Online Sic Bo: the three-dice game
Sic Bo is a Chinese dice game played with three dice in a shaker. You place chips on the layout, the dealer shakes, and the dice are revealed. The board looks busy, but each box is just a total or a combination, and the rarer it is, the more it pays.
Main bets, payouts and house edge
| Bet | Wins when | Pays | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | Total of 4 to 10, not a triple | 1 to 1 | 2.78% |
| Big | Total of 11 to 17, not a triple | 1 to 1 | 2.78% |
| Total 7 or 14 | Exact sum of the three dice | 12 to 1 | 9.7% |
| Total 8 or 13 | Exact sum of the three dice | 8 to 1 | 12.5% |
| Any triple | Any three of a kind | 30 to 1 | 13.9% |
| Specific triple | One chosen triple, e.g. 5-5-5 | 180 to 1 | 16.2% |
| Specific double | At least two of a chosen number | 10 to 1 | 18.5% |
Payouts vary between casinos; the house edge figures assume the payouts shown.
How to approach it
- Play Small and Big. At 2.78% they are among the cheaper bets in the casino and win close to half the time.
- Treat the rest as entertainment. Totals, triples and doubles cost from about 10% to over 18%.
- Fix a budget. The dice have no memory, so a losing run does not make the next throw more likely to win.
- Learn the layout in demo before staking real money.
Live Sic Bo
Pragmatic Live and Evolution both run live Sic Bo. A dealer shakes a real shaker, a close-up camera shows the dice, and the winning boxes light up on your screen. The bets and payouts match the RNG version.
Sic Bo: frequently asked questions
What is the best Sic Bo bet?+
Small (totals 4 to 10) and Big (11 to 17). They pay even money, lose on any triple and carry a house edge of 2.78%. Everything else on the layout costs more.
Are Sic Bo and Tai Sai the same game?+
Yes. Sic Bo is Cantonese for "precious dice"; Tai Sai, also written Dai Siu, means "big small", after the two main bets. The rules are the same.
Is there a winning Sic Bo strategy?+
No. Each throw of three dice is independent. The only lever you have is the bet you choose, so stick to Small and Big and set a budget for the session.