Be cunning, play clever, and become versed in craps the correct way!
Dice and dice games date all the way back to the Crusades, but modern craps is only about one hundred years old. Current craps formed from the ancient Anglo game referred to as Hazard. Nobody absolutely knows the beginnings of the game, but Hazard is said to have been made up by the Englishman, Sir William of Tyre, around the 12th century. It is theorized that Sir William’s knights played Hazard amid a blockade on the fortress Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was derived from the fortification’s name.
Early French colonists imported the game Hazard to Acadia. In the 18th century, when expelled by the English, the French moved south and located refuge in southern Louisiana where they a while later became known as Cajuns. When they left Acadia, they took their favorite game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns streamlined the game and made it fair mathematically. It’s said that the Cajuns altered the name to craps, which was gotten from the term for the losing throw of two in the game of Hazard, recognized as "crabs."
From Louisiana, the game migrated to the Mississippi river boats and across the nation. A few think the dice builder John H. Winn as the creator of current craps. In 1907, Winn assembled the current craps setup. He created the Don’t Pass line so players could bet on the dice to not win. Later, he designed the spots for Place wagers and added the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.