Description
Sic Bo is a dice game of Asian origin.
The name means "two dice" or "dice pair" and refers to
the some of the higher paying bets that a player can
place. In fact the game uses three 6-sided dice and a
variety of betting options are available as marked on
the Sic Bo table, all based on predictions of what dice
combinations the throw will yield.
Objective
Players
place their bets on the Sic Bo table, predicting various
outcomes, totals and combinations
of the three dice. Multiple bets can be placed and
they pay off according to the odds indicated on the
table.
Betting
and the odds
There
are seven different types of bets in Sic Bo:
Dice Face:
players may bet that any one of the six dice sides
will show. If that number
comes up on any one of the dice, the player wins even
money. If two of the dice show the selected face, the
bet is paid off at 2-to-1. And if all three dice show
the same face, the bet is paid at 3-to-1. The house
edge on this bet is approximately 8%.
Two Faces:
this is a bet that a combination of two particular
numbers will appear. If the player
bets, for example, that a 1 and a 6 will appear and
it does, the house pays off at 5:1. The house advantage
here is about 17%.
Totals:
players can wager on the total of all three dice. The
player selects a specific
total from 4 to 17. Since the combination of faces
that can result in the selected total varies, so too
does the payoff (see chart). The chart gives the corresponding
house advantage on that particular totals bet.
| Total |
Payout |
House |
| 4 or 17 |
60:1 |
29.1% |
| 5 or 16 |
18:1 |
47.2% |
| 6 or 15 |
14:1 |
30.5% |
| 7 or 14 |
12:1 |
9.7% |
| 8 or 13 |
8:1 |
12.5% |
| 9 or 12 |
6:1 |
18.9% |
| 10 or 11 |
6:1 |
12.5% |
Small or Big: this wager is a bet
that the total of the three dice will fall in a specific
range. A bet on "Small" is on the total being between
4 and 10. A bet on "Big" is on the dice totaling between
11 and 17. But see the small print that says "Lose
on any triple"? If any three-of-a-kind comes up, the
house takes your wager. Still, the odds of winning
Small or Big are by far the best on the table. Here
the house holds about a 3% edge.
Triple:
Here you're betting that all three faces will come
up with a specific number.
The payoff is large, 150:1, but for good reason. The
chances are 215:1 against you, giving the casino a
30% advantage.
Any Triple:
You're betting that all three faces will be the same.
This pays out at 24:1,
but the true odds are 35:1. Again, you're fighting
a 30% house advantage.
Any
Pair: Betting that a pair of any particular number
will come up pays 8:1. Believe
it or not on this bet is one of the worst on the table.
The house holds a 33% advantage.
Payoff
Payoffs
in Sic Bo are marked right on the table and vary according
to the type of bet
you place.
Strategy
Because
Sic Bo is a game of chance, the best strategy is to
stick with the best odds. Looking
back over the numbers you'll see that the house edge
on Small and Big bets is a fairly reasonable 3%. If
you're going to play smart, that's your bet. If you
feel lucky, the table is yours.
