Master Craps – Tips and Techniques: The History of Craps

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Dice and dice games goes back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but current craps is approximately one hundred years old. Modern craps formed from the old English game called Hazard. Nobody absolutely knows the origin of the game, although Hazard is believed to have been created by the Englishman, Sir William of Tyre, sometime in the 12th century. It is presumed that Sir William’s knights enjoyed Hazard amid a blockade on the fortification Hazarth in 1125 AD. The title Hazard was acquired from the fortification’s name.

Early French colonizers imported the game Hazard to Acadia. In the 1700s, when expelled by the British, the French moved south and discovered sanctuary in southern Louisiana where they at a later time became known as Cajuns. When they fled Acadia, they brought their best-loved game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns simplified the game and made it fair mathematically. It is believed that the Cajuns altered the name to craps, which was acquired from the term for the losing throw of two in the game of Hazard, recognized as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game extended to the Mississippi scows and throughout the nation. A few consider the dice builder John H. Winn as the founder of current craps. In 1907, Winn designed the current craps layout. He put in place the Don’t Pass line so players could bet on the dice to not win. At another time, he invented the spaces for Place wagers and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.