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The Iron Cross

Updated September 23, 2026 · How we simulate

The Iron Cross loses about $52 per hour on average at a $15 table (100 rolls, $15 field + place 5, 6, 8 ($66)). You finish ahead in 42% of hours, and it ranks #11 of 11 popular strategies for lowest cost.

Field bet plus Place bets on the 5, 6 and 8, so every number but 7 wins you something. We ran it through 200,000 simulated hour-long sessions (100 rolls each, $15 table, real casino payouts) to see what actually happens.

The verdictYou'll win on most rolls, but the Iron Cross is one of the most expensive popular strategies, because it pays the field edge on every roll. Fun for short sessions; costly for long ones.
Average result per hour−$52
Sessions you finish ahead42%
Typical hour (middle 80%)−$372 to $267
Hours down $500 at some point5.9%

How the Iron Cross works

Once a point is set, bet $15 on the Field and place the 5 ($15), 6 ($18) and 8 ($18), for $66 total. The Field covers 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 and 12, and your Place bets cover 5, 6 and 8. Every number except 7 is a winner.

That feels unbeatable, but a 7 wipes out all four bets at once, and you're paying the field's 2.78% edge on every single roll plus 4% on the 5. Winning almost every roll isn't the same as winning money.

Bets: $15 field + place 5, 6, 8 ($66).

What 200,000 simulated hours look like

−$636 to −$588−$588 to −$540−$540 to −$492−$492 to −$445−$445 to −$397−$397 to −$349−$349 to −$301−$301 to −$253−$253 to −$205−$205 to −$157−$157 to −$109−$109 to −$62−$62 to −$14−$14 to $34$34 to $82$82 to $130$130 to $178$178 to $226$226 to $274$274 to $322$322 to $369$369 to $417$417 to $465$465 to $513break even−$636$513
Each bar is a range of results for one hour (100 rolls). Green bars are winning hours, red are losing hours.
OutcomeResult
Average (what it costs you over time)−$52
Median hour−$51
Bad hour (1 in 10 are worse)−$372
Good hour (1 in 10 are better)$267
Best 1% of hours$513 or more
Worst 1% of hours−$636 or worse

Out of the 11 strategies we've simulated, the Iron Cross ranks #11 for lowest average cost per hour. See the full ranking.

Watch the Iron Cross play one hour. 100 real-odds rolls on autopilot in about 20 seconds, then see how your hour compares with 200,000 simulated ones.

⚡ Run it nowPlay it yourself

How we tested it

Each session is 100 rolls (about an hour at a busy table) starting on a new shooter, using standard Vegas rules: 3-4-5x odds, casino payouts rounded down, place bets off on the come-out, and a $5,000 table max. At the end of the hour we stop betting, take down removable bets and let contract bets finish. "Down $500" counts any point in the hour where the session was $500 behind. Dice come from a cryptographic random generator. Results are practice estimates, not predictions.

Other strategies

Pass Line with Max Odds−$6 avg per hour · wins 48% of sessionsDon't Pass with Lay Odds−$6 avg per hour · wins 48% of sessionsBuy the 4 and 10−$11 avg per hour · wins 45% of sessions$44 Inside with Regression−$14 avg per hour · wins 47% of sessionsPlace 6 & 8, Collect One, Press One−$16 avg per hour · wins 38% of sessionsThe 3-Point Molly−$16 avg per hour · wins 48% of sessions

Common questions

Does the Iron Cross win on every roll except 7?

Yes. You win something on 83% of point rolls. But the win on a field roll is small and a 7 takes $66 at once, so the math still favors the house.

Why is the Iron Cross expensive?

The field bet resolves every roll at a 2.78% edge (5.56% if 12 only pays double). Over 70-plus point rolls an hour, that adds up fast.

Is there a cheaper version?

Yes. Dropping the field and keeping just the 6 and 8 cuts the cost dramatically. See our Place 6 & 8 page.