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

Games that use dice and the dice themselves goes back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but modern craps is only about a century old. Current craps come about from the 12th Century English game called Hazard. No one knows for sure the origin of the game, although Hazard is believed to have been discovered by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, sometime in the 12th century. It’s believed that Sir William’s paladins played Hazard amid a siege on the fortification Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was acquired from the castle’s name.

Early French colonists brought the game Hazard to Nova Scotia. In the 18th century, when banished by the British, the French relocated 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 streamlined the game and made it fair mathematically. It’s said that the Cajuns adjusted the title to craps, which is derived from the term for the losing toss of 2 in the game of Hazard, known as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game extended to the Mississippi riverboats and throughout the nation. A few consider the dice builder John H. Winn as the founder of modern craps. In 1907, Winn designed the current craps layout. He appended the Do not Pass line so players can bet on the dice to lose. At another time, he created the spaces for Place wagers and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.

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