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Be cunning, play smart, and become versed in craps the proper way!

Dice and dice games date back to the Crusades, but current craps is just about a century old. Current craps formed from the old English game called Hazard. Nobody knows for certain the origin of the game, however Hazard is believed to have been created by the Englishman, Sir William of Tyre, sometime in the twelfth century. It’s presumed that Sir William’s horsemen played Hazard through a siege on the fortification Hazarth in 1125 AD. The title Hazard was acquired from the fortification’s name.

Early French settlers brought the game Hazard to Nova Scotia. In the 18th century, when banished by the British, the French relocated down south and settled in southern Louisiana where they a while later became Cajuns. When they fled Acadia, they took their favorite game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns streamlined the game and made it mathematically fair. It’s said that the Cajuns adjusted the name to craps, which was acquired from the name of the bad luck toss of snake-eyes in the game of Hazard, recognized as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game extended to the Mississippi riverboats and throughout the nation. Many consider the dice builder John H. Winn as the father of modern craps. In 1907, Winn assembled the current craps layout. He appended the Do not Pass line so players could bet on the dice to lose. Later, he established the boxes for Place wagers and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.

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