Craps

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Dice and dice games date back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but current craps is approximately one hundred years old. Modern craps formed from the 12th Century Anglo game called Hazard. Nobody absolutely knows the origin of the game, but Hazard is said to have been created by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, in the twelfth century. It’s presumed that Sir William’s paladins bet on Hazard during a blockade on the fortress Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was derived from the castle’s name.

Early French colonizers imported the game Hazard to Nova Scotia. In the 18th century, when banished by the British, the French relocated down south and found sanctuary in the south of Louisiana where they at a later time became known as Cajuns. When they left Acadia, they brought their favorite game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns broke down the game and made it fair mathematically. It’s said that the Cajuns adjusted the name to craps, which was gotten from the term for the bad luck throw of snake-eyes in the game of Hazard, known as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game moved to the Mississippi river boats and all over the nation. Many acknowledge the dice maker John H. Winn as the creator of modern craps. In 1907, Winn designed the current craps layout. He put in place the Don’t Pass line so gamblers could bet on the dice to lose. Afterwords, he established the spaces for Place bets and added the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.