Master Craps – Tricks and Plans: The History of Craps
Be cunning, play clever, and pickup craps the correct way!
Dice and dice games goes back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but modern craps is approximately a century old. Current craps come about from the 12th Century English game called Hazard. No one absolutely knows the birth of the game, although Hazard is said to have been invented by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, in the 12th century. It’s believed that Sir William’s knights wagered on Hazard through a siege on the fortification Hazarth in 1125 AD. The title Hazard was derived from the fortress’s name.
Early French settlers brought the game Hazard to Nova Scotia. In the 18th century, when exiled by the English, the French moved down south and settled in the south of Louisiana where they eventually became Cajuns. When they were driven out of Acadia, they brought their favorite game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns modernized the game and made it mathematically fair. It’s said that the Cajuns altered the title to craps, which was acquired from the term for the non-winning toss of two in the game of Hazard, known as "crabs."
From Louisiana, the game moved to the Mississippi riverboats and across the country. A good many consider the dice builder John H. Winn as the father of modern craps. In 1907, Winn built the current craps layout. He appended the Don’t Pass line so gamblers can bet on the dice to not win. At another time, he developed the spots for Place wagers and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.
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