Craps is the most popular dice game today, both in the streets and in Casinos. This game, with its simple rules and intricate betting system, is a rare gem among casino games. But did you ever stop to wonder about how the game of Craps came to be?
Craps is actually a very old game, and although its exact origins are debatable, it is believed that its roots date back to the time of the crusades, and maybe even to the ancient period.
A game called Hazard
According to historians, the game of Craps can trace its roots back to the time of the crusades, particularly in 1125 AD when Sir William of Tyre and his troupe of crusaders stumbled upon a castle called Hazarth, they laid siege to this castle and successfully captured it.
During the time of the siege, they were playing a dice game that could rightly be called the ancestor of craps, they named this game ‘Hazard’, after the castle.
Some scholars believed that Hazard actually originated from the Arabic dice game called ‘Al Zar’. Al Zar, in Arabic, means dice. They say that this game managed to be spread in continental Europe through the efforts of traveling merchants.
Scholars also believed that the game can trace its roots to even earlier than the crusades, way back to 2600 BC, a period in which dice games became rather popular in Ancient Egypt.
Craps in Europe
The game gained popularity in England during the 17th century, where it became a favourite pastime in the simplest caverns and the highest courts, even the nobles were quite enamored of the game. It was really no surprise then that even the French adopted the game, they however, decided to change the game’s name into “Craps”, a term derived from the word ‘crabs’. Crabs was the term used to describe a losing situation in the game wherein the player rolls a 2.
Eventually, the game found its way into the New World through the British and French settlers.
Winn's Contribution
A man named John H. Winn took an extreme liking to the game and developed it in the 19th century. He simplified several aspects of the game and developed the system that we know today.
John Winn is said to be the Father of modern day Craps as he created the Pass and Don’t Pass bets, and also the big 6 and 8. Winn also created the rule which allows the other players to bet against the shooter. This effectively put a halt to the crooked dice scam.
Modern Craps
The popularity of craps skyrocketed even more during World War 2 because soldiers loved to play it. The game eventually became popular even in Asia and other parts of the world.
However Craps saw a decline in popularity after the war, especially since the world began to focus more on card games,
but in recent times, the popularity of craps has begun to rise again with the advent of online casinos. With easier access to the game, people have once again started to realize how enjoyable this game is, so the number of fans has increased exponentially.
