Master Craps – Tips and Strategies: The History of Craps

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Dice and dice games goes all the way back to the Crusades, but modern craps is just about 100 years old. Modern craps come about from the ancient Anglo game referred to as Hazard. No one knows for certain the birth of the game, but Hazard is believed to have been invented by the Englishman, Sir William of Tyre, around the 12th century. It’s presumed that Sir William’s paladins enjoyed Hazard during a siege on the fortification 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 banished by the British, the French relocated south and located refuge in the south of Louisiana where they eventually became known as Cajuns. When they departed Acadia, they took their favored game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns streamlined the game and made it fair mathematically. It is said that the Cajuns altered the name to craps, which was derived 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 barges and throughout the nation. Many think the dice maker John H. Winn as the founder of modern craps. In 1907, Winn built the current craps setup. He created the Do not Pass line so gamblers could bet on the dice to not win. Later, he established the spaces for Place wagers and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.