Sic Bo is a highly popular game of Chinese origin and it is a common attraction at the luxurious casinos in Macau. Las Vegas land-based establishments also offer this casino game, often times under the name of hi-lo, but it is not as popular.
With the growing iGaming industry, players are now able to experience their favorite gambling games from the comfort of their own homes and this has led games like Sic Bo to become widely spread across the leading online casinos.
How to play Sic Bo
The game comes with the advantage of being very easy to learn and once you get the hang of the depictions on the table, you are about ready to go. Sic Bo can be considered as a simpler version of craps, despite the fact it is played with three dice rather than two you might want to try playing on Reef-Reels-Casino.com.
As a player, you just need to place a bet on the corresponding location on the table which predicts the outcome of the roll. After the dealer roles the dice, the results of the round are determined and winning bets are paid according to set rates based on their odds.
Understanding the betting options
Sic Bo certainly has a lot of betting options to consider for every round and this makes it very attractive to a wide range of players.
Two of the commonly placed bets are found in the top corners of the table and they are for Small (4 to 10) and for Big (11 to 17). The bets pay 1:1 and have a probability of 48.6% since the wagers are considered lost if all three dice show the same number, even if their sum is within the chosen range. Similar bets are placed for Odd and Even and they refer to the total sum of the three dice, with a triple not being counted as a winning bet.
Also on the top row of the table, there are betting options for doubles and for triples. Doubles predict that two of the three dice will have the same outcome and players can bet on a specific number or just opt for “each double”; needless to say that the payout is better for getting a specific double. Triples are the same and the payout for a successful bet on a specific triple is 180:1, making it the biggest prize in the game.
On the second row on the Sic Bo table, there are 14 betting options available referring to the total of the dice. 3 and 18 are not listed because triples mean that the bets are lost. The payouts here vary from 60:1 to 6:1, depending on the odds of getting the respective total.
Moving lower on the betting table and we will see a row of 2-dice combinations. Bets placed here have a payout of 6:1 and they predict that the two numbers come up among the three dice.
Bets on a specific dice coming up are a bit lower and the payouts depend on how many times the chosen number comes up after the roll. If all three dice show the chosen number, the payout will be 3:1. Most Sic Bo tables have all the payouts written next to the bet so it is fairly easy to evaluate your chances when placing a wager.
Sic Bo strategy and tips
It is very important to keep in mind that Sic Bo has a house edge that ranges from 2.78% to 30%, depending on the bet. As a result, the best long term strategy for Sic Bo, and also the easiest, is to stick with the bets which have the lowest house edge. These are the ones that pay 1:1 and they will ensure that after an even session, your bankroll will remain healthy.
On the other hand, for players which are not looking for long term results and are willing to take some risks, the exact opposite can apply. The goal here is to hit the ground running and bet on the long runs; or to be more specific, on triple bets. These have a huge payout but the odds are fairly low and the house edge can provide a significant hit to your bankroll in the long run.
A very important tip for playing Sic Bo is to choose a good table. This is because the payouts can vary by quite a large margin, especially for triples and doubles, despite the fact that the odds are the same. Since the payouts are mentioned right on the table, be sure to take a look and compare your options before starting. This is incredibly easy to do while playing over the internet.
