Craps Tips

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Games that use dice and the dice themselves date all the way back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but modern craps is approximately a century old. Modern craps formed from the ancient English game called Hazard. No one absolutely knows the beginnings of the game, although Hazard is said to have been created by the Englishman, Sir William of Tyre, in the twelfth century. It is theorized that Sir William’s knights wagered on Hazard during a blockade on the fortress Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was acquired from the citadel’s name.

Early French colonists brought the game Hazard to Canada. In the 18th century, when exiled by the English, the French headed south and discovered refuge in southern Louisiana where they a while later became known as Cajuns. When they fled Acadia, they took their preferred game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns streamlined the game and made it fair mathematically. It’s said that the Cajuns altered the title to craps, which was acquired from the name of the bad luck throw of two in the game of Hazard, recognized as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game extended to the Mississippi riverboats and throughout the country. A few think the dice builder John H. Winn as the founder of current craps. In 1907, Winn assembled the current craps setup. He put in place the Do not Pass line so gamblers can bet on the dice to not win. At another time, he established the spots for Place bets and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.