Craps

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Dice and dice games date all the way back to the Crusades, but current craps is only about 100 years old. Current craps developed from the ancient Anglo game called Hazard. No one absolutely knows the origin of the game, although Hazard is believed to have been discovered by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, in the 12th century. It is supposed that Sir William’s soldiers played Hazard through a blockade on the castle Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was derived from the fortress’s name.

Early French colonists brought the game Hazard to Nova Scotia. In the 18th century, when driven away by the British, the French relocated south and found safety in southern Louisiana where they a while later became known as Cajuns. When they were driven out of Acadia, they took their preferred game, Hazard, along. The Cajuns simplified the game and made it mathematically fair. It’s said that the Cajuns adjusted the title to craps, which is gotten from the term for the non-winning toss of snake-eyes in the game of Hazard, known as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game migrated to the Mississippi river boats and throughout the country. A good many consider the dice maker John H. Winn as the creator of current craps. In 1907, Winn developed the current craps setup. He created the Do not Pass line so gamblers could bet on the dice to not win. Later, he designed the boxes for Place wagers and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.