Craps

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Dice and dice games date back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but modern craps is only about one hundred years old. Modern craps evolved from the old Anglo game referred to as Hazard. Nobody knows for certain the origin of the game, but Hazard is said to have been created by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, around the twelfth century. It is presumed that Sir William’s paladins wagered on Hazard amid a blockade on the fortification Hazarth in 1125 AD. The title Hazard was derived from the citadel’s name.

Early French settlers brought the game Hazard to Nova Scotia. In the 1700s, when driven away by the English, the French headed south and settled in southern Louisiana where they eventually became Cajuns. When they departed Acadia, they brought their preferred game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns broke down the game and made it more mathematically fair. It is believed that the Cajuns changed the name to craps, which is derived from the term for the bad luck toss of two in the game of Hazard, referred to as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game moved to the Mississippi barges and throughout the country. A great many consider the dice maker John H. Winn as the father of current craps. In 1907, Winn assembled the modern craps layout. He added the Don’t Pass line so players could bet on the dice to lose. Later, he developed the boxes for Place bets and added the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.