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Casino Game Guide: Sic Bo
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Sic bo is a casino dice game where you bet on the results of dice rolls. There are three dice in play and more than a dozen different betting options. It takes some time to learn the various wagers, but all in all, sic bo is a relatively easy game to learn and play. This sic bo guide will tell you everything you need to know.
Are you ready to start playing sic bo online now? Make your first deposit at any one these sic bo casinos, and you can get a welcome bonus worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars. What a great way to start playing online sic bo, eh?
If you are unfamiliar with sic bo, we’re here to help. We tell you everything you need to know in this guide. Here is what you will learn.
How to Play Sic Bo
Sic bo is simple. There are many similarities to craps, due to it being a dice game and having some similar wagers. If you’re familiar with craps, sic bo will be a walk in the park.
Fun FactThe general idea is this: place a bet on the sic bo board. Then the dealer will pick up a small chest with three dice and shake them. Then he will open the chest to reveal the combination. If the combination matches your wager(s), you win. Otherwise, you lose.
The only difference online is that this is all handled by software. But that’s all there is to it. The only thing to familiarize yourself with is all the different bets you can make.
Here’s a list of the bets you can make, along with their payouts and house edges:
- Big – The total score falls between 11 to 17. Triples are excluded. This has a 48.6% probability and pays 1:1 odds. The house edge is 2.78%.
- Small – The total score falls between 4-10 except for triples. The probability of winning is 48.61%. This pays 1:1 and the house edge is 2.78%.
- Total of 4 and 17 – This pays 50:1 in Macau, 60:1 in Atlantic City, and 62:1 in Australia. The house edge varies from 8.33% to 29.17%.
- Total of 5 and 16 – This pays anywhere from 18:1 to 32:1. The probability of winning is 2.78% and the house edge varies from 8.33% to 47.22%.
- Total of 6 and 15 – This pays anywhere from 14:1 to 19:1. The probability of winning is 4.63% and the house edge is between 7.41% and 30.56%.
- Total of 7 and 14 – This pays 10:1 to 12:1. The house edge is between 9.72% and 23.61%.
- Total of 8 and 13 – This pays between 7:1 and 8:1. The house edge is between 12.50% to 22.22%.
- Total of 9 and 12 – This pays between 6:1 and 7:1. The house edge is between 7.41% and 18.98%.
- Total of 10 and 11 – This pays 6:1. The house edge is 12.50%.
- Double – Bet on any pair. For example, two 4s or two 1s. You win if at least two of the numbers appear (out of three dice). This pays anywhere from 8:1 to 11:1. The house edge ranges from 11.11% to 33.33%.
- Triple – Bet on any three of a kind. For example, three 4s or three 1s. You win when all three dice match your chosen number. This pays anywhere from 150:1 to 190:1 and the house odds range from 11.57% to 30.09%.
- Any Triple – Win on any three of a kind. This pays between 24:1 and 32:1 and the house edge ranges from 8.33% to 30.56%.
- Any One Number – Bet on a specific number from 1 to 6. If the chosen number appears one time, the bet pays 1:1. It pays 2:1 if it appears twice and 3:1 if it appears three times.
- Odd – Win on any odd total. It loses on three of a kind. The probability of winning is 48.61%, and the house edge is 2.78%. Chances are you won’t see this bet online OR in the United States.
- Even – This wins on any even total except for a three of a kind. Like the odd bet, you probably won’t see this online or in the United States. The probability of winning is 48.61%, and the house edge is 2.78%.
- Domino – You choose a two-number combo using two unique numbers. For example, 2-5. This pays 5:1 if the roll contains both numbers. The probability of winning is 13.89%, and the house edge is 16.67%.
- The following bets don’t have a name, per se. Wikipedia calls them one-, two-, three-, or four-number combinations. But for this guide, we’ll use the names the Wizard of Odds gives them. And according to him, the last three bets – as far as he knows – are only offered in Macau.
- XYZ – You choose a three-number combination. For example, 1-2-4. The bet pays 30:1 if all three numbers are rolled. The probability of winning is 2.78%, and the house edge is 13.89%.
- XXY – You choose a three-number combination using two unique numbers. Then you specify which will be rolled twice. For example, 3-3-5. This bet pays 50:1 if the roll matches exactly. The probability of winning is 1.39%, and the house edge is a whopping 29.17%.
- WXYZ – Choose a four-number (unique) combination. For example, 2-3-4-5. This bet pays 7:1 if the roll matches three of your four numbers. The probability of winning is 11.11% and the house edge is 11.11%.
Sic Bo Probabilities
All the bets above are options when you play online Sic Bo for real money. But you should be aware of the probabilities associated with some of these wagers.
- Big/Small and Odd/Even bets have the highest probability to win
- The two-dice combinations offer a 13.9% chance to win
- Single-dice bets are appealing, but you’re more likely to win with one entry
- Triples pay the most, but they have the worst chances
You can place bets on Sic Bo games in many ways, but you always have the final choice over what works. There’s nothing wrong with going after a high payout, so long as you’re aware that your chances of winning are lower.
That’s all there is to sic bo.
And, like craps and roulette, you can bet on as many combinations as you want.
Are There Any Variations?
- Grand Hazard – This game is also played with three dice. The dice are thrown with a cup or rolled down a chute containing a series of planes that tumble the dice as they fall.
- Chuck-a-luck – Known as sweat cloth, chuckerluck, or bird cage. This is a US variation whose origins come from Grand Hazard.The three dice are kept in a device that looks like a wire-frame bird cage – which is what the tumbler looks like on Sloto’Cash’s sic bo game. This usually features only single-number wagers with an additional wager for any triple. This game used to be common in Nevada, but is rare now since it’s been replaced by sic bo tables.
- Hoo Hee How – This is similar to Yee Hah Hi. Both games are similar to sic bo. This uses symbols on the dice instead of numbers. The Wizard of Odds says you can find this variation at online casinos using Amigotechs software (of which any casino using them are on the Wizard of Odds’ blacklist).Each die has the following symbols: a fish, scorpion, gourd, coin, crab, and rooster. There are six available bets, one for each symbol. Each bet pays 1:1 to 3:1 depending on how often a symbol appears. This has a house edge of 7.87%.
- Yee Hah Hi – This is similar to sic bo. This uses pictures instead of numbers. It means Fish Shrimp Crab. Here are the bets you can make:
| Symbol | Color |
| Fish | Red |
| Scorpion | Green |
| Goard | Blue |
| Coin | Blue |
| Crab | Green |
| Rooster | Red |
You can make the following bets:
- All the same color. This wins if all three dice are the same color. It pays 7:1.
- Exactly two of a specific color. This wins if exactly two dice are a color chosen by you. This pays 3:1.
- Exactly one specific color. This wins if the one die is a color chosen by you. This pays 1:1.
The house edge is 11.11% for everything.
Sic Bo Strategy
There’s not too much you can do to improve your chances because sic bo is purely a game of chance.
We do have a couple of suggestions, though. You can use the following tips to at least minimize your losses:
- Play the even, odd, small, or big bets. These are as close to even odds (a coin flip) as you’re going to get. These bets have the smallest house edge.
- Find the casinos with the larger payouts. This will reduce the house edge, too.
That’s about it.
Some experts suggest using betting strategies, especially on these near-even money bets. We’ll share a couple of those betting strategies below. Just know that they won’t improve your chances of winning since they don’t actually change the game. They’re for fun only.
- d’Alembert – Whenever you lose, increase your wager by one unit. When you win, your wager’s reduced by one unit. The progression ends when you get to zero.
- 1-3-2-6 – A positive progression system. You increase your bets whenever you win. Your first wager will be one unit. When you win, the next bet will be three units. Then two units. Then six. Any losses will reset the progression to one unit. We have a full-blown explanation here.
Again, we want to remind you that these betting systems won’t impact your wins or losses in the long run since they don’t change the odds or outcome of the game. No betting system will.
Playing Sic Bo Online
Sic bo is one of the least popular casino games online. We base that on how few casinos actually offer the game. Or how few of them mention on their site that they offer it.
There are live dealer sic bo games. It’s not nearly as popular as blackjack or roulette. You’ll find it mostly at casinos that cater to Asian players. A couple of examples include Bet365 and HoGaming.
For Americans, one of the few options you’ll have is Sloto’Cash.
Aside from that, you should also know that many, if not most, online casinos will not let you play sic bo to clear their deposit bonuses. This goes for both Sloto’Cash and Planet 7 Casino.
However, you can play sic bo and get cash back. But the casino will raise your playthrough (wager) requirement. For example, at Planet 7, slots players will need to wager their cash back 30x before requesting a cash-out.
All other games – mostly table and video poker games – will need to wager their cash back at 60x before they can ask for a cash-out.
It’s a small point, but important to keep in mind, as it can prevent you from collecting your winnings. If you have any questions about this or don’t want to participate in these sorts of promotions, we recommend you contact support.
As for mobile sic bo, options are hit and miss. You might find it at a larger casino, like Bet365, but you’ll struggle to find it at a US-facing casino. Especially ones running on RealTime Gaming (RTG), Betsoft, or Rival Gaming software.
There are sic bo apps. Just keep in mind that you won’t be able to gamble for real money on these apps.
Why Play Sic Bo Online?
Real money online Sic Bo is appealing for many reasons. While it can be a great experience to play the game in a real casino, the online version comes with several distinct advantages.
Here are some of the main benefits.
- It’s not easy to find real money Sic Bo games at casinos outside of Asia
- It is more convenient to play real money Sic Bo online than it is to visit a casino
- You can find bonuses and promotions through many gambling websites
It isn’t hard to play online Sic Bo for real money if you know where to visit. All you have to do is find and join a reputable online casino that offers this game.
We can help you find the best online casinos for real money Sic Bo games. Simply refer to our rankings at the top of this page, or read our reviews of gambling websites to find out more about our recommendations.
You can then start playing real money online Sic Bo as soon you sign to a casino. Don’t forget to see what bonus money is available, as this is one of the benefits of playing online that we mentioned above. You won’t find these rewards at traditional land-based gaming venues.
Before we move on to what top Sic Bo casinos have to offer, here are a few more reasons to play this game. These apply whether you play online or live.
- The variety of bets in this game makes for something fun to play
- You can turn a small bit of money into something huge
- You can also enjoy using a bit of strategy when making your pick
Ranking the Top Online Casinos for Sic Bo
It can be a challenge to decide which real money Sic Bo websites to play at, simply because there are so many choices. We only recommend the very best, but how do we determine which ones fit the bill?
We consider many factors when ranking Sic Bo online casinos, and here are the most important.
The best sites are safe to use
A site needs to protect your financial data and ensure your content isn’t lost. They also need to be reputable and trustworthy, so you know they won’t disappear with your cash.
The best Sic Bo casinos provide fair games
All quality online casino sites should feature programs that ensure the fairness of games. They should provide a realistic experience in terms of how the game plays.
Online casinos should support many deposit options
Many of these venues can handle cards and online transfer services. Some real money online Sic Bo sites have started accepting Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, too.
Great casinos should offer fast payouts
When you’re lucky enough to win some money playing Sic Bo, you shouldn’t have to wait too long for your funds.
Generous bonuses should be available
The best real money Sic Bo casinos offer promotions that provide “free” money for play at the tables.
There are several other qualities we look for, too, but the ones we’ve mentioned here are the ones that matter the most to your online gaming experience.
It’s only by carefully examining all the available options that we’re able to confidently state that our recommendations are genuinely the best Sic Bo casinos online right now.
Play Sic Bo Online With Live Dealers
One of the best ways to play online Sic Bo for real money is by playing with real dealers. Many online gaming venues offer Sic Bo games that feature real people running the games.
Here’s how Sic Bo games with live dealers work.
- There are dealers operating Sic Bo tables in a studio or actual gaming floor.
- The action from these tables is streamed directly to you.
- You place different bets on the table by clicking in the appropriate spots.
- You have to complete those bets within enough time. There should be a timer on the site that lets you know when you need to finish your wagers before the next roll.
- The dealer rolls the dice after the time runs out.
- You get a payout based on whatever bets you match.
Live dealer Sic Bo games are among the most popular you will find at casinos. People appreciate live dealer games for how they are more realistic and offer a relaxed atmosphere. Taking time in between draws is a plus, as people won’t rush their way through their Sic Bo games too fast.
Some of these live dealer games also come with chat features. You could interact with other players or with the Sic Bo dealer if you wish. The feature adds to the social experience that comes with the game.
It’s even possible to play live dealer Sic Bo on your mobile device!
Conclusion
That’s all there is to it.
Sic bo is a really simple game. It’s like craps or roulette. Just choose a number or outcome and let it rip.
Surprisingly, this is one of the harder games to find online. Especially for Americans. And that seems to be the case offline, too.
Between that and the fact that you won’t be able to earn many promotions playing sic bo, it’s possible only hardcore enthusiasts or the insanely curious will want to play.
But if you can get past those points and you like games of chance, then sic bo is a really easy one to learn.
Sic Bo FAQ
Casino of the Month
May 2024
