All over the world, people use dice to play a wide variety of games. These small, throwable objects have marks on each side that represent a range of numbers, typically from one to six, but in some cases, the dice may have as many as 20 sides, representing numbers one to 20. In online casino games, the dice may be virtual, but the money you win is very real.
Over the years, the materials and manufacturing processes for dice have changed a lot. Discover the history of dice and learn how casino dice are made differently from regular ones.
Dice Throughout History
While online casino dice games may be a modern invention, playing games for money certainly isn’t. There’s archaeological and written evidence that people have been gambling for millennia. Historians believe that the earliest versions of dice are the oldest gaming tools known in history. But when were dice invented?
Well, unfortunately, there’s no real answer to that question, although various claims have been made throughout history and across the world. Written records from Ancient Greek and Roman times describe the use of dice. Ancient Indian and Sumerian civilizations also left historical records describing games that involved dice.
Archaeologists excavated the oldest known dice from a site in South-Eastern Iran. These artifacts originated around 2800 BCE. Early dice had four marked faces and were made from animal bones or stones.
However, as cultures continued to invent new games, they developed new dice, too. The first 20-sided die dates back to the Ptolemaic Period in Ancient Egypt. Meanwhile, the Romans used two main types of dice: four-sided and six-sided dice.
Different Dice Materials Over the Years
Ancient societies used animal bones to make the earliest dice, which were likely used for divination. Excavations of archaeological sites show that the talus, part of the ankle of hoofed animals, was saved for this purpose. Each face of the bone featured a unique marking, and people would throw them to predict the future. Gambling games developed using the same dice, and so began the process of dice games shaping gambling’s long history.
Over time, dice were still often made from bone, even when creating them for games. However, records show that various other materials were popular, too, depending on what was available locally. Clay, ivory, wood, metal, and stone were all fashioned into rudimentary dice.
Today, synthetic polymers such as resin or acrylic are used to make dice for casino gambling. These aren’t only easier to use, but it also means the dice are completely regular and fair to play with.
The Birth of Modern Dice
In Ancient Roman times, gambling was illegal, though dice games were still a very popular pastime for many members of society who played away from the public eye. These Roman dice also followed the same numerical system that modern dice use, known as sevens. This means that opposite sides always add up to seven. However, they were often uneven and lopsided, making fair gaming impossible.
While the numbering system of the Roman dice has been retained, modern dice are thankfully designed with precision in mind. According to the study “The Evolution of Cubic Dice: From the Roman Through Post-Medieval Period in the Netherlands”, the process of standardization began in Europe starting around 1100 CE. During this period, the numbering system was experimented with, with the prime numerical system temporarily used. However, from around 1450 CE, dice had reverted to the sevens system and had the same symmetrical shape to prevent unfair play.
Just like when you bet on roulette, every outcome should be completely random. The perfectly symmetrical shape of the dice made it impossible to cheat in a game. Since then, the methods for making dice have become much more advanced and accurate.
How Dice Are Made
Manufacturing has changed significantly since the Renaissance period. Now, high-powered machines take care of most of the work. This means dice are produced faster than ever before and to a higher standard, too.
Today, dice manufacturing involves a process called plastic injection molding. A machine clamps two molds together before injecting molten acrylic plastic. This type of material is best because it is thermosetting. This means it turns into a liquid at very high temperatures but forms a hard, durable material when cooled.
The companies making dice also add pigments to produce different colors and aesthetic effects. The mold creates pips on each die, leaving indents on the surface. Once the material cools, the dice are passed through a tumbler, which polishes them to remove any imperfections on the surface.
After this initial polish, the dice are painted before going through a tumbler once more. This time, the abrasive surface of the tumbler, which works like polishing rocks, will remove any paint except for that used on the pip indents.
The result is highly polished and professional-looking dice with smooth, rounded edges. These are suitable for a variety of exciting casino games that use dice. However, most casinos won’t use them until they’ve undergone extra steps.
Casino Dice Manufacturing
Casino dice require more accuracy during the manufacturing process, as regulated operators come under a lot of scrutiny and pressure to provide fair games. The popularity of dice games means even small defects affecting the odds of a single die can spoil the game for thousands of players. Those used for games like craps are called precision dice and have to be made to a very strict tolerance.
Instead of having indents, a drill is used to create each pip. The manufacturers then fill each hole using paint with the same density as the rest of the die. This way, the center of gravity isn’t affected, and every side has an equal chance of landing face up.
To finish off, an individual serial number prevents cheaters from swapping out precision dice. They’re also highly polished or sanded to be translucent or transparent, ensuring that no one is able to conceal weights within the dice.
Some players still believe that controlling casino dice is possible, where special techniques can be used to manipulate the outcome. However, the way modern dice are created makes this almost impossible.
For online dice games, specialized software generates a random number for each dice throw. This is just as fair, provided a licensed and trusted company produces the game.
More Than Meets the Eye
Dice are much older than many people might expect. Despite this, they haven’t changed drastically since Roman times, except for being standardized and becoming easier to play with. Manufacturing dice is a complicated process, but then, crafting any kind of casino equipment requires a high level of precision.
The most modern dice innovation of all, though, has to be online casinos. Register with BetMGM today to experience live dealer and online dice games like craps from the comfort of your own home.
