Craps is the well known casino game of dice, it is developed from Hazard, a game from the 14th century, that was once popular between high-stakes patrons in English gambling houses. The name "Craps" comes from the nickname "Crabs", which is a roll of 1-1 in Hazard. The modern game of Craps was developed by black Mississippi riverboat gamblers in the 19th century, borrowing heavily from the rules of Hazard. Craps is fast, exciting and immensely popular, and the game has long been a favorite target of anti-gambling forces. Craps undoubtedly is responsible for many fortunes changing hands at dice tables in glitzy casinos, back rooms and alleys. It may even be guilty of something a little more serious: the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Popular history names Mrs. O'Leary's cow as the culprit, having kicked over a lantern in the barn, sparking the conflagration which destroyed much of Chicago. A Chicago businessman named Louis Cohn claimed, years later, to have knocked over the lantern himself during an especially exciting game of Craps, then laid the blame on the heifer. He was particularly remorseful, he said, because "I was winning." At first glance, Craps can be intimidating. There are numerous bets that can be made, and some of the terminology seems complicated, but the small amount of effort it takes to learn the game is well worth it. Many casino patrons consider Craps to be the game. Nothing in a casino generates as much excitement as a hot roll at the Craps tables. The game of craps has a long, colorful history and is still going strong.

The inside walls of the table are covered with a serrated egg-carton like foam, designed to make the dice bounce around to assure randomness. Each throw of the dice is called a "roll". Players take turn rolling the dice, clockwise around the table, and the player rolling at any given time is called the "shooter". When a new shooter is given the dice, his or her first roll is called the ""Come Out"" roll. This begins a new series of rolls by that shooter and lasts for as long as that shooter continues to make winning rolls.