Sic Bo
Quick Pitch
Sic Bo is a traditional Chinese betting game where you place your chips on a layout before three dice are shaken and revealed — different bets pay out at very different odds.
Hook
Before the dice are shaken, you put your chips on whatever outcome you think will come up: a big total, a specific number, a pair, or a daring triple that pays 150 to 1. Then the dealer shakes the cup, lifts it, and everyone sees how they did at once. Sic Bo moves fast, plays loud, and fills the air with the satisfying rattle of dice. The simple Big/Small bets are nearly 50/50, so beginners can play confidently — but the table offers dozens of ways to gamble for higher payouts if you like the excitement.
Equipment Needed
- 3 standard six-sided dice
- 1 opaque cup (or cage-like container)
- Betting chips or coins
- Sic Bo betting layout (showing all possible bets)
- Table (to shake the cup on)
Setup
- Each player places bets on the betting layout before the dealer shakes the cup
- Determine betting limits
- Dealer shakes the cup with three dice inside
- Players cannot see the dice until revealed
Rules
Objective
Win chips by correctly predicting the outcome of three hidden dice.
Main Betting Options
Basic Bets (1:1 payout):
- Big (Dai): Total is 11-17 (pays even money, 2:1 on some tables)
- Small (Siu): Total is 4-10 (pays even money)
- Odd/Even: Total is odd or even
Specific Numbers (1:1 payout):
- Single number: Bet on 1-6; paid 1:1 for each die showing the number
- One die: 1:1
- Two dice: 2:1
- Three dice: 3:1
Pair Bets (6:1 payout):
- Specific pair: Bet on exact pair (e.g., 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, 6-6)
Two Dice Bets (higher payouts):
- Specific combination: Any two of three dice match (e.g., 1-2, 1-3)
- Pays 5:1 to 8:1 depending on variant
Combination Bets (5:1-6:1 payout):
- Three numbers: Specific unordered combination (e.g., 1-2-3, 4-5-6)
- Pays 6:1
Triple Bets (150:1 payout):
- Specific triple: All three dice the same (e.g., 1-1-1, 6-6-6)
- Any triple: Any three of a kind (pays 24:1)
Payout Summary
| Bet Type | Payout | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Big | 1:1 | 48.6% |
| Small | 1:1 | 48.6% |
| Single number (1 die) | 1:1 | 42% |
| Single number (2 dice) | 2:1 | 8.3% |
| Single number (3 dice) | 3:1 | 0.46% |
| Specific pair | 6:1 | 7.3% |
| Specific combination | 6:1 | 2.7% |
| Triple (specific) | 150:1 | 0.46% |
| Triple (any) | 24:1 | 2.8% |
Example Round
- Players place bets:
- Player A: 10 chips on Big (11-17)
- Player B: 5 chips on triple 6s (6-6-6)
- Player C: 20 chips on single 4 (any 4s)
- Dealer shakes cup containing three dice
- Dealer reveals: 4-5-6 (total 15)
- Big wins: Player A wins 10 chips (1:1 payout)
- Single 4 wins: Player C wins 20 chips (gets 1:1 for one 4 showing)
- Triple 6 loses: Player B loses 5 chips
- New round begins
House Edge
Different bets have different house edges:
- Big/Small: About 2.8% house edge (nearly fair)
- Single numbers: About 7-15% house edge
- Combination bets: 15%+ house edge
- Triples: 15-30% house edge
Expert Player
Tips
- Best odds: Big/Small bets have the lowest house edge
- Avoid high-payout bets: Triples and specific combos have terrible odds
- Bankroll management: Bet conservatively; Big/Small are safest
- Single number strategy: Betting on multiple numbers (1-6) covers more outcomes
- Combination thinking: Don't chase long-shot payouts
- Variance understanding: Short-term variance is high; play long-term for edge to show
Variations
Simplified Sic Bo
- Only Big/Small and odd/even bets allowed
- Faster, less complex
Street Variant
- Informal version with simplified betting
- Played in street gambling contexts
High-Low Triple Variant
- Modified payout structure for triples
- Regional variation
Dice Percentage Variant
- Payouts adjusted based on regional house policies
- Different tables may have different rates
Learn More — History & Origins
History & Origins
Sic Bo — the name means "precious dice" in Cantonese — is one of the oldest dice games in the world, with roots in ancient China that predate written records. The game was traditionally played by shaking three dice inside a bowl or small chest, and its structure of placing bets on a layout before a reveal connects it to a broad family of Asian dice games including Chuck-a-Luck (a simplified Western version) and Grand Hazard. The game spread through Chinese immigrant communities to Macau, Hong Kong, and eventually to Western casinos in the 20th century.
Macau, the gambling enclave on the southern coast of China, became the game's modern home. When Western casinos began competing for Asian players in the late 20th century, Sic Bo became one of the standard offerings alongside Baccarat and Roulette. It is now found in casinos worldwide wherever there is a significant Asian-descended customer base.
Cultural Context
Sic Bo occupies a similar cultural role in Chinese gaming tradition to that of Craps in American casino culture: it's the loud, fast dice game at the center of the action, with a large table, multiple betting options, and a social atmosphere built around group anticipation of the reveal. Unlike Craps, however, Sic Bo requires no skill from players — there are no decisions to make after the bet is placed, which makes it purely a game of chance. The house edge varies dramatically depending on which bets you choose: Big and Small (predicting whether the total will be high or low) have edges under 3%, while Triple bets can carry edges over 30%.