Craps is a table game that has been around for over a century. And if you want a safe and reasonably fool-proof betting system to use, the Iron Cross might be for you.

The Iron Cross plan works a little like the Cover the Table bet in roulette. A wager is placed on almost every possible outcome other than the 7.

But can the player come out on top covering so many numbers at once? Let's take a closer look.

How the Iron Cross betting system works

Online craps is a straight forward casino dice game that can seem confusing to newcomers, but is actually simple once you've had a few games.

The idea is simple: players bet on the total displayed on two dice.

But first, a 'Come Out' roll must be made and a 'Point' value set. The Point can be 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. The dice are then rolled again until the same Point - or a 7 - is rolled. The process then starts again.

The Iron Cross system is a combination bet on two sets of numbers: the Field (2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 and 12), plus Place wagers on 5, 6, and 8 (a Place is a bet that one of these totals will appear before a 7).

Effectively, every single number except the 7 is covered in a single wager. If a 7 appears, you lose everything. If you hit any other total, you are looking at a win.

Iron Cross payouts

FIELD BETS

Totals covered: 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11

Payout: 1/1

Totals covered: 2

Payout: 2/1

Totals covered: 12

Payout: 3/1

PLACE BETS

Totals covered: 6 or 8

Payout: 7/6

Total covered: 5

Payout: 7/5

Using the Iron Cross plan in practice: making bets 

Because of the different payouts of the numbers covered in the Iron Cross, the stakes must also be altered. For example, the bet on the Field will be less than the amount wagered on the 5, 6, and 8.

Let's say you are betting with a unit of £10.

A full £10 is placed on the field, and another £10 on 5.

Then 1.2 units (£12) each would be placed on 6 and 8, so the total bet is £44.

Let's have a look at a series of rolls to see how the profits stack up.

While it seems like there is a large stake compared to the returns, remember that as long as a 7 isn't rolled, the player wins.

If a Field bet wins (like Roll #1 above), the Place bets will remain in place. By Roll #4, the Place bet has come in for a nice £14 return.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Iron Cross system 

The biggest advantage of the Iron Cross is that it helps reduce the overall house edge.

With so many numbers covered, the house edge is reduced to around 1.14% for players.

When backing the 6 and 8, that rises to 1.52%. That's quite a substantial difference.

Remember, though, that a 7 is the most frequent outcome in Craps. There are so many combinations of 7 that it comes up more often than you might think.

The Iron Cross system's biggest drawback is that it is meant to be used as a one-off bet. It doesn't really lend itself to long betting sessions.

That's why long-term Craps players will go for a progression system over a cover-the-table plan like the Iron Cross.

Play the Iron Cross betting method online 

Like all cover-the-table systems, there are risks involved with the Iron Cross plan. But you can try the system for free at the Betway Casino tables.

Help reduce the house edge and see if the Iron Cross system can work in your favour when you next try Craps.