What is Sic Bo?
Sic Bo is an ancient Chinese dice game, and its name means "precious dice". Three dice are shaken in a small covered container, and players bet on what will come up: the total, specific numbers or combinations. It's hugely popular in Macau and across Asia, and it's easy to find online in both digital and live dealer versions.
How a round works
- Players place chips on the table layout.
- The dealer shakes the three dice inside a covered shaker or an automatic dice machine.
- The dice are revealed.
- Winning bets light up on the table and are paid; losing bets are collected.
The main bets and typical payouts
Payouts differ between casinos, so always check the table. These are common figures:
| Bet | Wins when | Typical payout |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Total is 4 to 10 (no triple) | 1 to 1 |
| Big | Total is 11 to 17 (no triple) | 1 to 1 |
| Odd / Even | Total is odd or even (no triple) | 1 to 1 |
| Single number | Your number appears once, twice or three times | 1, 2 or 3 to 1 |
| Specific double | Two dice show your chosen number | about 10 to 1 |
| Any triple | All three dice match | about 30 to 1 |
| Specific triple | All three show your chosen number | about 150 to 1 or more |
| Two-dice combination | Two chosen numbers both appear | about 5 to 1 |
| Total 4 or 17 | Exact total | about 50 to 1 or more |
The house edge: why Small and Big win out
The casino's advantage comes from the triples. Small and Big pay even money, but they lose when any triple appears. That small chance gives the house an edge of about 2.8%, the lowest in the game.
The long-shot bets look generous, but most of them carry house edges of 7% to over 15%. A specific triple has only a 1 in 216 chance of landing, and the payout doesn't fully reflect that.
Simple Sic Bo strategy
- Stick mostly to Small or Big for the best odds.
- Use long shots sparingly as small, fun side bets, not your main play.
- Ignore patterns on the results board. Dice have no memory; each roll is independent.
- Set a budget per session and stop when it's gone.
- Check the pay table before you play; small differences in payouts change the house edge.
Sic Bo online and live
Online Sic Bo uses a certified random number generator, while live versions stream a real dealer and real dice from a studio. Live tables often add multiplier features that raise some payouts at random, usually by lowering the standard payouts elsewhere.
Common mistakes
- Spreading chips across many long-shot bets "to cover everything".
- Doubling bets after losses.
- Believing a total is "due" because it hasn't appeared in a while.
Want more on how random games really work? Read gambling myths that still exist, or compare Sic Bo with live baccarat.