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How to Play Sic Bo: Beginners Guide

Despite being played for hundreds of years, Sic Bo perhaps doesn’t enjoy the same level of popularity as other casino games. It’s a game which was pioneered by the Ancient Chinese, but has since been adapted by other cultures through time. In the United States, a variation called ‘Chuck-a-Luck’ is played, while those who have encountered Sic Bo in the United Kingdom may have seen the game referred to as ‘Grand Hazard’.

Simplistically, Sic Bo is a game of chance, and is exclusively based on the outcome of rolling three dice. In relative similarity to classic roulette, players are required to wager on what numbers they believe will appear. However, the key difference in Sic Bo is that a vast range number combinations of different bets are permitted and, therefore, in a sense is more complex than the more basic betting proposition offered at the roulette wheel.

Table of Content:

Playing Sic Bo: Step-by-Step Guide
Sic Bo Rules
How to place bets in Sic Bo
Sic Bo Side Bets
Sic Bo FAQ

To the untrained eye, a Sic Bo playing board may look quite daunting. However, once mastered, the game is quite simple. Furthermore, given the volume of possible betting types, Sic Bo presents more diversity than many traditional and casino game offerings.

Below, we provide an overview of the game, guidance on how to play Sic Bo, and address questions commonly asked about this dice game.

Playing Sic Bo: Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Placing your bets
Step 2: Rolling the dice
Step 3: Determining the outcome
Step 4: Payouts and collecting winnings

Sic Bo Rules

As previously alluded to, Sic Bo loosely follows the same methodology as roulette. However, there are no ‘odds or even’ bets permissible, and no numbers are colour coded. Nevertheless, as there are three dice in-play, there is a far greater volume of potential outcomes, which are supported by numerous betting mechanisms.

The Sic Bo board has multiple images, which represent the different possible combinations of rolling three dice at once. These will usually be presented in picture format, so are relatively easy to follow.

On the top corners of the rectangular-shaped playing mat you’ll see a ‘small’ and ‘big’ bet box, on the top-left and top-right respectively. These are often the most commonly used areas of the board, as they provide one of the best opportunities for players to receive a return – more on this to follow.

The more specific you are when guessing dice combinations, the more cash you’ll earn if your estimated numbers/totals materialise.

How to place bets in Sic Bo

To start, you’ll need to place your chips (or credits if using a mobile casino application) on the part of the table that expresses the outcome you believe will occur.

Once all participating players have made their selections, the three dice will be rolled. Please note that the player does not handle the dice at any stage of proceedings. It is the dealer’s role, whether through manual or electromagnetic means, to initiate the rolling of the dice.

After the dice has landed, payouts are calculated and allocated to players accordingly. At this point in gambling game, players are permitted to load more chips on the sic bo table, and the process then re-commences.

Clearly, the more you gamble on each play, the higher potential winnings on offer. Virtually all casinos will deploy limitations on the amount you can wager per single dice roll, however, these will be substantially higher than the bet an average gambler would place.

Betting parameters are usually set from around 0.50 as a minimum bet, all the way through to an eye-watering 10,000 as a maximum. However, this upper limit would be typically reserved for games played by ‘high-roller’ participants.

Nevertheless, given the bandwidth in available bets, Sic Bo is a ga,e that can be enjoyed by anyone entering either a land-based or online casino.

If you’re a relatively inexperienced player or perhaps playing sic bo for the first time, we would recommend betting a modest amount to place your bets to begin with. As we’ll see in the next section, wagers can be converted into 180 times their original value, and therefore you needn’t necessarily bet big to accrue some decent winnings.

Sic Bo Bet Types

Now that we’ve considered how to play Sic Bo, it’s time to review the alternate betting types on offer. The available wagering methods may depend on the casino you’re using, but the options referenced below are likely to be offered by most concessionaires. Remember, your possible earnings are proportionate to the style of bet you place, and the amount of money you wager on the outcome.

The more remote the result backed, the greater the house edge, and therefore the higher the winnings generated if successful. This algorithm is often represented in the industry as RTP, or ‘Return to Player’, which is ultimately the percentage of original wagers paid back to players over an extended period of time.

Big and Small Bets

These sorts of wagers are the most likely to produce a positive outcome, as the house advantage is negligible. The ‘small’ box, located on the top-left corner of the board, is used to back a small bet, which suggests the total sum of the numbered dice will be between four and ten. Conversely, a wager on ‘big’ assumes a cumulative dice total of between 11 and 17.

These betting types are often favoured as they offer only a marginal 2.78% weighting towards the house.

Specific Doubles/Triples Bets

Placing a ‘specific doubles’ bet means you’re anticipating that a specific number appears on two out of the three dice rolled. A ‘specific triples’ bet follows the exact same principles, but requires one, consistent number to land on each dice. Successfully backing a ‘specific doubles’ outcome will see you return ten times the value of double bet on your original bet, and represents a 11.08% house edge.

Given that the chance of a same number appearing on three occasions is extremely slight, you’ll be rewarded with a huge pay-out (180x bet) if you’ve taken the plunge on a ‘specific triple’ wager. In this scenario, the house advantage is leveraged at 16.74%, the highest in any Sic Bo betting approach.

Any Triples Bets

In similarity to the equivalent ‘specific’ bet listed above, an ‘any triples’ bet backs an outcome whereby the same number appears on all three of the dice rolled. However, rather than the player identifying a particular number to place multiple bets back, a winning throw would produce any same number landing thrice. The house edge here is positioned at 11.04%.

Dice Combination Bet

A successful ‘dice combination’ bet would involve betting on two particular (yet different) numbers being rolled. This result is a relatively rare outcome, and therefore commands a 12.43% house advantage.

Three Dice Total Bet

In essence, this is a ‘total’ bet, based on the three dice producing an overall number which matches the single dice bettor’s backed sum. As the likelihood of some specific totals materialising is lower than others, the probability of success is tethered to a sliding scale.

For example, there are only three ways a triple dice throw can formulate a combined total of 17. This would clearly either be a roll number combination of: 6 + 6 + 5, 5 + 6 + 6, 6 + 5 + 6.

Therefore, as there are only three different variants chosen number appears that would facilitate a win in this circumstance, the odds attributed are high (60-1), and the house advantage is also strong (15.3%). For those total numbers with the greatest volume of possible dice variations, i.e., numbers 9, 10, 11, and 12, the pay-out reduces, as does the house edge.

Single Number Bets

Perhaps the most straight-forward bet, the placing of a ‘single number’ wager requires the player to cover the number on the board they believe will appear on at least one of the dice thrown. As there are three available dice combinations used, and six permutations per dice, there is an ‘even’ chance of winning. Therefore, the payout of a successful bet will match your original stake.

If the number comes up twice or thrice, you’ll double or triple your prize pot accordingly. However, please ensure you’re aware of the difference between this type of wager and ‘specific double/triple bets’, as there is clearly an element of crossover.

Sic Bo Side Bets

Here are some side betting options available in Sic Bo:

Odd/Even Bets: Players bet on the final total of all three dice being either odd or even
Specific Triple Bets: Players bet on a specific triple, which means 1-1-1, 2-2-2, etc. This is a long-shot type of bet, and the probability of failure is high
Any Triple Bets: Players bet on any triple, which means any three of a kind. This bet has a lower payout than the specific triple bet but is less risky
Total Sum Bets: Players bet on the total sum of the three dice being a specific number between 4 and 17

Sic Bo FAQ

What is the best bet in Sic Bo?

This is entirely dependent on your personal preference. If you’re keen to win vast amounts quickly, you should opt for a trickier bet, such as a ‘special triple’ or a particularly challenging ‘three dice total bet’. However, if looking to secure as much time at the table as possible, and aim to build your winnings gradually, we would encourage you to initially choose ‘big’ or ‘small’ type wagers.

Ultimately, there is no all-encompassing ‘best’ bet, as the favoured approach is contingent on the player.

What are some popular Sic Bo bets?

What does Sic Bo mean?

The direct translation of Sic Bo is ‘precious dice’, referring to the importance of dice in its gameplay.

How do you win the Sic Bo games?

The objective of Sic Bo is to back the correct outcome, or combination of correct outcomes, that materialises after the three dice have been rolled. The more you wager on an accurate result, the more you win. Once you’ve found out how to play Sic Bo, the game becomes considerably easier.

Is there any Sic Bo strategy?

Sic bo is a game of chance, but players can gain some advantage by doing multiple bets and making a calculated guess based on the probabilities of each possible bet. The safest bets to make when playing are small, big, even, or odd since they have the highest winning probability.

How many dice are in Sic Bo?

In all versions, whether European, North American, or the original Asian format, Sic Bo is played with three dice.

Can I play Sic Bo online at LeoVegas?

There are three different Sic Bo platforms offered on LeoVegas. ‘Super Sic Bo’ and ‘Emperor Sic Bo Live’ are facilitated by software providers Evolution, whilst ‘Mega Sic Bo’ is produced by Pragmatic Play. The ‘live’ variants allow the user to witness the dice being thrown in a real-time studio environment.

Is Sic Bo a game of skill or luck?

Sic Bo is a game of chance and luck, and there is no proven technique that can raise a player's opportunity of winning. Every roll on the dice results in a win or loss on any bet, making it strictly a game of chance.

How the dice are rolled in the Sic Bo table?

In the online sic bo version, dice are shaken by an electronic dice shaker. The dealer does not touch the dice directly.

What sic bo bet has the lowest house edge?

The best edge in Sic Bo is to be found with the Small, Big, and Combination bets, which have a low house edge of 2.78% and 2.77%, respectively

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