He called the game craps, a shortened version of the word crapaud, which is French for “toad.” When de Marigny saw boys playing the game on a street corner, they looked like toads because they were hunched over the dice. In the antebellum south, Bernard Xavier Philippe de Marigny de Mandeville introduced a simplified version of hazard to gamblers in New Orleans. The phrase “roll the bones” first appeared in print in 1897 specifically in reference to the game of hazard (the precursor to craps). In the 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer referred to dice as “bones” in his writing. Fun fact, dice used to be made from the bones of dead animals, especially pig knuckles. Nevertheless, historians can trace craps to an earlier game called hazard that was popular in Europe at least as far back as the medieval period. History Of Crapsīecause dice are one of the oldest gambling interests known to mankind, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly how far back the game of craps goes.
Our guide to online craps provides strategy tips while pointing the way to craps at a mobile casino and live craps sites. Our online craps guide provides basic terminology, plus information on the betting layout, odds, and payouts for each wager. Players can learn how to play online craps for free or at a real money casino with the advice on this page. Video Poker Guide: Play the Best Online Video Poker Games.
