Be smart, play clever, and become versed in craps the right way!
Dice and dice games date back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but current craps is approximately a century old. Current craps evolved from the ancient Anglo game referred to as Hazard. Nobody knows for certain the origin of the game, however Hazard is believed to have been invented by the Englishman, Sir William of Tyre, in the 12th century. It is supposed that Sir William’s knights wagered on Hazard during a siege on the fortress Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was acquired from the citadel’s name.
Early French settlers brought the game Hazard to Acadia. In the 18th century, when exiled by the British, the French moved down south and settled in southern Louisiana where they after a while became Cajuns. When they fled Acadia, they brought their favorite game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns modernized the game and made it fair mathematically. It is believed that the Cajuns adjusted the name to craps, which was gotten from the name of the bad luck toss of snake-eyes in the game of Hazard, known as "crabs."
From Louisiana, the game migrated to the Mississippi riverboats and throughout the nation. A good many consider the dice builder John H. Winn as the father of modern craps. In the early 1900s, Winn created the modern craps layout. He put in place the Do not Pass line so players can bet on the dice to lose. Later, he designed the spaces for Place bets and added the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.