Craps Tips

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Dice and dice games date back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but modern craps is approximately a century old. Current craps formed from the ancient Anglo game called Hazard. No one knows for sure the beginnings of the game, but Hazard is believed to have been created by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, in the 12th century. It is believed that Sir William’s paladins bet on Hazard during a siege on the fortress Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was derived from the fortification’s name.

Early French settlers brought the game Hazard to Nova Scotia. In the 1700s, when expelled by the English, the French relocated south and settled in the south of Louisiana where they at a later time became known as Cajuns. When they fled Acadia, they took 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 title to craps, which was acquired from the name of the losing throw of snake-eyes in the game of Hazard, known as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game migrated to the Mississippi riverboats and throughout the country. A great many acknowledge the dice maker John H. Winn as the founder of current craps. In the early 1900s, Winn designed the modern craps setup. He created the Do not Pass line so gamblers could bet on the dice to not win. Later, he invented the boxes for Place wagers and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.