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You are here: Home / Language / Where does the phrase “African dominoes” come from and What does African golf mean?

Where does the phrase “African dominoes” come from and What does African golf mean?

April 30, 2020 by Karen Hill

African dominoes and African golf are popular names for the game of craps, a gambling game played with a pair of dice.

The game is especially favored among African Americans, hence, “African”; the term “dominoes” alludes to the combined number of pips on the two dice, identical with those on the face of dominoes.

“Golf” is in ironical reference to the usual financial status of the players and to the great disparity in the comparative cost of equipment.

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Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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