Information about Sic Bo Online
| Genre | Casino Dice Game |
|---|---|
| Release date | 2017 |
| Developer | Habanero |
| RTP | 90.30% |
| Min/Max Bet | $0.20/$100 |
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS |
| Technology | HTML5 |
Sic Bo (Precious Dice) is a casino dice game in which players wager on the outcome of various rolls of three dice. The game itself is basic, but it is in its betting options where things can get complicated. Generally, players only need to understand what exactly it is they are betting on, and the odds of achieving a successful payout on that wager.
Sic Bo traveled to the West via Chinese immigrants in the 20th century. Although it still has a large gamer base in China, its popularity in the U.S. and the West has been growing slowly.
Here at CoolOldGames.com, you can play Sic Bo online for free. The demo game playable on our site doesn’t require a download and can be directly played inside your browser. You can make use of our full-screen functionality and refresh your credits as many times as you like!
Basic Rules Explained
Essentially, Sic Bo is a combination of Roulette and Craps. Players of table games like these will be able to more readily understand the procedure and rules of a Sic Bo game. As such, the “Betting Options” section below will be more in-depth with the particular betting options of Sic Bo.
For those unfamiliar with table games generally, this section shall serve to familiarize them with the more basic concepts and procedures of the game.
Placing Bets
Like all table games, Sic Bo begins with each player making their desired wagers. There are many possible outcomes, as three six-sided die are rolled each round. Players can gamble on potential outcomes by placing their money on specific sections printed onto the Sic Bo table.
The Rolling Process
Once each player has finalized their bets, and confirmed with the live Dealer/Banker that they are finished betting, the Dealer/Banker will collect three dice and place them into a special shaker.
The dice will be shaken in the cup, and the cup turned over and placed on the table. This ensures to the players that no cheating or moving of the Dice can occur.
The Dealer lifts the dice-shaker, revealing the roll to all of the players at once.
Determining Winners and Payouts
The dice are rolled a single time per round, after which players who successfully guessed the outcome of the dice are paid out.
Payouts for each wager vary, with less likely outcomes receiving a higher payout than more likely outcomes. Generally, the higher the risk, the higher the reward.
Wagers made on outcomes that did not occur lose their wagered money. Players can make as many wagers as they can afford, with most players in a game of Sic Bo winning and losing on wagers in the same round.
Betting Options in Sic Bo
As mentioned above, Sic Bo’s main gameplay is placing money on sections of the table to represent a wager on that section’s associated outcome. Players will generally exchange real money or casino chips for special Sic Bo chips.
These chips are color-coded per player, and generally only come in a single denomination. Players of Craps or Roulette should be familiar with this system of color-coded chips. The chips are color-coded for the Dealer’s sake, such that they can tell at a glance which players’ wagers have succeeded and failed, and pay money out to the proper players easily and accordingly.
Each section of the table will be given below, such that players will know the required outcome and payout for each individual section on a Sic Bo table.
Big and Small Bets
Sic Bo sometimes goes by another Chinese name, Dai Siu, which translates to “Big Small”. This alternate name refers to the Big and Small bets. These corner sections of the table offer a relatively low-risk “50/50” bet.
Players can place their wager on the Small, or Big:
- The Small will pay out even money to wagering players if the total sum of the three die lies between 4 and 10.
- The Big will pay out even money when the total sum of the three die lies between 11 and 17.
Notice that 3 and 18 will not payout for the Big or Small. Any triples, including 1-1-1 (3) and 6-6-6 (18) will not pay out for Big or small.
Doubles
Usually, horizontally adjacent to the Big and Small sections on the table, there are three separate sections. The Doubles, Triples, and the Specific Triples. These sections are all fairly similar to one another, paying out when a certain combination of dice is achieved.
The Double Section will pay 10x the wager when two of the three dice are the same number. For example, a roll of 5-5-3 would pay out 10x to any player that wagered on the Doubles section.
Triples
As its name suggests, the Triples section pays out for any Triples of the same number. Triples will pay out 30 to 1, or 30x, the wager. Doubles and Triples pay out regardless of the specific number doubled or tripled. A 6-6-5 pays out the same for Doubles as a 3-3-2.
Further, a player who bets on Doubles and Triples can receive a payout for both if a Triple is rolled.
Big/Small Triples
The Specific Triples are different from the normal Triples section. Rather than betting on any Triple or Double, Specific Triples only pay if the specific number is predicted.
For example, when a player bets on Triple 3s, and the dice-roll comes up 3-3-3.
Other triples do not win on Specific Triples.
For example, if a player were to bet on Triple 2s, and then 4-4-4 is rolled. Although significantly harder to achieve than the already difficult Doubles and Triples, Specific Triples offer a premium payout of 180x the wager.
Sum Bet/Three-Dice Total
Next are the Sums, usually called the Three-Dice Total. Players can wager that the sum of the Dice will be a specific number. Not every sum is equally likely; The 9, 10, 11, and 12 have many more combinations than other numbers.
Due to this varying probability, each sum offers its distinct payout. The more likely the number, the lower the payout. Each valid sum, and its associated payout, is given in the table below:
| Three-Dice Sum | Payout |
|---|---|
| 4 | 60x |
| 5 | 30x |
| 6 | 18x |
| 7 | 12x |
| 8 | 8x |
| 9 | 7x |
| 10 | 6x |
| 11 | 6x |
| 12 | 7x |
| 13 | 8x |
| 14 | 12x |
| 15 | 18x |
| 16 | 30x |
| 17 | 60x |
Two-Dice Combinations
Players can gamble on the unique combinations possible between two of the three dice on the table. Two dice, without doubles, can be formed in the following unique ways:
(1-2), (1-3), (1-4), (1-5), (1-6), (2-3), (2-4), (2-5), (2-6), (3-4), (3-5), (3-6), (4-5), (4-6), (5-6)
These are the unique, possible dice combinations without including doubles. Players can wager on each of these combinations individually, receiving 6x their wager upon success, based on the three dice rolled by the Dealer. For example, a bet on (2-4) would pay out on a dice roll of 2-4-6
Individual Dice Bets/Single Dice Bets
Individual or Single Dice Bets are wagers that an individual number will be seen in the roll. Players select their chosen number by placing chips on the relevant section associated with their number.
Players will receive a 1:1 payout if their chosen number appears once, 2:1 if twice, and 3:1 if their number achieves triples.
For example:
- Player 1 bets on 2s.
- Player 2 bets on 5s.
- The roll is 2-5-5.
- Player 1 receives even money, while player 2 wins 2x their wager.
Other Wagers Offered Occasionally
The wagers given above are seen on any Sic Bo table, but these do not encompass the totality of Sic Bo wagers. Some casinos will offer additional wagers on other possible outcomes.
Four Number Combinations
Players can choose a range of four numbers, gambling that every dice in the roll will be one of those four numbers. Often pays out 7:1.
Three Individual Bets
Players select three numbers, as though they were making three different Single Dice Bets. They receive a 30x payout if all three of their chosen numbers are selected.
Specific Doubles
Like the Specific Triples bet, Players can gamble on a specific Double, rather than the All-Doubles bet above. Specific Doubles payout varies.
Specific Double, One Single
Players select a specific Double and an additional individual number. If the three dice show their chosen double and single, such as a 4-4-6, players receive 50x their wager.
Odds and Evens
As the name suggests, players select Odd or Even. If all of the Dice rolled equal an odd sum, Odd wagers win. If all of the Dice rolled equal an even sum, Even wagers win. Like in the Big and Small bets, Triples do not count for Odds or Evens and cause a lost wager.
Example Scenario
Now that you are familiar with the board, its layout, and the betting options available to each player, consider this Example Round of a game of Sic Bo:
- Player 1 bets $5 on Big, $10 on a Three-Dice Sum of 14, and $5 on Single Dice 3s.
- Player 2 bets $30 on Doubles.
- Player 3 bets $10 on the (4,5) two-dice combination, and $10 on a 4-4-4 Specific Triple.
The dice are rolled after each player has finalized their wagers, resulting in a 4-5-5.
Now, each player receives a relevant payout:
- Player 1 wins $5 on their Big bet, as 4+5+5=14, and wins $120 on their correct Three-Dice Sum. However, player 1 did lose their $5 wager on Single Dice 3s.
- Player 2 wins their Doubles bet, multiplying their $30 bet by 11, for a total of $330 in winnings.
- Player 3 wins their Two-Dice Combination bet for a 6x payout, for a total of $60, but they lose the $10 from their Specific Triple wager.
Strategy & Tips
Sic Bo is largely a game of luck. As dice (in a legally operating, fair, and reputable (online) casino) will roll randomly every time, there is no way to accurately predict which numbers will appear.
That is not to say that the game completely lacks strategy, however.
Hedging Bets
Players can hedge their bets by making multiple bets on contradictory outcomes, such that even when losing, players recover some of their losses.
Doubling Up
Players could also double up on certain bets, to receive a significant multiplier to their wagers. For example, an All-Doubles and All-Triples bet can increase the money a player would win in a single round.
An All-Doubles and All-Triples bet made on the same round will both pay if a Triple is rolled. If a Double is rolled, players will still win 10x their wager for the Double bet they made.
Playing Safe
There’s also the possibility of playing completely “safe.” Many Sic Bo players exclusively gamble on the Big/Small, Odd/Even wagers, as these have the lowest House Edge. However, this is not necessarily recommended.
Other (free) casino games have a more favorable edge. If your focus is solely on House Edge, this is simply is not the game for you. Even played optimally, Sic Bo will still yield a House Edge of about 6%.
Sic Bo offers immense payouts for relatively likely outcomes. It, therefore, has a higher floor, or minimum amount of risk, compared to other table games. However, if a player is willing to assume that risk, the potential for high payouts is there.
Ready to Roll? Practice Sic Bo for Free!
Now that you’ve mastered the betting options, it’s time to experience the action firsthand! Our complimentary free online Sic Bo simulator at the top of this page provides the ideal platform to test your newfound understanding.
Whether you’re gearing up for a real Las Vegas adventure or just seeking some exciting gameplay, this game captures all the anticipation of Sic Bo dice rolling without any monetary stakes. No account creation needed, no downloads necessary, and completely hassle-free. Just head back to the top and shake those dice!