Sic Bo, meaning "dice pair" is an ancient Chinese dice game that has gained popularity in casinos worldwide, especially in Macau. In Sic Bo, players try to guess number combinations before rolling three dice and receive payouts for correctly predicting the results.
Sic Bo Table
The Origins of Sic Bo
Before the Chinese invented paper 2,000 years ago, they played games of chance using painted bones, tiles, dice, or bricks with numbered sides. Sic Bo became one of the most popular among these games.
Learn more about Ancient dice games and early playing cards in the History of Playing Cards.
People played dice games in Ancient China 2,000 years ago.
Sic Bo, also called Tai Sai, Hi-Lo, or Dai Siu (meaning big small), became enormously popular throughout Asian casinos especially in Macau where it represents the second highest grossing casino game.
Chinese immigrants brought the Sic Bo game to the west where it steadily grows in popularity. In the United States, new versions like Chuck-a-Luck and Birdcage evolved. Meanwhile, people in the United Kingdom combined Sic Bo with Hazard, another British dice game. Hazard, which normally involves two dice, adapted a third dice to mimic Sic Bo in a hybrid game called Grand Hazard.
How to Play Sic Bo
During each turn, players place bets on certain areas of the Sic Bo table. The dealer then takes a small chest containing dice before closing and shaking. The dealer then opens the chest to reveal the dice combination. Sometimes rather than a dealer, a mechanical device shakes the dice in a cup.
In an online Sic Bo game, players roll a digital set of dice and win prizes for landing on winning combinations. Many online versions also offer live dealer Sic Bo in which a video streams an actual dealer who rolls the dice remotely from a casino.
Live Dealer Sic Bo
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Type of Sic Bo Bets
While Sic Bo rules vary from place to place, the standard game features a range of bets predicting the numbers that will appear on the dice. Some bets predict the sum of the three numbers while other bets guess the specific numbers that will show up on the dice. Bets that are less probable reward more money.
- Big – The total score of the dice will be between 11 to 17 except for a triple
- Small – The total count of the dice will be between 4 to 10 except for a triple
- Odd – The total dice score will be an odd number except for a triple
- Even – The total score will turn out as an even number except for a triple
- Alls or Specific Triples – A specific number will occur on all three dice
- Specific Doubles – A specific number will appear on two dice
- Alls or Any Triple – Any number will appear on all three dice
- Three Dice Total – The total score will fall within a certain range
- Dice Combinations – Two of the dice will have a specific combination of two different numbers
- Single Dice Bet – A specific number between 1 and 6 will appear on one or more of the dice
- Four Number Combination – Any three of four numbers will appear on the dice in the following combination: 6-5-4-3, 6-5-3-2, 5-4-3-2, or 4-3-2-1
- Three Single Number Combination – A specific combination of three numbers will appear
- Specific Double and Single Number Combination – A specific number will appear on two of the dice and another specific number will appear on the third dice
Learn more about Sic Bo strategy and other Asian casino games in VegasMaster guide to Asian online casino games.
