Learn to Play Craps – Tips and Tactics: The Past of Craps

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Dice and dice games goes all the way back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but modern craps is only about 100 years old. Modern craps evolved from the 12th Century English game referred to as Hazard. No one knows for certain the birth of the game, but Hazard is said to have been created by the Englishman, Sir William of Tyre, in the 12th century. It’s believed that Sir William’s horsemen played Hazard through a siege on the fortress Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was acquired from the citadel’s name.

Early French colonists imported the game Hazard to Canada. In the 1700s, when exiled by the English, the French moved down south and discovered refuge in southern Louisiana where they at a later time became known as Cajuns. When they were driven out of Acadia, they took their preferred game, Hazard, along. The Cajuns modernized the game and made it more mathematically fair. It is believed that the Cajuns adjusted the title to craps, which is derived from the term for the bad luck throw of 2 in the game of Hazard, referred to as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game extended to the Mississippi scows and all over the nation. Many acknowledge the dice maker John H. Winn as the founder of current craps. In 1907, Winn assembled the modern craps setup. He created the Do not Pass line so gamblers can bet on the dice to lose. Afterwords, he invented the spots for Place wagers and added the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.