How to Play Sic Bo and 7 Betting Types

How to Play Sic Bo

Even though becomes one of popular casino game, there are many players who still don’t know how to play Sic Bo. It is a dice game of ancient Chinese and translates as “Precious Dice”. It was brought to the USA at the beginning of the 20th century by the Chinese immigrants. 

Over the years, Sic Bo has become a staple at most online casinos that are licensed by PAGCOR and land-based casinos, along with that other popular dice game which is Craps. As there are lots of people who are still unfamiliar with the rules of this casino game, in this article we will explain the details of Sic Bo for you. 

What is Sic Bo?

Sic Bo Definition
Sic Bo Definition

Before we get into how to play Sic Bo, it is a game of chance that can be played with 3 dice. As it is originally from China and sometimes gets referred to as Dai Siu, Tai Sai, Hi-Lo, or even the Big and Small game. This is also one of only two casino games that includes dice as the main tool. 

The original Sic Bo is most popular in Asia, especially in Macau casinos. However, with the internet technology, all players can play it online at the best e-wallet Casino Malaysia no matter where you are. It also includes variants like the US version Chuch-a-Luck and an English version Grand Hazard. 

How to Play Sic Bo Online and at Land-Based Casino

Learning how to play Sic Bo is actually easy, however, once you look at the table, it may make you feel very lost. Same to the table layouts of craps and roulette, the layout of this game table can look complicated but it is not that hard to learn the Sic Bo rules. 

It is even easier when you play online as you will see in this article. The main objective of Sic Bo is not that different from other casino games. It also involves betting on a specific dice outcome, same with the craps. 

Sic Bo will typically go like this:

  • Make a bet by putting chips on the areas that depict the result you want to bet on
  • On how to play Sic Bo, the dealer will shake three dice closed in any small chest (in online version, the software game will do a virtual dice “roll” and reveals their random results)
  • You will win for each number or total you have predicted, and lose if your predictions are wrong

Sic Bo Betting Types

The basic gameplay on how to play Sic Bo is extremely simple. You can bet upon the result of 3 dice rolled by the dealer. A board will show various different betting options, and a bet is placed by playing your betting token on the relevant rounds of the board. Let’s look at some betting options when you play Sic Bo online. 

1. Big and Small Bets

Big and Small Bets
Big and Small Bets

When you make your bet on Big, you will hope that the total of the three dice will total between 11 and 17 points (remember that rolling three sixes will not result in a winning when making this bet). 

On the other hand, placing a bet on Small is a bet that the total on Small is a bet that the total of the 3 dice will make 4 to 10. Again, rolling a triple one will not guarantee you win the Small bet.

Payout1/1
Probability of Winning48.61%
House Edge2.78%*

2. Specific Triples Bet

Specific Triples Bet
Specific Triples Bet

A Specific Triple (or “Alls) bet on how to play Sic Bo is one in which the player bets that a specific number will appear on all 3 cards like three sixes. 

Payout180/1
Probability of Winning0.46%
House Edge16.2%*

3. Any Triples Bet

Any Triples Bet
Any Triples Bet

Any Triples is known as a bet that any triple will be rolled, from three one through the three sixes. 

Payout30/1
Probability of Winning2.8%
House Edge13.9%*

4. Doubles Bet

Doubles Bet
Doubles Bet

Specific Doubles on how to play Sic Bo is a bet that at least two of the dice rolled will reveal a particular number.

Payout10/1
Probability of Winning7.41%
House Edge18.5%*

5. Dice Combination Bet

Dice Combination Bet
Dice Combination Bet

You can also decide to bet on a Dice Combination, that is a bet in which two selected (different) numbers will appear when the dice are rolled like a two and a six. 

Payout6/1
Probability of Winning2.8%
House Edge13.9%*

6. Three Dice Total Bet

Three Dice Total
Three Dice Total

One of the most popular bets on how to play Sic Bo is Three Dice Total, where players try to predict the exact total of the three dice. Generally speaking some totals are much more likely to appear than others, the house ranges from 9.7% – 15.3% based on which number you choose. 

The Total
Number
PayoutProbability of
Winnings
The House
Edge
10/116/112.5%12.5%
9/127/111.6%7.4%
8/138/19.7%12.5%
7/1412/16.9%9.7%
6/1518/14.6%12%
5/1630/12.8%9.7%
4/1760/11.4%15.3%

7. Single Dice Bet

Single Dice Bet
Single Dice Bet

For this bet on how to play Sic Bo, the player can choose a specific number between 1 and 6. The payout will vary depending on whether your selected number appears on 1, 2 or all 3 dice, as per the table below. 

In addition, the house edge always stays the same, however, there are big differences in the probability of your selected number showing up on 1, 2, or 3 dice.

The Number
of Dice
PayoutProbability
of Winnings
House Edge
11/134.72%7.9%
22/16.94%7.9%
33/10.46%7.9%

Sic Bo Strategy

As we already mentioned how to play Sic Bo, it is a game of chance and a roll of the dice. So, to put it simply, to win the game, you need to rely on your luc. Many players keep looking for more logical ways to improve their chances to win. Remember that your odds can be increased by using a strategy. 

After all, playing with a system is always exciting and interesting. However, we must clarify that the result is never guaranteed, and the house edge can’t be eliminated completely. 

Moreover, to be able take full advantage of your selected strategy, you need to be aware of the rules. Once you understand the game well enough, you can decide to choose any of the betting strategies.

Conclusion

In the end, learning how to play Sic Bo is pretty simple as it is a game of chance. We could say there is no guaranteed strategy to get a winning consistently. However, you can improve your winning chances by figuring out the rules.