[ English ]

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

Games that use dice and the dice themselves date all the way back to the Crusades, but modern craps is approximately a century old. Current craps formed from the ancient Anglo game called Hazard. No one knows for sure the beginnings of the game, but Hazard is believed to have been discovered by the Englishman, Sir William of Tyre, in the 12th century. It’s presumed that Sir William’s knights wagered on Hazard during a blockade on the castle Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was derived from the fortification’s name.

Early French settlers brought the game Hazard to Nova Scotia. In the 18th century, when expelled by the British, the French headed south and settled in southern Louisiana where they eventually became known as Cajuns. When they left Acadia, they brought their favorite game, Hazard, along. The Cajuns modernized the game and made it more mathematically fair. It’s said that the Cajuns adjusted the title to craps, which is derived from the name of the non-winning toss of snake-eyes in the game of Hazard, referred to as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game moved to the Mississippi barges and all over the country. A good many consider the dice maker John H. Winn as the father of modern craps. In the early 1900s, Winn designed the modern craps layout. He added the Don’t Pass line so players can bet on the dice to not win. Later, he created the boxes for Place wagers and added the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.