Patrons visiting casinos, including on-line casinos, will notice that there are often references to ancient Greece. This is probably because much of gambling’s history is deeply rooted in that society. Many of the casino games now popular have their origins in Greece.

Gambling in Greece

The ancient Greeks loved gambling. Even their gods gambled. Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades drew lots to divide the universe. (Zeus got Olympus, Poseidon the sea, and Hades the underworld.)

Games of chance were favored by the ancient Greeks. Gambling was how they spent their leisure time, particularly in the upper classes, and in some instances, it led to the development of subcultures. In Athens, for example, gambling, particularly in dice games, was so popular that the residents created associations specifically for gaming. Callistratus, an Athenian orator, pronounced that “games in which losers go on doubling their stakes resemble ever recurring wars, which end only when the warring parties cease existence.”

Gambling was also very popular with Greek soldiers. It was how they prevented boredom. It was also how they determined who took property after winning a battle.

Zeus’s Daughter

One myth in Greek gambling lore involves a young Zeus meeting the goddess of Chance, Tycho. She was enchanted by Zeus, and together they had a daughter named Fortune. Fortune liked creating games of chance, and she especially smiled on anyone who played her games with great passion. She had buildings constructed for people to come and partake of her games of chance. Wanting to lure as many souls as possible to her games, she had the buildings illuminated to entice passersby to enter. They would be the first casinos.

Rolling the Dice

Although ancient Greeks enjoyed betting on cock fights and sporting events, dice games were their preferred games of chance. The most common dice games they played required players to roll the highest number to be the winner. Various rolls in these dice games were named after gods or heroes.

Special cups were used to roll the dice, and the games were played on tables especially designed for the dice games. What was used in ancient Greece is very similar to what is used in today’s casinos.

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