Learn to Play Craps – Hints and Techniques: The Past of Craps

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Dice and dice games goes back to the Crusades, but modern craps is approximately a century old. Current craps developed from the ancient Anglo game referred to as Hazard. Nobody knows for certain the beginnings of the game, but Hazard is said to have been invented by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, in the 12th century. It is supposed that Sir William’s horsemen played Hazard amid a blockade on the fortress Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was derived from the fortress’s name.

Early French colonizers imported the game Hazard to Canada. In the 18th century, when exiled by the English, the French headed south and found sanctuary in southern Louisiana where they eventually became known as Cajuns. When they fled Acadia, they took their favorite game, Hazard, along. The Cajuns simplified the game and made it fair mathematically. It is said that the Cajuns changed the name to craps, which is derived from the name of the non-winning toss of two in the game of Hazard, known as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game moved to the Mississippi scows and all over the nation. Many consider the dice maker John H. Winn as the creator of current craps. In 1907, Winn developed the current craps layout. He appended the Do not Pass line so gamblers can wager on the dice to not win. At another time, he created the spaces for Place bets and added the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.