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

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Dice and dice games date all the way back to the Crusades, but modern craps is approximately 100 years old. Current craps developed from the 12th Century Anglo game referred to as Hazard. Nobody knows for certain the origin of the game, although Hazard is believed to have been created by the Englishman, Sir William of Tyre, in the 12th century. It is believed that Sir William’s paladins enjoyed Hazard through a siege on the citadel Hazarth in 1125 AD. The title Hazard was derived from the fortress’s name.

Early French colonizers imported the game Hazard to Acadia. In the 1700s, when driven away by the British, the French headed south and found sanctuary in southern Louisiana where they at a later time became known as Cajuns. When they left Acadia, they brought their favored game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns modernized the game and made it fair mathematically. It is believed that the Cajuns altered the title to craps, which is derived from the term for the bad luck toss of two in the game of Hazard, referred to as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game moved to the Mississippi scows and across the country. A good many think the dice builder John H. Winn as the founder of current craps. In 1907, Winn created the current craps layout. He added the Don’t Pass line so players can bet on the dice to lose. Afterwords, he designed the spots for Place bets and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.