22
October
Written by Yair.
Posted in: Craps
Be smart, play cunning, and pickup craps the correct way!
Dice and dice games date back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but current craps is only about one hundred years old. Modern craps evolved from the 12th Century Anglo game called Hazard. Nobody absolutely knows the origin of the game, however Hazard is believed to have been invented by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, around the 12th century. It is theorized that Sir William’s soldiers wagered on Hazard during a blockade on the fortification Hazarth in 1125 AD. The title Hazard was acquired from the fortress’s name.
Early French settlers brought the game Hazard to Canada. In the 18th century, when banished by the British, the French headed down south and found refuge in southern Louisiana where they eventually became Cajuns. When they fled Acadia, they brought their favorite game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns simplified the game and made it mathematically fair. It’s believed that the Cajuns altered the name to craps, which is acquired from the name of the non-winning throw of 2 in the game of Hazard, recognized as "crabs."
From Louisiana, the game extended to the Mississippi riverboats and throughout the country. Many think the dice builder John H. Winn as the founder of current craps. In 1907, Winn developed the current craps layout. He put in place the Don’t Pass line so players could bet on the dice to lose. At another time, he developed the spaces for Place wagers and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.
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