A Timeline of Craps
July 21st, 2010 | Published in Gambling Games
Dice games have a long, rich history of which have survived many disputes, wars, famines and societal changes. According to several historians, the history of dice games date back to the Roman Empire. The first cube-shaped die was carved in 600 B.C. Both Indian and Asian cultures played dice games as a source of gambling.
It is said that ancient dice were carved from many different types of materials including:
- Bones
- Wood
- Animal teeth
- Horns
- Nutshells
- Ivory
Prior to the creation of dice; arrows, bones, sticks and stones were thrown as a gamble to inform tribes of what they may expect in the future. Shaman also used dice for this same reason.
Craps has not been around since dice were first created. The origins date back to a sooner time period. Many scholars believe craps is based on the game Sic Bo, an ancient Chinese dice-based game. Although played with three dice, the same types of bets are consistent between the two games. On the other hand Sic Bo and craps have rules that differ greatly.
Many scholars believe craps began around the 12th century in England where the game was originally dubbed Hazard. Many prominent Europeans speak of Hazard in their journals and during tales. It is also believed that the Mayflower brought the game to America.
Around the same time period, the French also brought the game (known as craps in France) to the United States. Throughout the years, the rules have evolved and the betting tables have changed, but they’ve all been based on the same basic rules of throwing the dice to achieve a specific number. If you hit the number, you win; if you don’t, you lose. Modern gambling parlors play the most popular table version.
In 1931 modern craps and betting were revolutionized with the addition of a Don’t Pass wager. These are the rules were play today. Overall craps has become a popular world-wide form of gambling. Since modern craps was developed, the rules and betting have changed little with the exception of adding progressive jackpots.
The dice material, the rules and the betting structure of craps has evolved over centuries into the popular game we see today. It has expanded into thousands of casinos across the globe. Due to its fast-paced, exciting action; craps will continue to grow and be a staple in all casinos.