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The dice are the oldest gambling tools around. As far back as Ancient Rome, the Roman Legions played with pig knucklebones shaped into cubes. They used to roll these bones as a form of entertainment. In fact, this is the beginning of when we see somewhat recognizable dice being used. Bones have been rolled as far back as prehistoric times, but in these cases they were most likely used along with other paraphernalia by a fortune teller. Many gambling games have been derived from dice so it is difficult to pinpoint the exact beginning of craps history.
The Origins of Craps
Craps is said to have descended from the ancient game of Hazard. In 1125 AD, the crusaders were said to play Hazard while laying siege to the castle, Hazarth or Asart. The name Hazard is said to derive from the name of the castle and there is a legend that the name craps comes from the French pronunciation of the word "crabs" which was a nickname for the game of Hazard. Crabs was the name given to a losing throw of 2 in the game of Hazard. Hazard is said to have been invented by an Englishman by the name of Sir William of Tyre. Alternatively, there is a view that Hazard was Arabic in nature and that the name came for the Arabic term for "the dice" - "al zar" or "azzah."
The Spread of the Game of Craps
The game of Hazard was very popular in England, especially among noblemen and the higher classes. Many gambling houses in 17th century England hosted games of Hazard. The game then spread to America where it was either taken by the French or by the English on the Mayflower. The game then spread to the South where it is thought that African Americans simplified the game. In 1813, Bernard de Mandeville further simplified the game and took his version on riverboats along the Mississippi which is how it spread around the United States. As early as the 19th century, casinos in America offered a simple craps table featuring Six and Eight, the Field, the Win and Come bets. The player could only bet against the house at that stage. John H. Winn, a dice maker is attributed to being the father of modern craps and it is his developments that are played today in modern casinos. He introduced the ability to bet with or against the shooter, he improved the layout of the table and he added a space for Don't Pass bets. In 1931, casinos were made legal in the State of Nevada and craps grew in popularity wit more people playing craps.
The Popularity of Casino Craps
In the 1990s, craps lost some of its popularity as other casino games began attracting more gamblers. More recently, however, craps has made somewhat of a comeback. The advent of online craps in online casinos has contributed to this upsurge in popularity, as it has become available to more players around the world, from different backgrounds. Craps is now one of the most popular casino games around the world and it is the game that the most money is wagered on world-wide.
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