Be cunning, play cunning, and become versed in craps the proper way!
Games that use dice and the dice themselves date all the way back to the Crusades, but modern craps is approximately 100 years old. Modern craps come about from the ancient Anglo game called Hazard. No one knows for certain the origin of the game, but Hazard is believed to have been made up by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, in the twelfth century. It is supposed that Sir William’s soldiers enjoyed Hazard during a siege on the fortress Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was derived from the fortress’s name.
Early French settlers imported the game Hazard to Canada. In the 1700s, when driven away by the English, the French moved south and settled in southern Louisiana where they at a later time became Cajuns. When they fled Acadia, they brought their favorite game, Hazard, along. The Cajuns streamlined the game and made it mathematically fair. It’s said that the Cajuns adjusted the name to craps, which is derived from the name of the non-winning throw of two in the game of Hazard, referred to as "crabs."
From Louisiana, the game extended to the Mississippi river boats and across the country. Many think the dice builder John H. Winn as the father of current craps. In 1907, Winn designed the modern craps layout. He added the Don’t Pass line so gamblers can bet on the dice to not win. Later, he created the spots for Place wagers and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.
