Craps TipsBeginner Craps Tips

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Games that use dice and the dice themselves date all the way back to the Crusades, but modern craps is only about a century old. Current craps formed from the ancient Anglo game called Hazard. No one absolutely knows the origin of the game, but Hazard is believed to have been made up by the Englishman, Sir William of Tyre, in the twelfth century. It’s believed that Sir William’s paladins wagered on Hazard through a siege on the castle Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was derived from the fortification’s name.

Early French colonizers imported the game Hazard to Canada. In the 1700s, when exiled by the British, the French relocated south and located safety in the south of Louisiana where they at a later time became known as Cajuns. When they departed Acadia, they brought their favorite game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns streamlined the game and made it mathematically fair. It is believed that the Cajuns altered the name to craps, which was acquired from the term for the bad luck throw of two in the game of Hazard, recognized as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game migrated to the Mississippi barges and across the country. A great many think the dice maker John H. Winn as the creator of current craps. In the early 1900s, Winn created the current craps layout. He created the Do not Pass line so players could wager on the dice to lose. At another time, he designed the spots for Place bets and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.