Be smart, play smart, and become versed in craps the proper way!
Dice and dice games date back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but modern craps is approximately a century old. Modern craps evolved from the ancient Anglo game called Hazard. Nobody absolutely knows the beginnings of the game, although Hazard is said to have been invented by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, around the twelfth century. It is presumed that Sir William’s paladins played Hazard through a siege on the citadel Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was acquired from the fortress’s name.
Early French colonizers imported the game Hazard to Canada. In the 18th century, when expelled by the British, the French headed down south and located safety in the south of Louisiana where they eventually became Cajuns. When they were driven out of Acadia, they brought their favored game, Hazard, along. The Cajuns streamlined the game and made it more mathematically fair. It is said that the Cajuns altered the title to craps, which is gotten from the name of the bad luck toss of snake-eyes in the game of Hazard, recognized as "crabs."
From Louisiana, the game moved to the Mississippi river boats and across the country. A few consider the dice maker John H. Winn as the creator of modern craps. In 1907, Winn designed the modern craps setup. He added the Don’t Pass line so gamblers can bet on the dice to lose. At another time, he invented the boxes for Place wagers and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.