How to Play Sic Bo

The world of casino games is always growing, with different regions being introduced to players from all around the globe. One of those is the game Sic Bo, a Chinese dice game that has found its way to online casinos.

In this guide, we’ll give you the lowdown on the game, how to play, and the different kinds of the game that you can find.

What is Sic Bo?

Given that this is a game that originated in Ancient China, its possible that you haven’t heard of Sic Bo; however, this is one of the most popular games available. It is relatively closely tied with craps due to its use of dice over other elements more commonly associated with the casino, such as cards or a roulette wheel. Unlike craps, though, it is played with three dice instead of two.

Players sit at a table that presents them with a number of bets that they can play. These bets represent what they believe the outcome of the dice roll will be.

The dealer of the game then shakes the dice in a small box before presenting the outcome to the players at the table. Winning bets will be paid out if there are any.

This draws more comparisons with the game of craps, but it is almost a simplified version of it. Instead of having a shooter that rolls the dice while players bet on the outcome of their rolls until they crap out, Sic Bo is a one-round dealer-led game. This makes it a bit more fast-paced as the game plays out with one roll of the dice rather than a shooter taking multiple throws.

Ever since its introduction, different nations and cultures have taken elements of the game to create their own variants. In England, for example, grand hazard and chuck-a-luck took great inspiration, including using three dice as part of the gameplay. It’s been an influential game throughout its long and storied history.

Sic Bo Rules

While the game sounds simple enough, it can still be daunting when sitting down for your first game of Sic Bo. The table itself can bring up a handful of questions. We’ve broken down the rules of Sic Bo to take you from the very start to the very end of the game.

Get Your Funds: Buy your chips or deposit funds to your online casino account.

Place Your Bets: Before you, you will find a table that includes all the bets that you can place your chips on. These will include different outcomes of the dice rolls, and each will be described in full later.

The Dealer Shakes: Once all bets are placed, the dealer will announce that no further bets will be taken before shaking the dice in a small cup or box.

The Numbers are Shown: The dice are then presented to the players, showing the value that was rolled. Any bets that correctly predicted the outcome will play out and those that lost are taken off the table.

The Betting Options in Sic Bo

The game itself might not be the most difficult to play, but the different outcomes that you can place your bets on can be a little confusing if you have never played before. Every table will have a range of options for you to stake on and these are all based on different potential outcomes of the dice roll. Here are the betting options you should know before playing a game of Sic Bo and what they mean.

Small: This is a bet that the value will be at least 4 and at most 10. This does not include a triple being rolled (that is, three of the same number).

Big: Similar to the previous option, this is a bet that the value will be at least 11 and, at most, 17. It also excludes triple rolls.

Odd: Here, you’re placing a bet on whether the outcome of the roll will be an odd number. Again, this excludes any triples.

Even: This is the opposite of the last option in that you’re betting on the value being an even number. Triples are excluded.

Double: A double bet is when you expect that any particular number will appear at least twice on the dice.

Specific Triple: If you believe a certain number will appear on each dice, you will place this bet.

Any Triple: Unlike the previous bet, this option doesn’t require you to pick out a specific number. Instead, any three of the same number will win here.

Three Dice Total: This is a very specific betting option. You have to choose the exact value that you think will appear on the dice from 4 to 17 inclusive.

Two-Dice Combo: Here, you want to choose two numbers that you think will appear. If two of the three dice include your numbers, you will win. Single: This bet is when you think one particular number will appear on any of the three dice. It only needs to appear once for this bet to pay out.

All these betting options have different payout odds based on the probability of them being rolled, and some can be broken down as being more or less probable based on the specific numbers you would select.

It’s important to note that while small and big bets are some of the most common due to their lower house edge of around 2.8%, a win can never be guaranteed, and it’s as likely that you will lose as you will win at the Sic Bo table.

Online Sic Bo Variations

Just because Sic Bo is a straightforward game doesn’t mean that it hasn’t inspired developments and different variants through its time at the casino. In fact, there are several variations on the format that players can find online.

Speed Super Sic Bo (Instant Super Sic Bo)

This variant, Speed Super Sic Bo was developed by Evolution Gaming as a live casino offering and aims to make the game a quick and frenetic experience. Following the same rules as the standard game, it speeds up the gameplay by shortening the time available for placing bets. Bets other than the odd/even, big/small, and single options can be affected by multipliers that maximise the win amount.

Emperor Sic Bo

Similar to Instant Super Sic Bo, this Evolution Gaming live casino game follows many of the standard rules of the game but incorporates both a live dealer and multipliers that can be applied to different betting spots. Before the dice have been shown, certain numbers can have multipliers placed on them and these will increase any winnings if the dice match your chosen bet.

First Person Super Sic Bo

The gameplay for First Person Super Sic Bo is much the same as any Super Sic Bo game. You can use any combination of the 15 bets available when staking, and multipliers can be applied at random to improve the quality of wins. However, the main difference is in how it is presented. This is not a live casino game with a real dealer. Instead, it is a random number generator (RNG) game, and it is designed to be an immersive experience that makes it feel like you’re at the casino playing the game in first person.