Be cunning, play cunning, and learn how to play craps the proper way!
Dice and dice games goes back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but modern craps is only about 100 years old. Modern craps evolved from the 12th Century English game referred to as Hazard. Nobody absolutely knows the origin of the game, although Hazard is said to have been discovered by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, around the 12th century. It is presumed that Sir William’s knights wagered on Hazard during a blockade on the citadel Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was derived from the fortress’s name.
Early French colonists imported the game Hazard to Acadia. In the 18th century, when expelled by the British, the French headed down south and settled in southern Louisiana where they a while later became known as Cajuns. When they left Acadia, they took their favored game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns simplified the game and made it fair mathematically. It is said that the Cajuns changed the name to craps, which was gotten from the name of the losing throw of 2 in the game of Hazard, known as "crabs."
From Louisiana, the game moved to the Mississippi riverboats and throughout the nation. Most acknowledge the dice builder John H. Winn as the creator of modern craps. In 1907, Winn built the current craps layout. He put in place the Do not Pass line so players can wager on the dice to not win. Later, he developed the spaces for Place bets and added the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.