The History of Craps: A Complete Breakdown

09/12/24

These days, craps is one of the most popular table games. It’s hard to go to a casino and not see it played somewhere, and you might even have noticed some people playing it outside of a gaming-based setting. The game is one of the most popular for beginners, and it has evolved significantly since its early days.

Of course, though, the game had to come from somewhere. It’s one of the oldest games out there, and people have enjoyed playing it for over three centuries. In this complete guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about the history of craps. We’ll cover its origin, how it has evolved over time, and what it looks like in the modern day.

The Evolution of Craps

Craps has evolved significantly over the centuries. The current version of the game that you see is only just over 300 years old, but it’s possible that we saw people playing things that look similar to what we play today back in the Roman era. Whereas we now play with cards and dice, resources were not always as abundant as they are today – and people had to make do with other items.

Over time, the game evolved to take place in a variety of settings. And with the introduction of the internet, it became possible to play craps without even physically owning dice or a pack of cards. Nowadays, you’ll find several places to play the game online; it’s popular with a whole host of online casinos.

What’s the Origin of Craps?

We can trace the origin of caps back to hazard, which is the game that it initially stemmed from. While we don’t know the exact date that hazard was invented, we can see examples of the game existing in the 14th century. Geoffrey Chaucer mentioned the game in the Canterbury Lines, which he wrote from 1387 until he died in 1400.

As the centuries progressed, hazard became popular throughout England. It was widely played in the 18th century, and Krabs – which later became “crabs” – stemmed from this original game. Hazard eventually made its way to the US, which is where craps was formed.

Initially, craps was designed to be a simpler version of hazard. Xavier Philippe de Marginy de Mandeville said that the main number should always be 7, having brought the game with him from England. But despite his innovation, he was initially unsuccessful in making craps (or hazard, for that matter) more widespread in the US.

As a result of this, Marginy looked to introduce the game outside of the social class. Long after his death, craps became very popular during the Second World War as Americans from all walks of society were drafted into the military. Following the war, the game became the norm in the US and then spread around the world.

Craps in the Middle Age

While craps as we know it today didn’t exist in the Middle Ages, hazard was popular around this time. When we consider that craps and hazard were originally both unpopular with higher-class individuals in the US, it’s interesting to point out that the upper classes were particularly fond of hazard in Medieval Britain.

As is the case with craps today, hazard was often played in the Middle Ages for money. However, as you may expect from the level of people who were playing it, the stakes were often very high.

Hazard was played in several places during the Middle Ages. You’d see it played at clubs, but individuals would also play it among each other in their homes. While the game was popular in England during this period, it’s nowhere near as common these days.

Craps in Las Vegas

Considering how craps is so common in Las Vegas these days, it’s very easy to forget that this wasn’t always the case. In fact, the widespread popularity of craps in Vegas is something that has existed for less than 100 years. Once the Second World War ended, the game quickly grew to casinos in the city. Since then, things have only increased in popularity.

Pretty much every major casino in Vegas will offer some kind of craps. There are some considerations that you should keep in mind if you haven’t played the game here before. For example, whereas Atlantic City casinos do not allow the shooter to move a bet to the Pass line, this is allowed in many Las Vegas venues.

Another quirk of craps in Las Vegas is that odds bets have to be the minimum for the table. On top of that, some casinos in the city will allow you to place the table minimum (plus vig) for a lay bet. You’re also often allowed to place put bets, whereas casinos in Atlantic City and many other parts of the US do not allow this.

Depending on where you go, the odds and probabilities of winning may differ from other casinos throughout the US.

Craps in Popular Culture

Like many table games, craps has featured in several forms of popular culture. From movies to music, here are some examples.

Movies and TV shows

You will find no shortage of movies that feature scenes where people are playing craps. Perhaps the most famous example is the 1972 version of The Godfather, and there’s also a scene in Friends where several characters are standing around a table.

Another example of craps being used in a movie is during the 1995 movie named Casino. Diamonds Are Forever, one of many James Bond films, also has a craps scene in. Meanwhile, Hard Eight – released in 1996 – also features a scene where craps is being played.

You will also see craps feature heavily in The Big Town, a movie that was initially released in 1987.

See also: How to Win in Craps

Music

Although craps does not feature as commonly in music as we see in movies and TV shows, you will still find a handful of examples. While Viva Las Vegas doesn’t explicitly mention the word craps, the lyrics do say this: “Let me shoot a seven with every shot”. Considering that you win if a 7 or 11 rolls in craps, Elvis Presley is almost certainly referring to this particular game here.

Books

In addition to movies and music, craps has also featured numerous times in popular books. One of the most famous examples is Richard Armstrong’s God Doesn’t Shoot Craps title. In this book, a fraudster meets someone who is an expert in craps. The book was released in 2006.

Another example of craps being featured in a book is Dice Angel, written by Brian Rouff. In this book, a recovering gambling addict receives a business card for someone known as the “Dice Angel”. This individual is apparently someone who can help him succeed in craps.

You will, of course, find several books related to craps strategy and more practical advice.

Modern Variations of Craps

While the most common variation of craps is still what you’ll find in most casinos today, you will also find numerous other versions of the game. Here are some of the main ones to consider.

Crapless Craps

Crapless craps has some key variations compared to the original version of craps, with one of them being that the odds are different. On top of this, 2, 3, 11, and 12 are point numbers. You can also place bets on these; in comparison, the original version of craps treats each of these as losing bets.

You will find crapless craps in several casinos, including a lot in Atlantic City.

New York Craps

New York craps is another variation of craps that you might be interested in checking out. The main difference is that the table layout is different, and there is also a higher house edge than in the normal version of craps. Generally speaking, you can expect a 5% house edge when you play in offline casinos.

When playing New York craps, you bet on 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. These are known as box numbers. Another crucial difference compared to the original version of poker is that the dealer cannot place a bet.

Simplified Craps

It’s funny to think that there’s an even more simplified version of craps when we consider that what evolved from hazard was actually a simpler version of that game. You have a lot more room for opportunity with this game, though; instead of 7 and 11 being the winning numbers, you win if you land on 2-4 or 10-12. Moreover, you only roll your dice once.

Any number from 5-9 is an automatic loss in simplified craps. While New York craps uses a different table, simplified craps uses the same ones as the main version of craps.

Craps: A Long History, but a Game That Continues to Evolve

Craps has evolved significantly since its early days, and considering how popular it is now, it’s hard to think that there was once a time when it didn’t have so much traction. You’ll find the game played throughout the US, with some variations on rules and whatnot depending on where you go.

Thanks to innovative minds and widespread internet access, you will also find a number of interesting variations available elsewhere. For example, simplified craps is one option if you’re looking for more chances to win.

While hazard itself isn’t played much anymore, it did pave the way for an interesting new game to sweep across much of the world. With online casinos more widespread than ever, there has also never been a better time to play.