Learn to Play Craps – Hints and Strategies: The History of Craps

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Dice and dice games date all the way back to the Crusades, but modern craps is approximately a century old. Modern craps evolved from the ancient Anglo game called Hazard. No one absolutely knows the birth of the game, however Hazard is believed to have been created by the Englishman, Sir William of Tyre, sometime in the 12th century. It is supposed that Sir William’s paladins played Hazard through a siege on the citadel Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was acquired from the fortification’s name.

Early French colonists imported the game Hazard to Canada. In the 18th century, when driven away by the English, the French relocated down south and discovered sanctuary in the south of Louisiana where they a while later became known as Cajuns. When they departed Acadia, they took their favorite game, Hazard, along. The Cajuns broke down the game and made it fair mathematically. It is believed that the Cajuns changed the name to craps, which was gotten from the term for the non-winning throw of snake-eyes in the game of Hazard, known as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game extended to the Mississippi river boats and throughout the country. Many consider the dice maker John H. Winn as the creator of current craps. In the early 1900s, Winn designed the current craps setup. He added the Don’t Pass line so players can wager on the dice to lose. Later, he created the spots for Place wagers and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.