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Dice and dice games goes back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but modern craps is only about 100 years old. Current craps evolved from the ancient Anglo game referred to as Hazard. No one absolutely knows the origin of the game, although Hazard is said to have been discovered by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, in the 12th century. It is supposed that Sir William’s knights gambled on Hazard amid a siege on the citadel Hazarth in 1125 AD. The title Hazard was derived from the castle’s name.
Early French settlers imported the game Hazard to Canada. In the 18th century, when banished by the British, the French headed south and discovered sanctuary in southern Louisiana where they eventually became Cajuns. When they fled Acadia, they took their preferred game, Hazard, along. The Cajuns broke down the game and made it fair mathematically. It is believed that the Cajuns adjusted the title to craps, which is derived from the term for the losing throw of 2 in the game of Hazard, recognized as "crabs."
From Louisiana, the game extended to the Mississippi scows and all over the country. Most think the dice maker John H. Winn as the father of current craps. In 1907, Winn developed the modern craps layout. He put in place the Don’t Pass line so players can bet on the dice to lose. Later, he developed the spaces for Place wagers and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.