Craps Strategies

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Dice and dice games date all the way back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but current craps is just about a century old. Current craps evolved from the ancient Anglo game called Hazard. No one absolutely knows the origin of the game, however Hazard is believed to have been created by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, sometime in the 12th century. It is presumed that Sir William’s knights enjoyed Hazard during a siege on the fortress Hazarth in 1125 AD. The title Hazard was acquired from the fortification’s name.

Early French colonists brought the game Hazard to Nova Scotia. In the 1700s, when displaced by the British, the French relocated south and found sanctuary in the south of Louisiana where they eventually became known as Cajuns. When they departed Acadia, they took their favorite game, Hazard, along. The Cajuns streamlined the game and made it fair mathematically. It is said that the Cajuns altered the title to craps, which is acquired from the term for the losing throw of two in the game of Hazard, recognized as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game moved to the Mississippi riverboats and throughout the country. Many consider the dice maker John H. Winn as the father of current craps. In 1907, Winn designed the modern craps setup. He put in place the Do not Pass line so players could bet on the dice to not win. Later, he created the spots for Place wagers and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.