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

Dice and dice games goes back to the Crusades, but modern craps is just about a century old. Modern craps developed from the old English game called Hazard. Nobody knows for sure the origin of the game, although Hazard is said to have been made up by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, in the 12th century. It’s supposed that Sir William’s soldiers enjoyed Hazard amid a blockade on the fortification Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was derived from the fortification’s name.

Early French colonizers imported the game Hazard to Nova Scotia. In the 18th century, when banished by the British, the French relocated south and located safety in southern Louisiana where they at a later time became Cajuns. When they departed Acadia, they brought their favorite game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns simplified the game and made it more mathematically fair. It is believed that the Cajuns altered the title to craps, which was derived from the name of the non-winning throw of 2 in the game of Hazard, referred to as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game extended to the Mississippi riverboats and all over the nation. Most think the dice maker John H. Winn as the founder of current craps. In the early 1900s, Winn designed the modern craps setup. He put in place the Don’t Pass line so players could bet on the dice to lose. At another time, he created the spots for Place bets and added the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.