Craps

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Dice and dice games date back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but modern craps is only about a century old. Modern craps formed from the ancient English game called Hazard. Nobody knows for certain the origin of the game, although Hazard is believed to have been made up by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, around the 12th century. It’s theorized that Sir William’s paladins enjoyed Hazard during a blockade on the fortification Hazarth in 1125 AD. The title Hazard was derived from the fortification’s name.

Early French colonizers imported the game Hazard to Acadia. In the 18th century, when banished by the English, the French headed down south and discovered safety in southern Louisiana where they a while later became known as Cajuns. When they were driven out of Acadia, they took their favored game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns simplified the game and made it mathematically fair. It is believed that the Cajuns adjusted the name to craps, which was acquired from the term for the bad luck toss of 2 in the game of Hazard, referred to as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game migrated to the Mississippi barges and throughout the nation. Most think the dice builder John H. Winn as the creator of modern craps. In the early 1900s, Winn designed the modern craps layout. He appended the Don’t Pass line so gamblers could wager on the dice to not win. Later, he invented the boxes for Place bets and added the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.