Sic bo is a casino game played with three dice, where you bet on the outcome of a single roll. The most popular bets are small, a total of 4 to 10, and big, 11 to 17, which pay even money and have the lowest house edge at 2.78 percent. You can also bet on numbers, totals, doubles and triples.
Sic bo is one of the oldest gambling games in the world, and one of the easiest to pick up. Played with three dice and decided on a single roll, it has spread from the casinos of Macau to live dealer tables online, where it is now a firm favourite. How to play, every bet and what it pays, which bets give the best odds and the live versions like Super Sic Bo are all below, with the exact odds of every total.
- Sic bo is decided on a single roll of three dice. There are no rounds and no strategy, just a bet on the outcome.
- Small and big are the best bets. Both pay even money with the lowest house edge, 2.78 percent.
- Specific numbers and triples pay more but cost more. Their house edges run from about 8 percent up to over 18 percent.
- Live versions add a twist. Super Sic Bo and similar games apply random multipliers to the classic bets.
What is sic bo and how do you play?
Sic bo, which means precious dice in Chinese, is a game of chance played with three dice. To play, you place your bets on the layout, the dealer shakes the three dice in a sealed shaker, or the software rolls them at an RNG table, and every bet is settled the moment the dice are revealed. There are no rounds to play through and no decisions to make once the dice are rolled, which makes it closer in spirit to roulette than to craps.
That simplicity is the appeal: you can learn it in a minute and bet at whatever risk level suits you, from the near even-money small and big bets to long-shot triples. It is one of the main casino dice games, alongside craps, and the two usually sit side by side in the same live casino lobby.
Small and big: the best sic bo bets
The two bets to know first are small and big. Small wins if the three dice add up to a total between 4 and 10, big wins on a total between 11 and 17, and both pay even money. They carry the lowest house edge in the game at 2.78 percent, which makes them the clear choice for anyone who wants their bankroll to last.
The one catch is triples: both small and big lose if all three dice show the same number, even when the total would otherwise fall in your range. That single exception is where the house gets its edge on an otherwise close to even bet. Odd and even bets work the same way, at the same 2.78 percent. That is a little higher than the best craps odds, but still among the friendliest bets in the casino.
Sic bo bets and payouts
Beyond small and big, sic bo offers a whole layout of bets, each paying more as it gets less likely. You can bet a single number to appear on one, two or three of the dice, a specific pair, an exact total, a combination of two numbers, or a triple. The chart below lists the main bets with their standard payouts and house edge.
| Bet | Typical payout | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| Small (4-10) or Big (11-17) | 1 to 1 | 2.78% |
| Odd or Even | 1 to 1 | 2.78% |
| Single number (per die matched) | 1, 2 or 3 to 1 | 7.87% |
| Specific double | 10 to 1 | 18.52% |
| Any triple | 30 to 1 | 13.89% |
| Specific triple | 180 to 1 | 16.20% |
| Two-dice combination | 5 or 6 to 1 | 16.67% or 2.78% |
Two things to keep in mind. Payouts vary from casino to casino, so the house edge on the bigger bets shifts with them: a two-number combination can pay 5 to 1 or 6 to 1, which swings its edge from about 16.7 percent down to 2.78 percent. And exact-total bets, especially the rare totals of 4 or 17, can carry some of the highest edges on the layout, so they are best treated as fun long shots rather than value; the next section prices every one of them.
Sic bo dice totals and odds
Every sic bo total is not equally likely. The three dice are far more likely to add up to 10 or 11 than to 4 or 17, which is exactly why the exact-total bets on the rare numbers pay so much more. Tap any total below to see how often it comes up.
The exact-total bets price those probabilities, and the common paytable below shows why they are long shots: nothing pays close to true odds, and the two most popular totals, 10 and 11, carry the same 6 to 1 as the 9 and 12 despite landing more often. Online paytables vary, and the 4 and 17 swing most: 50 to 1 costs 29.2 percent, 60 to 1 costs 15.3 percent and 62 to 1 costs 12.5 percent, so the rules panel is worth a look before you bet a total.
| Total | Ways in 216 | Common payout | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 or 17 | 3 | 60 to 1 | 15.3% |
| 5 or 16 | 6 | 30 to 1 | 13.9% |
| 6 or 15 | 10 | 17 to 1 | 16.7% |
| 7 or 14 | 15 | 12 to 1 | 9.7% |
| 8 or 13 | 21 | 8 to 1 | 12.5% |
| 9 or 12 | 25 | 6 to 1 | 19.0% |
| 10 or 11 | 27 | 6 to 1 | 12.5% |
Live sic bo and Super Sic Bo online
Sic bo has found a natural home online, especially in live dealer studios where a host shakes real dice on camera and the winning bets light up the layout. It is one of the most popular live dice games, and for many players the online version is the easiest way to try it, since sic bo tables are far more common online than anywhere else.
The best known variant is Super Sic Bo from Evolution, which plays exactly like the classic game but adds random multipliers to some bets before each roll, turning a modest win into a large one now and then; its small and big bets keep the 2.78 percent edge, a published return of 97.22 percent, while the multiplied bets cost more on average.
Mega Sic Bo from Pragmatic Play and other branded versions work along similar lines. Our guide to online and live dice games in Canada covers where to find them and how live dealer play works.
Playing sic bo
Sic bo rewards a simple approach: stick to the small and big bets for the best odds, enjoy the occasional long shot on a number or triple, and set a budget before you start. It is pure chance, so there is nothing to master, just a fun, fast game of dice.
When you want to try it, choose a licensed site that offers live sic bo in Canadian dollars; in the regulated markets, AGCO-registered Ontario casinos and AGLC-registered Alberta casinos carry Super Sic Bo and standard live sic bo, each with its paytable in the rules panel.
