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Dice and dice games goes back to the Crusades, but current craps is approximately a century old. Modern craps come about from the ancient Anglo game called Hazard. No one absolutely knows the beginnings of the game, but Hazard is believed to have been invented by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, sometime in the 12th century. It’s presumed that Sir William’s soldiers played Hazard during a siege on the fortification Hazarth in 1125 AD. The title Hazard was derived from the fortress’s name.
Early French colonizers brought the game Hazard to Canada. In the 1700s, when expelled by the British, the French moved south and found safety in southern Louisiana where they eventually became Cajuns. When they fled Acadia, they took their preferred game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns streamlined the game and made it mathematically fair. It’s said that the Cajuns adjusted the name to craps, which was gotten from the name of the bad luck toss of two in the game of Hazard, recognized as "crabs."
From Louisiana, the game extended to the Mississippi scows and throughout the nation. Most think the dice maker John H. Winn as the creator of current craps. In 1907, Winn designed the current craps layout. He created the Don’t Pass line so gamblers can bet on the dice to lose. Later, he designed the spaces for Place bets and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.