises dice as part of its gameplay.
Multiple players will sit at the table and take turns as what is known as a “shooter”. This just means that they have the two dice and will roll them for this round. From there, the rest of the players will bet on the outcome of the player’s rolls.
That’s a gross oversimplification of the game, as there are in-depth rules that makeup how to play craps, including different ways that a round can end. For example, the shooter will end their round if they have a roll with the value of 7 at any point. It’s these intricate rules that have made craps both a favourite of many and off-putting to some casino beginners.
The Origins of Craps
This is a game with a bit of a contentious beginning. There are conflicting stories as to where it originated, though this has more to do with the origin of the names and words associated with its early counterparts, so we’ll cover the most common ones you will hear. There is at least one that is almost universally agreed upon, too.
In the 18th Century, the English were playing a game called “hazard” that was popular throughout Europe. That was another two-dice game but was significantly more complicated, and the point was referred to as the “main”. This was then developed into a variant called Krabs. When this was taken across the pond to New Orleans in the US in the 1800s by the wonderfully named Bernard Xavier Philippe de Marigny de Mandeville. It would go on to be simplified further and become the craps we know today, with the change in the name coming from a Louisiana mispronunciation of krabs.
The contention comes when discussing where the hazard began. As it is very clear that craps are a derivative of the game, with many of the rules that still underpin the casino favourite being present, there’s no denying its influence. According to some sources, hazard can be traced back as far as the Roman Empire where soldiers created dice to play games with.
They’re not alone, though, with Ancient Sumer and Egypt known to have developed dice games. On top of that, the name hazard itself is believed to have its origins in Old French, but it could also belong to Spanish or Arabic. It’s a bit of an enigma of a game.
The Evolution of Craps
After it sailed the Atlantic Ocean over to the United States, the game of craps saw some big changes. The original version of the game that was played in England was seen as a much more complicated one than we would now recognise.
Even in its early days Stateside, it was very different. It took until the 1900s for the Pass and Don’t Pass bets to be added to the table layout, with a Philadelphia dice-maker deciding to make this development. This revolutionised the game as it stopped venues that offered the game from using dice that favoured the house and made it unfair for players.
The real boom in craps came at one of the most difficult times in world history. During World War II, young soldiers from all over Europe and North America spent time stationed all around the world. With them went craps, which saw it take its place in the casinos of the countries that soldiers were stationed in.
This led to casino houses in locations like Macau, making the game one of their biggest offerings. From there on, the game would grow, with Las Vegas joining the buzz and making it a household name for players.
Today, there are even big-prize craps tournaments at casinos across the globe. In Vegas, there are tournaments where the winner can take home a share of $100,000. This kind of competition pits players against one another as they look to come away with the highest number of chips, or the highest value of money, at the table. It just goes to show that the game continues to grow and take on different aspects of others as it keeps itself fresh in an ever-changing environment.
Taking Craps Online
The internet has had an earth-shaking effect on almost every industry, and the casino is one of particular note. Ever since the very first online casino went live, every casino game imaginable has made its way online. Craps is no different. It occupies a key piece of real estate in most casino sites alongside games like slots, roulette, and poker. With this, the evolution of the game continues to this day as the internet opens up a world of possibilities for developers and players alike.
The immediate differentiation of online casinos is their ability to offer variety in their games. With craps, this comes in the form of different themes, tweaked rules, and altered gameplay. On top of standard online games, there are even now live casino versions of the game, allowing players to engage with real-life dealers and other players as they sit at the virtual table. This variety gives players the ability to engage with the game on their preferred devices in any location, opening it up to a new audience.