Sic Bo is not a challenging game to come across at online casinos. However, while the game is commonplace, you will often only find one or two variants of the title at each site. Sic Bo can be likened to several other games, including the Indian game of Jhandi Munda. This dice game involves predicting what will appear on several dice when they are rolled.
The History Behind Sic Bo
Sic Bo – like most gambling games – has a history, which is not easy to pinpoint with any real precision. The name of the game literally translates from Chinese as Dice Pair. It has also been called Dai Siu (Big-Small) and Tai Sai (Lucky Dice). It is not uncommon to find anglicised versions of these games in casinos, so the game you want to play may not always be called Sic Bo. Nonetheless, they all amount to the same game.
While it is commonly agreed that Sic Bo originated in China, there are large populations located outside the country who play Sic Bo, too. Gambling games are illegal in China (save for Macao), and India’s gambling population who love their Sic Bo games represents one of the biggest in the world.
How to Play Sic Bo Online
Sic Bo is always played with three dice. It does not matter whether you wish to play online or in land-based casinos. The table layout and the number of dice used, as well as the bets offered, always remain the same. As with all dice-based games, Sic Bo is a game of chance. The game ultimately revolves around you placing a bet on which combinations of numbers appear on the dice when they are rolled. If the numbers on the dice are in-line with your bet and favourable to it, then you will pocket a win from a predetermined paytable. If not, you will lose your bet.
There are many different types of dice bets you can place in Sic Bo. In fact, you are spoilt for choice. Before the game begins, you will need to put your chips (your bet) down on the betting table in the spot, which represents the type of bet you wish to make. This is done in much the same way as craps and roulette.
Types of Bets
The possible bets you can make in Sic Bo include:
- Small Bets: You predict that the total score of all three dice will be worth between 4 and 10, except for triples.
- Big Bets: You predict that the total score of all three dice will be worth between 11 and 17, except for triples.
- Combination Bet: A wager on two numbers appearing on the three dice.
- Triples: You predict that the same number will appear on all three dice.
- Single Bet: A bet that a single number will appear on one or more dice.
- Double Bet: A bet that two of the dice will show the same number.
- Domino Bet: A bet on a specific set of two numbers appearing on the dice.
- Total Bets: A bet that all three dice will equal a number selected by the player. Fourteen different bets are possible, from 4 to 17.
- Single Number: A bet that a single number will appear on one or more dice. Unlike a single bet, this bet will reward players with increased payouts if it lands more than once.
- Any Triple: A bet that any triple number will appear on a roll.
- Odds: A bet that the total of the three dice will be an odd number. This bet loses if a triple is rolled.
- Evens: A bet that the total of three dice will be an even number. This bet loses if a triple is rolled.
- Three-Number Combo (XXY): A bet that three specific, individual numbers will be rolled on the three dice.
- Three-Number Combo (XYZ): A bet that three specific numbers will appear, with two of them being the same.
- Four-Number Combo: A bet that sees you select four individual numbers. It is won if three out of the four numbers appear on the dice.
Winning, Prizes and Payouts
Once a bet has been made, the dice are rolled. If the numbers on the dice match those stipulated in your bet, then you can pocket a win based on the paytable rate. If they do not match your bet, then you will lose your bet. Below, you will find the payouts most associated with these standard Sic Bo bets:
- Small Bets: With a house edge of 2.78%, these bets payout at 1:1.
- Big Bets: With a houses edge of 2.78%, these bets payout at 1:1.
- Combination Bet: Combination bets payout at 6:1, but the house edge is 16.67%
- Triples: These bets can pay anything from 150:1 up to 190:1, depending on the game you are playing.
- Single Bet: A straightforward bet that pays out at 1:1.
- Double Bet: This bet pays out at 6:1.
- Domino Bet: This bet pays out at 5:1.
- Total Bets: These bets have payouts ranging from 6:1 for a 10 or 11, up to 69:1 for a 4 or 17.
- Single Number: This bet pays 1:1 if the number appears once, and 2:1 and 3:1 if it appears two or three times on the dice.
- Any Triple: Any triple bets have decent payouts of 24:1 to 32:1.
- Odds and Evens: These offer basic 1:1 payouts.
- Three-Number Combo (XXY): This bet pays out at 50:1.
- Three-Number Combo (XYZ): Worth slightly less the other type of three-number combo bet, expect winnings of 30:1 here.
- Four-Number Combo: You will win 7:1 if this bet comes good.
Online Sic Bo Variants
Players should bear in mind that while the bets listed above can be found in many Sic Bo games, there are rule variations in each title. Some Sic Bo games feature Atlantic City, Macao, or Australian rules, and these change the value of the payouts, as well as the types of bets that are available.
Other types of Sic Bo variants you may come across include live dealer games, RNG (random number generator) versions of the game, and national variants such as India’s Jhandi Munda, and others.
Strategies for Success
As with most games of chance, you do not really have a whole lot of strategy options open to you when betting on Sic Bo. However, there are one or two tips we can provide, which should help you have a slightly easier time playing the game. These include:
- Understanding the Bets: You must learn how each of the bets works before you wager money on it. Some even-money bets are ideal for newbies, while others are so unlikely to come off that they may be scarcely worth a punt.
- Big and Small Bets: These are the ideal bets to make for newbie. They are easy to grasp and can the reduced house edge mean you have a decent enough chance of success, even if the small payouts may not be ideal.
- Betting Systems: It is possible to use basic betting systems when playing the game. For instance, some players prefer to use the Martingale System to engage in the micromanagement of their funds. However, many Sic Bo players who use betting strategies seem to suggest that the D’Alembert System could be more advantageous to use.
Who Should Play Sic Bo Online?
There are a few different types of Sic Bo games out there for you to play. Not all of them are going to impress. Some may have slight variations on the rules that may make them more palatable to players. There are also many games, which are played similarly to Sic Bo that could be worth revisiting. For instance, Indian Lucky Dice enthusiasts may wish to try their hand at Jhandi Munda before betting on Sic Bo.
Sic Bo is ideally suited for lovers of games of chance. Before playing Sic Bo for real money, though, we would always recommend that you play the game for free online, to learn a bit more about it.
Where to Play Sic Bo Online
If you are adamant that you want to play Sic Bo, you will not struggle to find somewhere to do that. As mentioned, most online casinos currently offer Sic Bo games online. You may not find a wide selection of them at any chosen casino, but there will ordinarily be at least one game available. Moreover, there may also be live dealer versions of this Asian classic for you to try your hand at. 22BET is one of our favourite Sic Bo casinos, and they offer the live Pragmatic Play version of the game.
