Despite its simplicity, craps is an incredibly popular game - possibly because all you need is a set of dice, meaning that it can, quite literally, be played anywhere. These days, sophisticated versions of craps are played in casinos, a live casino or online, all over the world, including, of course, the gambling Mecca of Las Vegas. However, the game has much more humble beginnings and, in this article, we’ll take a look at how it all began.
What are the craps ?
In its simplest form, craps involves a player (the shooter) rolling two dice to produce a number (known as a point) - and then rolling the same number again before a seven is rolled by another player. When a number is marked by pucks, that number is seen as the ‘point’ of the game. While it may take a little while to get the hang of it, craps is a relatively simple game to play.
Grisly beginnings
Depending on who you believe, craps originated from either Rome or Arabia. Some believe that the game was first played by Roman soldiers, who used the knuckle bones of pigs as dice. Others insist that Arabic merchants brought the game of craps to Europe in the 12th Century. What we do know is that, in England, the game was originally known as Hazard and was a pastime enjoyed by Sir William of Tyre in 1125.
Craps is thought to have really taken off in the 17th Century in France, where it was known as ‘crapaud’ - which directly translates as ‘toad’ and is thought to have originated from the squatting position that players would use when playing on a floor or pavement.
All aboard
When craps arrived in the USA, it became extremely popular in the French Louisiana colonies and in the gambling boats on the Mississippi River, until finally making its way to the bright lights of Las Vegas in 1931.
Going the distance
In 2022, craps is just as popular as ever in casinos across the globe and is enjoyed by millions of regular folk as well as celebrities such as Michael Jordan and Ray Romano.
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