Craps Information

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Dice and dice games date back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but current craps is approximately 100 years old. Modern craps come about from the old Anglo game referred to as Hazard. No one knows for certain the beginnings of the game, however Hazard is believed to have been made up by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, in the 12th century. It is supposed that Sir William’s paladins bet on Hazard during a siege on the fortification Hazarth in 1125 AD. The title Hazard was derived from the fortification’s name.

Early French settlers imported the game Hazard to Acadia. In the 18th century, when banished by the British, the French moved down south and settled in southern Louisiana where they eventually became Cajuns. When they fled Acadia, they took their best-loved game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns simplified the game and made it more mathematically fair. It is said that the Cajuns altered the name to craps, which was acquired from the name of the losing throw of snake-eyes in the game of Hazard, recognized as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game migrated to the Mississippi scows and throughout the country. Many acknowledge the dice maker John H. Winn as the creator of current craps. In the early 1900s, Winn developed the modern craps setup. He created the Do not Pass line so players can bet on the dice to lose. Afterwords, he invented the spots for Place wagers and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.