Be cunning, play smart, and learn how to play craps the right way!
Dice and dice games date back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but modern craps is just about a century old. Current craps evolved from the old English game called Hazard. No one absolutely knows the origin of the game, but Hazard is believed to have been discovered by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, in the 12th century. It’s believed that Sir William’s horsemen bet on Hazard amid a siege on the fortification Hazarth in 1125 AD. The title Hazard was derived from the fortification’s name.
Early French colonizers imported the game Hazard to Canada. In the 18th century, when exiled by the British, the French moved south and settled in the south of Louisiana where they eventually became known as Cajuns. When they were driven out of Acadia, they brought their preferred game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns modernized the game and made it mathematically fair. It is believed that the Cajuns altered the title to craps, which is gotten from the name of the losing throw of snake-eyes in the game of Hazard, referred to as "crabs."
From Louisiana, the game migrated to the Mississippi riverboats and throughout the country. A few think the dice maker John H. Winn as the creator of current craps. In the early 1900s, Winn assembled the current craps setup. He appended the Don’t Pass line so players can wager on the dice to lose. Later, he established the spots for Place bets and added the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.
