Wed, Jan 29, 4:48pm by William Brown
Last Updated Tue, Jul 14, 2:41am
Sic Bo is one of those games that has been around for a long time. Most likely it has been around for thousands of years. It might even be the oldest casino game still widely played.
The game gained popularity in the west during the early 20th century when it was introduced to the United States by Chinese immigrants.
It is now played widely at casinos all over the world. And particularly popular in Macau, the world’s newest gambling Mecca.
Sic Bo is the “English” name of the game, meaning precious dice. In China it is commonly known as dai siu or tai sai, meaning hi-lo.
At first glance, online casino Sic Bo appears to be quite a complicated game. But it isn’t. When you want to wager, you’ll need to place your bets somewhere on the bet table. The betting table has all the possible outcomes of rolling the three dice, as well as the relative payouts.
The dealer places the dice in a special case. This special case is generally known as the chest. The chest is closed and shaken by the player. The dealer then opens the case to reveal where the three dice have landed.
If you’ve landed your bet, you’ll win your wager. Depending on where you place your bet, your winnings will differ.
Players can bet on any possible outcome for the roll of the three dice. You can place your bet on just one die, two or all three. You can bet on the total of all three dice or you can bet small or big. This is where the game looks complicated but isn’t. All you need to do is read the bet table and you will quickly see that it is easy to understand.
On the bet table, you’ll also find the odds of each possible outcome. This tells you how much you would win in comparison to your initial wager if you happened to hit your bet.
Below we will outline the most popular bets used in Sic Bo and the relative odds related to the type of bet.
In Sic Bo, you don’t need to place your bets on the outcome of all three dice. You can place your bet on just one die. In this case, you choose the number you think will appear on the dice. This bet pays out 1/1 and there is a house edge of 3.7%
Here you will bet on the outcome of two of the three dice. There are 15 possible combinations. Win this one and the casino will payout 6/1. The house edge, in this case, is 2.8%.
If you place this bet, you’ll only win if your chosen number appears on all three dice. It may seem unlikely, but with a payout of 180 to one, it might be worth it. The house edge is 16.2%.
A Double Bet is different from a Pair Bet. Here you’ll choose one number. The number must appear on at least two of the die for you to win the bet. You’ll be paid-out 10/1. This one has a huge house edge of 18.5%, so is perhaps a bet to avoid.
With this bet, you’ll decide on a total for all three dice. Since it is much more likely to land numbers in the middle range, payouts will differ depending on what number you choose. For example, bet on 10 or 11 and you’ll be paid out 6 to one. Go for the much less likely outcome of 4 or 17 and you’ll be paid out 30 to 1. The house edge also varies from 7.4% to 15.3% depending on your wager.
The original name of the game does translate to small/big, so it’s no surprise that this is the most popular bet. It is also the bet with the lowest house edge at a reassuring 2.78%. To win this wager, you’ll need the total of all three dice to add up to between 4 and 10. Triples are excluded (which is where the house edge lies).
Win this and you’ll be paid out at evens.
Same as the Small Bet but in that you need to hit between 11 and 17 to win your even money bet.
There are only two real money casino games widely played with dice. Sic Bo and Craps. Even more than craps, Sic Bo comes down to luck. But you can follow a few strategies to make the best of your time at the Sic Bo table.
The best strategy you can follow with any casino game is to set amount and time limits. Never wager more than you can afford.
If you want to see wins quickly, the easiest strategy is to go big or small. You’ve pretty much got a 50% chance of winning here. The winnings are small, but if you are patient you might be able to slowly increase your stack.
So, you’ve managed to get a bit of a feel for the game. You’ve built your stack and now you are looking to win big. Although it is by no means a sure thing, your best bet is on the Pair or Combination Bet, where you wager on two specific numbers to appear on the dice. Why is this a good bet? Well, firstly if you win, you’ll be rewarded with six to one on your bet. The second reason, aside from big or small, this bet has the lowest house edge at a mere 2.77%.
Unlike in a brick and mortar casino, playing Sic Bo online can help you benefit from several casino bonuses. Casinos may not have bonuses specifically tied to Sic Bo, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t something in it for you.
For example, at most casinos, you can benefit from a welcome bonus. Why not use your bonus to give Sic Bo a chance? The phrase beginners luck has been around for a long time, playing with bonus money is a great opportunity to test that theory.
Most casino games are available to play for free and Sic Bo is no exception. Not sure if it is the game for you? Simply choose the free play option and give it a go. At most online casinos you won’t be required to even register to try out a free version.
Playing free Sic Bo is also a great way for Australian players to learn how to play the game. Generally, new players make a lot of mistakes and learning without putting your bankroll at risk is a great option for players.
Since the 1980s, Sic Bo has become increasingly popular worldwide. Almost every online and brick-and-mortar casino now offer some form of Sic Bo. So just take your pick.
Like Roulette, the payout for Sic Bo varies massively. Hit an exact triple and you’ll be paid out 180 to 1 on your initial bet. Place and win on big or small and your wager will pay one to one. There are also plenty of payouts in between, so have a careful look at the bet table before placing your bet.
Like all casino games, it completely depends on where you are. Your best bet to check the legality of any game would be to check with your casino. You want to be sure that your chosen casino is both regulated by an external party and legally compliant within their jurisdiction. If they are and provide Sic Bo, you’ll know it is legal to play.
Like with any casino game, there are a few dodgy casinos out there. However, if the casino is regulated and legally compliant there is no reason to believe that all the games on offer are completely random and safe.
Truth be told, all online variants of Sic Bo are pretty much the same. The only real difference is the gaming provider. So, it all depends on what gaming provider your chosen casino uses.
