History Of Craps

Craps history, particularly the game's earliest origins, is still a matter of debate among gambling historians, and odds are: probably will be for a long time to come. But what we do know and universally agree on is the fact that it was the English who are credited with developing what we now affectionately refer to as the "game of Craps.'

Craps history dates all the way back to 12th Century England, during the days of the Crusades. The game is believed to have evolved from a game the English referred to as ‘Hazard.' According to old English legend, while lying in wait to conquer the castle known as Hazarth, an Englishman named Sir William of Tyre had a Craps strategy of his own. He introduced the new game of chance to his troops so that they may more easily pass their time waiting to attack. Under these circumstances, a number of other gambling games were also developed during the Crusades. Sir William of Tyre was born into nobility in Jerusalem around the year 1130 and later went on to become an archbishop.


England's Dicey Craps History

Another interesting period in Craps history concerns the famous English writer, Geoffrey Chaucer (1343 -1400). In his renowned work titled The Canterbury Tales, he makes particular reference to the game of Hazard. This further adds to England's claim that they are behind the advent of Craps, rules and all.

Craps history buffs are also quick to remind us that casinos existed in England way back in the 18th Century. At this time, tremendous sums of money and other valuables were believed to have been wagered on what was known as the game of Hazard at the time.

Some Americans argue that they are in fact the ones who invented the game of Craps, and thus should be credited whenever and wherever Craps history is written. While these same folks claim to have been the first to actually christen the name ‘Craps,' today, the general consensus is that it was the French who came up with the name ‘Craps' as a substitute for ‘Hazard.'

French immigrants are believed to have brought the game to the USA, though Americans still tend to stick by their belief that the term ‘Craps' was coined by American players living in the deep South during the early 19th Century. They are said to have taken the name from "Crapshoot," a common phrase used by American southerners.

Craps Strategy - American Style

Regardless of where and when one believes Craps history indeed began, there's no question Americans have had a tremendous impact on how the game has evolved until today. The game of Craps was hugely popular aboard the riverboats steaming along the Mississippi river during the early 19th Century. Later on, a dice maker by the name of John Winn further developed the game of Craps by allowing players to bet either with or against the shooter. Winn's modern version of the game became known as Bank Craps, and eventually became the standard form of Craps rules among America's casinos.

In both traditional gambling venues and today's hundreds of online casinos, Craps is still the fastest game being played in the casino. Given that we're only at the beginning of this online gambling revolution, chances are good there's plenty of Craps history still to be written.

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