Sic Bo – Rules Strategy & Tips
Sic Bo has a number of alternative names including tai sai, dai siu, big and small and hi-lo. It is played with 3 dice and players bet on the outcome of a single roll of these. Sic Bo is most popular in Asia and is played in most casinos in Macau. Many online sites also offer this table game.
In our Sic Bo article, we will explain the following. You may click on any of the links below to bring you to that point within the article.
How To Play Sic Bo
Players need to place a bet on certain areas of the table, an example of which is shown below. The Dealer is responsible for throwing the dice, unlike other dice games such as Craps where Players themselves roll. The dice are normally contained within a small chest in land-based casinos, the Dealer shakes this chest and opens it to reveal the outcome.
Example of the layout of a Sic Bo table
It is easy to see why Sic Bo and Craps are compared, but Sic Bo is strictly a game of chance as every roll of the dice results in a win or loss of the bet as opposed to Craps which has some bets that need certain rolls before the outcome is known therefore adding an element of skill and strategy to it.
Sic Bo Betting Options
| Type | Description of Bet | Probability | Odds* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big | The Dice total will be between 11 and 17 inc, with the exception of a ‘Triple’ | 48.6% | 1 to 1 |
| Small | The Dice total will be between 4 and 10 inc, with the exception of a ‘Triple’ | 48.6% | 1 to 1 |
| Odd | The Dice total will be an Odd number, with the exception of a ‘Triple’ | 48.6% | 1 to 1 |
| Even | The Dice total will be an Even number, with the exception of a ‘Triple’ | 48.6% | 1 to 1 |
| Specific ‘Triple’s/’All’s | The number chosen will appear on all 3 Dice | 0.46% | 180 to 1 |
| Specific ‘Double’s | The number chosen will appear on 2 OR 3 of the Dice | 7.41% | 10 to 1 |
| Any ‘Triple’/’All’ | All 3 Dice will be of equal value | 2.8% | 30 to 1 |
| Three Dice Total | 4 or 17 | 1.4% | 60 to 1 |
| 5 or 16 | 2.8% | 30 to 1 | |
| 6 or 15 | 4.6% | 18 to 1 | |
| 7 or 14 | 6.9% | 12 to 1 | |
| 8 or 13 | 9.7% | 8 to 1 | |
| 9 or 12 | 11.6% | 7 to 1 | |
| 10 or 11 | 12.5% | 6 to 1 | |
| Dice Combinations | 2 of the Dice will show the Specific Combination, such as a2 and a 3 | 13.9% | 6 to 1 |
| Single Dice Bet | The Specific number will appear on 1, 2 or 3 Dice | 1: 34.72% 2: 6.94% 3: 0.46% | 1: 1 to 1 2: 2 to 1 3: 3 to 1 |
| 4 Number Combination | Any 3 numbers of the Specific Combination will appear, such as 6, 5, 3 and 2 | 11.1% | 7 to 1 |
| 3 Single Number Combination | The Dice will have the Specific Combination of 3 different numbers | 2.8% | 30 to 1 |
| Specific Single/Double Combo | 2 of the Dice will show a Specific Double and the 3rd will be a different number | 1.4% | 50 to 1 |
*The odds can differ from casino to casino both online and offline, the above is just a guideline. *The most common bets tend to be Big and Small.
Sic Bo Rules
The rules of Sic Bo are fairly straightforward, although there are a lot of different betting options that are outlined below.
The object of the game is to guess the total of 3 dice rolled by the Dealer. You can choose the amount you wish to bet for each roll and every bet is settled after one roll, unlike another popular dice game found in casinos, Craps, where some bets can last for several rolls. Like Craps though, you can make several bets for each roll of the dies.
Sic Bo Tips
Shop around
Like many casino games, not all casinos are equal when it comes to payout amounts. If you want to play Sic Bo, we recommend you check a few of our recommended sites to ensure you play at the casino where you get the highest payout for the particular kind of bet that you wish to place.
Understand the game
Although Sic Bo isn’t a hard game to learn, it can take a long time to master as there are so many different types of bets available to you. You can make several different bets for each roll and vary the amount you bet, so it is imperative that you learn the types of bets and most importantly the ‘house edge’ – the amount the casino themselves expect to make on each bet.
In Sic Bo, this varies depending on each bet, from around 2.78% for the Small and Big bets up to 16% for some others. The smaller the ‘house edge’, the better for you, the player.
Vary your bets
Although the Small and Big bets carry the best odds for the player, it can get a bit monotonous playing the same bets on each roll.
A good way to increase the excitement is to mix up your bets a bit, there are lots of different bets you can place in Sic Bo with different requirements, odds, and payouts. Doing this will make your experience more fun, which is an important part of playing at any casino.
Practice for free until you get the hang of Sic Bo
Many of our recommended casinos allow you to try games for free chips before investing your own money. This is a great way to learn a new game, especially one like Sic Bo that has many different options before you start playing with your own money.
Beginners Strategy
As Sic Bo is very much a game of chance, it is hard to get a Strategy in place which will enhance the chance of you winning by reducing the House Edge. Having said that, there are always a few do’s and don’ts with any Casino game, and Sic Bo is no different…
Patience is key! As Sic Bo relies on pure luck, the defensive approach of betting on the higher odds but lower return style bets is a good place to start. This tends to allow you to keep your bankroll for longer and maximise your chance of walking away with a profit. This is why the Small and Big bet types are the favourite ones for most Sic Bo players.
With these Bet types, the odds are 1 to 1 so it maximises your chances of winning even though betting on a single number can get you a higher return.
As the odds increase for less likely bets, the House Edge increases too meaning you are less likely to walk away with a profit in the short term unless your luck is in.
Combination Bets
These Bet types are in 2 specific numbers to be rolled. There is a small advantage of around 2.75% on these types of bets, and although this is a relatively small amount, it is worth considering to include it in your strategy. For best results, you should use these bets often and if you manage to master it, you can see a consistent payout which other casino games and Sic Bo bet types can’t offer.
Advanced Strategy
If you have mastered the above and are looking for ways to win at higher odds, try these options. Please remember that as Sic Bo is a game of pure luck, there is no guaranteed way to make money from it and the players will always need luck on their side to make a profit.
The numbers that give you the best possible chance tend to be 9 and 12 as they have a payout closest to their probability – payouts of 6 to 1 and odds against of 15 to 2.
We recommend you place a bet on your chosen total and then combine it with 3 double beds. You should always choose doubles that have a chance of coming in if your chosen total loses to cover all eventualities.
For example, a double 1 won’t come in if your chosen total is 9 and double 6 won’t come in if your total is 12.
If you bet on 9, try 3 units on 9 as the total and 2 units on double 1, 5 and 6. You will get back 21 units if 9 wins from a 9 unit bet and 22 units if any of the doubles win.
Similarly, if you prefer to bet on 12, place a 3 unit bet on 12 being the total and 2 unit bets on double 1, 2 and 6.
The unit should be something affordable to you and within your specific budget.
Conclusion
All casino games carry an element of luck, none more so than Sic Bo. For that reason, it isn’t the most popular game in the casino, but if you want to try something different which has a variety of bets and outcomes, give Sic Bo a try.
More information on playing at casinos on the internet can be found in our FAQ section
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