Craps Information

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Dice and dice games goes all the way back to the Crusades, but current craps is just about a century old. Current craps developed from the 12th Century Anglo game called Hazard. No one knows for certain the ancestry of the game, although Hazard is said to have been made up by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, around the 12th century. It is believed that Sir William’s horsemen enjoyed Hazard amid a blockade on the citadel Hazarth in 1125 AD. The title Hazard was acquired from the fortress’s name.

Early French settlers brought the game Hazard to Canada. In the 18th century, when expelled by the British, the French relocated south and settled in southern Louisiana where they a while later became Cajuns. When they fled Acadia, they took their favorite game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns broke down the game and made it fair mathematically. It is said that the Cajuns altered the title to craps, which is acquired from the name of the bad luck throw of two in the game of Hazard, known as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game migrated to the Mississippi riverboats and throughout the nation. A few consider the dice maker John H. Winn as the creator of current craps. In the early 1900s, Winn developed the modern craps setup. He appended the Do not Pass line so players can wager on the dice to not win. At another time, he designed the spots for Place wagers and added the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.