Sic Bo is one of the oldest dice games in the world, but while it can trace its roots back to ancient China, it didn't become popular in the West until the 20th century. Today, Sic Bo has an enthusiastic following at both land-based and online casinos, and in this article, we'll tell you all you need to know to start enjoying the game. We'll explain how to play Sic Bo, what bets you can place and how you can best approach the game for maximum returns.
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Sic Bo: Setup and Aim
The aim of Sic Bo is for players to predict how three dice will land when they have been rolled. Actually, the word rolled isn't quite accurate because the dice are contained in a cage or under a glass dome and are agitated rather than rolled across the table. This keeps things neat and tidy in live Sic Bo games, not to mention more manageable for the dealer. With all of that said, we will continue to refer to the dice being rolled for ease of discussion.
As in many other casino table games, bets are made by placing your chips on the relevant area of a table layout. There are quite a few betting opportunities to choose from, as you can see in the table layout below, with bets to suit players at a wide range of risk levels.
At the lowest end of the risk spectrum, you have bets like SMALL or BIG. These are very similar to the LOW and HIGH bets in roulette, and give you a 48.61% chance of winning, which is slightly less than 50/50. Players who want to expose themselves to the maximum possible risk will be more interested in betting that the three dice will all show the same specified number. This would give you a 0.46% chance of winning, which is much smaller, but the odds paid for success are much higher to reflect that fact. A full explanation of bet types and the odds paid will be presented in the next section of this guide.
PAYOUTS:
After all bets have been placed, the dice will be rolled by the dealer and the result will be announced. Any player who has bet on the winning result will then be paid at the appropriate odds.
Online Rules: Bets and Payouts
The bets available in online Sic Bo are the same as in the traditional game played at land-based casinos and are detailed below, along with the typical payout and the probability of success in each case. The payouts shown are fairly standard at online casinos, but odds can differ from venue to venue, so be sure to check before playing.
This is a bet that the three dice will total anything from 4 to 10, but triples (three dice showing the same value) don't count.
Here you are betting that the total of the three dice will be in the range of 11 to 17. Again, triples don't count.
The bet here is that the three dice total will be odd. Triples don't count.
A bet that the three dice total will be even. Triples don't count.
The bet here is on a specific number appearing on one or more dice. The more dice it appears on, the more you will win, as detailed in the table below:
| FREQUENCY | PAYS | PROBABILITY |
| 1 | 1:1 | 34.72% |
| 2 | 2:1 | 6.94% |
| 3 | 3:1 | 0.46% |
Here you pick a group of four numbers and the bet is that three of them will show on the dice. You can bet on 4-3-2-1, 5-4-3-2, 6-5-3-2, or 6-5-4-3.
Here you are betting that two specified numbers will appear on the dice. For example, 4-5 or 2-6.
The bet here is that two of the three dice will show the same specified number, such as 2-2 or 5-5.
Here you are betting that the three dice will each show the same number. It doesn't matter what that number is and you don't have to predict it.
This bet is that three specific numbers will appear on the dice, such as 1-2-3.
Select a specific double, such as 2-2, and a specific single, such as 6, and if those numbers show on the three dice, your bet will win.
Here you are betting on the three dice total, and the odds paid will depend on what number you bet on, as detailed in the table below:
| TOTAL | PAYS | PROBABILITY |
| 4 | 60:1 | 1.4% |
| 5 | 30:1 | 2.8% |
| 6 | 18:1 | 4.6% |
| 7 | 12:1 | 6.9% |
| 8 | 8:1 | 9.7% |
| 9 | 7:1 | 11.6% |
| 10 | 6:1 | 12.5$ |
| 11 | 6:1 | 12.5% |
| 12 | 7:1 | 11.6% |
| 13 | 8:1 | 9.7% |
| 14 | 12:1 | 6.9% |
| 15 | 18:1 | 4.6% |
| 16 | 30:1 | 2.8% |
| 17 | 60:1 | 1.4% |
This is a bet that three of the same numbers will appear on the dice, and in this case, you do have to predict the specific number. For example, 2-2-2 or 5-5-5. This is the most difficult bet on the table, but it pays the most if you succeed.
This is a bet that three of the same numbers will appear on the dice, and in this case, you do have to predict the specific number. For example, 2-2-2 or 5-5-5. This is the most difficult bet on the table, but it pays the most if you succeed.
Sic Bo Online: How to Play
Now that you're familiar with the aim of Sic Bo and the various bets that are available, we can take you through an example game from start to finish. As you'll soon see, learning how to play Sic Bo online takes just a couple of minutes, because it really is a lot less complicated than the table layout might suggest. Here's how to proceed:
STEP 1 - Select Your Bet Size
Before you can place a bet you first need to decide how much you actually want to bet. Selecting your stake in Sic Bo is a simple case of choosing a casino chip that matches the sum you want to bet. As in other games, you can combine several chips to arrive at any stake amount you want.
STEP 2 - Make Your Bet
The next step is to place your casino chip on the area of the table layout that represents your desired bet. For example, if you wanted to bet $10 on one or more of the dice showing the number 3, you would place a $10 chip on the single 3 dice at the bottom left-centre of the layout.
It is perfectly permissible to place multiple bets if you'd like to do that. Each bet will stand independent of the others, so it is possible to have several winning bets if you make complementary bets and get lucky. For example, if you place single number bets on 3, 4, and 5, and the three dice show two or more of those numbers.
STEP 3 - Enjoy the Action
The final step is simply to sit back and watch the action. The dice will be rolled and the winning result will be called. If you have bet on that outcome, your bet will be settled according to the odds shown in the paytable of the game you are playing. The outcome will also be indicated on the table so that it's clear for all to see. For example, in the image below you'll see that the SMALL area has been highlighted as the winner.
Playing Live Sic Bo Online
Most games of Sic Bo that are played online are driven by computer software programs. Computer graphics are used to represent the dice, table and chips, and the whole game is automated. Such games are entertaining and convenient, but if you want something a bit more realistic you will need to play live Sic Bo games online.
Live Sic Bo games use real dice and tables and are operated by professional dealers. They are played in a casino studio and the action is streamed to you live by video so that you can place bets - and hopefully win - just as you could if you were there in person.
Actually playing live Sic Bo online is just as easy as playing an automated version. The only real difference is that, because it's operated by a human dealer, the pace of the live game is slower. Of course, that's just another thing that makes it truly authentic, so if you want the most realistic experience possible when playing online, live Sic Bo is the game for you.
Sic Bo Software Providers
Sic Bo has become increasingly popular among online casino players over the last decade or so, and that has led quite a few software providers to release their own versions of the game. As far as we're concerned, part of the fun of exploring different casinos is seeing what versions of Sic Bo are on offer, but if you want a few recommendations of games to get started with, here are three of our favourites:
Sic Bo Deluxe – RTP 97.22%
Released in 2020 by Playtech, this is one of the best software-driven Sic Bo games available to players in Canada. The game looks great and plays smoothly on both desktop and mobile, and special random multipliers give you a shot of winning up to 1,000 times your stake.
Mega Sic Bo – RTP 95.47%
Another game that makes it possible for you to win up to 1,000 times your stake is Mega Sic Bo, This was released by Pragmatic Play in 2020 and it’s a live Sic Bo game, so it’s operated by a real dealer from a casino studio. The high prize potential comes thanks to Mega Multipliers being randomly awarded to certain bets just before the dice are rolled. At the time of writing, this is the most popular online Sic Bo game in Canada.
Super Sic Bo – RTP 97.22%
No list of recommended Sic Bo games would be complete without this 2019 release from live casino specialists Evolution. Like the other games we’ve mentioned here, this one boosts your winning potential by adding random multipliers worth up to 1,000x.
Super Sic Bo by Evolution is a live version of Sic Bo and gives you an immersive first-hand experience of bringing the Sic Bo experience to where ever, at home or on the go.
Tips and Strategy for Mastering Sic Bo
Sic Bo is a game of pure luck, and so you can't really "master" it in the same way as you can a game that involves an element of skill, such as blackjack or poker. Even so, there are things that you can do to maximize your chances of winning as often as possible. The following Sic Bo strategy suggestions won't help you to break the house, but they just might help you to avoid going broke yourself.
Play Free Sic Bo
You can only lose real money when you bet with real money, so the surest way to break even is to play free Sic Bo games for entertainment only. There are two ways of doing this. The first is to play Sic Bo games in demo mode if your online casino makes it possible for you to do that. The other is by taking advantage of new player bonuses that are offered by casinos and using those to fund some time at the Sic Bo tables.
Establish a Sic Bo Bankroll
When you want to play Sic Bo using your own money, it's a good idea to establish a separate bankroll just for that purpose. The bankroll should only use money that you can afford to lose, and you may also want to consider taking no more than 10% of the available bankroll into any given gaming session. This would ensure that you don't lose the whole lot in a single session should you run into a patch of bad luck.
Don't Get Greedy
You have seen that certain outcomes in a game of Sic Bo pay less than others, and that's simply because certain outcomes are more likely to occur than others. While it can be exciting to chase the prospect of big wins by betting on three numbers, triples or even specific triples, the chances of you landing any of those bets are slim. For that reason, we would advise you to resist any urge to be greedy and to focus on the relatively easy pickings offered by even-money bets such as SMALL, BIG, ODD or EVEN.
Pros and Cons of Playing Sic Bo Online
Conclusion: Sic Bo Online
Many players avoid Sic Bo simply because the table layout makes it look a lot more complicated than it really is. When you give it a chance, you'll discover that it's actually one of the easiest casino games and that the wide range of betting opportunities is only there to make it interesting for all players no matter what their attitude to risk. Play one of our recommended Sic Bo games today and you'll wonder why you hadn't tried it sooner!
