Craps Information

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Dice and dice games goes all the way back to the Crusades, but current craps is approximately 100 years old. Current craps developed from the ancient English game referred to as Hazard. No one absolutely knows the beginnings of the game, although Hazard is believed to have been created by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, sometime in the 12th century. It’s presumed that Sir William’s horsemen played Hazard amid a siege on the fortress Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was derived from the fortress’s name.

Early French colonizers brought the game Hazard to Nova Scotia. In the 1700s, when displaced by the English, the French headed south and discovered safety in southern Louisiana where they eventually became known as Cajuns. When they left Acadia, they took their favorite game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns streamlined the game and made it mathematically fair. It is believed that the Cajuns altered the name to craps, which was acquired from the name of the bad luck throw of two in the game of Hazard, known as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game extended to the Mississippi riverboats and all over the country. A good many think the dice maker John H. Winn as the father of modern craps. In 1907, Winn created the modern craps layout. He put in place the Do not Pass line so players could wager on the dice to not win. Later, he invented the spots for Place bets and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.