Sic Bo

Sic bo is based on an ancient Chinese gambling game and has been adapted for casino play as a banking game. The game is played with three dice. The winning numbers are those uppermost on the dice.

Players bet on the combination of numbers thrown. Bets can be made on individual numbers, pairs, triples (three of a kind) or combinations of any two or three of the dice. The house advantage varies between 2.78 and 33.33 per cent depending on which bets are made and where the game is played.

The delaer will anounce ‘place your bets’. Players place their bets on  the layout on the box marked with the desired outcome. For example, if you want to bet on big, you simply place your chip in the box maked big. The dealer will announce ‘no more bets’. The dice are shaken. The dealer announces the winning numbers and the winning bets are paid out.

 

Types of Bet
There are 50 bets that can be played. The bets can be divided into seven different types.
 
 
Individual number
This is a bet on one particular number being thrown on any of the three dice. The numbers 1 to 6 inclusive can be played. For example, a bet on number 4 will win if a 4 is thrown on any of the three dice. If more than one 4 is thrown, the bet is paid out at greater odds. The bet will lose if no 4 is thrown. The odds paid depend on how many dice the selected number appears on. If the number is thrown on one die, odds of evens 1/1 are paid. If the number is thrown on two dice odds of 2/1 are paid. If the number is thrown on all three dice odds of 3/1 are paid. The house advantage is 7.87%.
 
 
Double
A double is a bet on two particular numbers being thrown. For example, a bet on 3 and 5 will win if 3 is thrown on one dice and 5 on another. All combinations of numbers are marked on the betting layout. Odds paid are 5/1.The house advantage is 16.67%.
 
 
Totals
The winning numbers on all three dice are added to find the total. For example if 6, 4 and 2 are thrown the total will be 12. Bets made on number 12 would win and all other bets on the totals would lose. Any total from 4 to 17 can be played. The odds depend on how easy or difficult it is to throw a total. They start at 6/1 and go up to 60/1. The house advantage varies as dIfferent casinos pay different odds. Bets cannot be made on scores of 3 and 18 as these are triples. If a score of 3 or 18 is made all bets on the totals lose.

Total          Odds     House advantage    
4 or 17     60/1     29.1%    
5 or 16     18/1     47.2%         
6 or 15     14/1     30.56%    
7 or 14     12/1     9.72%                
8 or 13     8/1       12.5%                
9 or 12     6/1       18.98%                
10 or 11   6/1       12.5%                
   
 
Small or big
Small is a bet on a score of between 4 and 10. For example if the 3, 4 and 2 are thrown the total is 9, which would be a winning bet. Big is a bet on a score of between 11 and 17. For example, if 6, 5 and 3 are thrown the total is 14, which would be a winning number. Bets on small or big lose if a triple (three of a kind) is thrown. The house advantage is 2.78%.

 
 
Triple of a particular number
A triple is the same score on each dice. For example, three fives or three fours. A particular triple is a triple made with one particular number. For example, if a triple of three fours is played, the bet will lose if three fives are thrown. The odds paid on winning bets varies. At odds of 150/1, the house advantage is 30.09%. At odds of 180/1, the house advantage is 16.2%.
 
 
Any triple
Any triple is a bet on any three of a kind. For odds of 24/1, the house advantage is 30.56%. For odds of 30/1, the house advantage is 13.89%.
 
 
Any pair
Any pair is a bet that two of the dice will have the same score. For example, a throw of 3, 3, 5 would win. For odds of 8/1, the house advantage is 33.33%. For odds of 10/1, the house advantage is 18.52%.
 
 
Betting layout
The betting layout is divided into four rows. The bottom row is marked with the single-number bets. The next row is marked with the two-number bets. The following row has the bets on the total of the three dice. The top row has the big and small, triple and double bets. The payout odds for each bet are marked on the layout.
 
 
Strategy
There is no strategy to predict the winning numbers; players simply rely on luck. The best bet to make is the big or small bet as this has the lowest house advantage. The worst bet to make is any pair, that has the highest house advantage.