Craps

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Dice and dice games date all the way back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but current craps is just about one hundred years old. Current craps come about from the 12th Century Anglo game called Hazard. No one absolutely knows the birth of the game, but 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 bet on Hazard amid a blockade on the fortress Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was acquired from the fortress’s name.

Early French colonists brought the game Hazard to Nova Scotia. In the 1700s, when exiled by the British, the French headed down south and settled in the south of Louisiana where they eventually became Cajuns. When they departed Acadia, they brought their favored game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns simplified the game and made it mathematically fair. It is said that the Cajuns altered the title to craps, which is derived from the term for the bad luck throw of 2 in the game of Hazard, known as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game moved to the Mississippi riverboats and across the country. A good many think the dice maker John H. Winn as the creator of modern craps. In 1907, Winn built the current craps setup. He added the Don’t Pass line so gamblers could bet on the dice to lose. At another time, he established the spots for Place wagers and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.