Iron Cross Craps Strategy
There are several strategies you can put together when playing craps at casinos. One of the most popular just so happens to be the Iron Cross system. Our guide walks you through the strategy’s basics, explaining how it works, its effectiveness, as well as its potential setbacks.
Table of Content:
- Iron Cross Craps Strategy
The Iron Cross Strategy Explained
The Iron Cross strategy is meticulously designed to minimize your odds of losing and potentially deliver wins on every roll of the dice, except when a seven lands. This strategy involves placing bets on the Field and on numbers five, six, and eight in the Place section. Covering these numbers significantly improves your chances of success, as these bets account for most possible outcomes from a roll. The only loss occurs if you roll a seven, which isn’t covered.
Core Concept
The goal is to create a situation where the odds are overwhelmingly in your favour. To do so, you’ll need to place your bets in specific areas on the table. The first step is to place a bet on the Field, which will payout on numbers two, three, four, nine, 10, 11, and 12. Apart from that, you’ll also want to put bets on the Place numbers for five, six, and eight.
Place number bets give you a better payout than Field, so whenever one of these numbers hits, it offsets the loss of the Field bet. The best element of this strategy is the fact that you’ll land wins frequently, making for a more exciting and rewarding game. On the other hand, you will always lose on a seven – the game’s most common number. If this happens you get a loss on all your bets which means your bankroll takes a hit.
History and Origins
Craps players have been coming up with all sorts of tactics over the years and the Iron Cross strategy has been used by loads of players hoping to score short-term wins. The name itself comes from the structure of the craps table and the cross shape that your bets form on it.
The ‘iron’ part of the title is included as a reference to the strategy’s defensive nature since it’s designed to protect you from losing streaks. It may not be a foolproof system, but the Iron Cross strategy remains one of the most popular tactics in craps.
Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing the Iron Cross Strategy
The first step to implementing the Iron Cross strategy is the initial Pass Line bet. Although technically this isn’t directly part of the Iron Cross tactic, it’s a common starting point in the game. The initial Pass Line bet lets you play from the Come-Out Roll, so you’ll want to place it before the shooter’s first roll.
Should the shooter roll a seven or 11, you win the pass-line bet, and if they roll a two, three, or 12 you lose.
For any other number, that number becomes the point, but it isn’t directly involved in the Iron Cross strategy.
The next step is placing the Field bet. You can do this as soon as the point is established. The Field bet will cover numbers two, three, four, nine, 10, 11 and 12. Once this is done, you can move on to the Place bets on numbers five, six, and eight. That covers the entire setup, ensuring all the dice numbers have been covered – except for seven.
The Field bet provides a win that can cover its cost, but if you win the Place bet instead, you’ll get an even bigger payout.
The Mathematics Behind the Iron Cross
The entire thinking behind the Iron Cross strategy is based on understanding the probability and payouts in the game. When playing craps, you roll two dice, resulting in 36 possible outcomes. With the Iron Cross tactic, you cover 30 of these outcomes, giving you a high chance of landing a win (83.33%).
Although this high win rate may seem very attractive, bear in mind that payouts largely depend on the number you roll. The Place bets on five, six, and eight tend to pay 7:5 and 6:5, whereas the Field bet pays 1:1 on most of its numbers, as well as 2:1 and 3:1 for rolling a two or 12, respectively.
Of course, the house edge makes a difference here too. Although the Iron Cross system increases your chances of success it still has its limitations. Field bets have a house edge of about 5.56% and Place bets tend to have a house bet of 4% to 4.76%. The real issue comes with the number seven - the most likely outcome with a probability of 16.67%. This makes the number seven a very real threat as it can wipe out all of your bets in a single roll.
So, with all this in mind, you’ll want to assess the risks and rewards involved in the strategy. The frequent small wins you get from your bets can seem like a good idea, but they can also create a false sense of security. The importance of the number seven in craps cannot be understated and it will inevitably lead to a significant loss that can wipe out any small wins you previously earned.
The strategy is ultimately ideal for short-term play with players looking for a low-risk, high-engagement system that can potentially deliver some solid wins, as long as you steer clear of rolling seven.
Advantages of the Iron Cross Strategy
This tactic brings loads of different advantages to the craps table. The biggest advantage is the frequency of wins and payouts, as the strategy covers almost all possible outcomes, leading to small but consistent gains. It’s also a simple and easy-to-follow system that relies only on bets placed on the Field and Place numbers, making it suitable for both new and seasoned players.
The system is also very flexible and you can choose to drop whatever wagers you like on the Place and Field numbers. This makes it adaptable to different budgets and play styles, while also delivering a constant stream of action.
Potential Drawbacks of the Iron Cross Strategy
Despite its many advantages, the strategy also has some notable disadvantages. By not covering the number seven, you’re exposed to some significant losses and the potential of losing all bets if a seven shows up. This is quite a common outcome in craps and can easily knock out any previous small wins you may have accumulated.
Speaking of which, the wins you get from this strategy tend to be quite low, so this tactic is limited in terms of long-term profitability. You’ll also need to factor in the house edge since the bets involved in the system all come with house advantages that can gradually make dents in your bankroll and affect your potential profit.
Comparing the Iron Cross to Other Craps Strategies
In comparison to the Pass Line strategy, the Iron Cross strategy gives you more frequent wins, while also leaving you open to losses from the number seven. The Pass Line system is much simpler with a bigger focus on lower house edge wagers that give you less frequent, albeit bigger payouts.
It's also less aggressive than the Martingale strategy. In the Martingale system, you double your bets after losses, which means that a losing streak could spell disaster. The Iron Cross system is much steadier with more moderate bets that do not necessarily need to shift from one round to the next. Then again, the Martingale system lets you adequately recover losses more effectively should your bankroll allow for it.
Lastly, compared to the 3-Point Molly strategy, the Iron Cross is simpler and less strategic. The 3-Point Molly system involves placing multiple Come bets with odds that can yield higher payouts by leveraging odds bets more effectively. The Iron Cross may give you more consistent wins, but it lacks the chance to score the big wins you can get via the 3-Point Molly.
Iron Cross Craps Strategy FAQs
Is the Iron Cross the best strategy for craps?
There are several different strategies for craps and while the Iron Cross cannot be objectively the best one out there, it can work very well in short-term situations.
What is the smartest bet in craps?
The Pass Line bet is considered to be the smartest bet in craps.
What is the safest craps strategy?
The Craps Pass Line strategy is considered to be the safest system at the craps table.
What is the most profitable craps strategy?
While the most profitable craps strategy can vary from player to player, the Pass Line strategy is generally considered the most profitable.
What is the strategy for always winning in craps?
There is no foolproof strategy for always winning in craps, but the Iron Cross system is the best way to ensure frequent and consistent wins.
What is the riskiest bet in craps?
Betting on the number seven is considered the riskiest bet in craps.
What is the bet to hit all numbers in craps?
In craps, the bet that covers all numbers is the Bonus Craps bet.
How to win at craps with a small bankroll?
The Iron Cross system is effective for a small bankroll, as it spreads out your chances of success and results in smaller, more consistent wins.