History of Craps

The origin of craps is a little unclear but it can be confirmed to have started in Europe before the history of craps was eventually rewritten in the United States. Some historians argue that the establishment of craps may date back as far as the Crusades. Scholars conclude that popular dice games from the Middle East were likely brought back to Europe by the crusaders.

During the 1700s, craps underwent transformations by the Europeans which turned it into an approved and popular game among aristocrats and gamblers. The game’s name comes from the French word crapaud, meaning toad. It is thought that the title was derived from the portrayal of the animal because when human participants crouch low to the ground to play it resembles a toad. The history of craps was heavily influenced by the French and traveled with them when some left Europe to settle in New Orleans. Bernard Xavier Philippe de marigny Manderville gets credit for bringing the game to the United States via New Orleans.

Craps history in more modern times indicates that African Americans played a large part in expanding its popularity. The dice game took on lots of interest in the streets and spread throughout the US. Since the mid-1990’s, the internet has made the dice game more available and has flourished into a new online craps history which is changing the venue from the streets and casino to computers.