But craps wasn't always the game we know today, since it evolved a lot during the past centuries. If you want to learn about the origins and history of craps, then read this article.
Origins of Craps
The most popular theory among historians is that the game of craps was invented sometimes during the 11th or 12th century in England. It was in this period when an Englishman named Sir William of Tyre and his knights supposedly played the game as a pastime activity when they besieged a castle called Hazarth or Asart in 1125 AD, during the Crusades.
The game was played afterwards under the name Hazard, created probably from a corruption of the name of the castle mentioned above. On the other hand, some other historians think that this theory is false, and the name Hazard originates from the Arabic terms 'al zar' or 'azzah', which translated to English even mean "the dice", a fact that supports this claim.
But in the end, it doesn't even matter who invented the game and who gave it its old name. After the crusades, Hazard quickly became famous in England, where many wealthy aristocrats adopted the game as their favorite pastime activity.
During the next few centuries the game spread to France, where it also enjoyed an enormous popularity among the rich and influential people of society. It is believed that it was in France where the name of the game was changed from hazard to craps, a name probably originating from the corruption of the French word "crabs" that denoted a losing throw of 2.
Modern Craps
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the game of craps spread to the United States, probably introduced by French and English immigrants. Originally craps remained largely unnoticed and got isolated to the southern parts of the country.
When gambling became illegal in the US states, craps continued to be played on the famous Mississippi steamboats, where gamblers found a refuge. It was in this period when a dice maker called John H. Winn invented a new form of craps in order to stop of the frequent cheating attempts of gamblers.
Winn introduced the popular "Don't pass bet" that eliminated the reason to tamper with the dices, since it was now also possible to bet for, but also against the player. The new craps variant became hugely popular, and it is also the version we are playing today.
Later craps became the favorite game in Las Vegas casinos, since it blended elements of classical luck-based games with strategic thinking. Nowadays craps is present in both live and online casinos.
Online Craps
In the early '90s, when the internet began to conquer people's homes, it was just a question of time until craps would become available on the web, as well. When the first online casinos were established, craps was one of the first games to be introduced.
The excitement offered by the unpredictable roll of the dices, and the edge the player could receive if played with strategy, resulted in an unprecedented popularity for the game. Online craps became gigantic, offering many exciting games and large online craps tournaments.
Apart from the reason that players were not required anymore to visit live casinos, online craps casinos provided a revolutionary new concept, called craps bonuses. These allowed players to receive free money bonuses, if they decided to sign up at an online casino and deposit real money, something never provided by real casinos.
Craps is truly a splendid game, and if you would like to learn more about it and increase your winning chances, then read our additional articles and craps guides.