The dice game that has taken the casino world by storm – Sic Bo

 Sep, 13 - 2018   Casino

Sic Bo is a casino game that has its origins in Ancient China. For this reason, it is usually more popular in Asian card rooms, but it is beginning to grow in popularity throughout the world, and you can now even play Sic Bo online. The translation from Ancient Chinese of Sic Bo is literally ‘Dice Pair’ and this is indeed a dice game, though oddly three dice are used in play. This article looks at how to play Sic Bo, Sic Bo rules, and some Sic Bo strategy.

How to Play Sic Bo

The three dice used in Sic Bo are kept in a chest. For every game, the dealer will shake the dice while they are in the chest and will open the chest at the end of the roll to reveal the results. Before the dice are rolled players make bets on the Sic Bo gameboard, players can make many different bets in relation to things such as the total score rolled on the dice or on individual numbers being rolled. There are a whole host of wagers that can be played, so, before you play, you should familiarize yourself with the various betting options open to you. Sic Bo online is played in much the same way with the exception of the generation of the dice rolls, which is handled by software rather than a live dealer.

Sic Bo Bets

To ensure you have mastered your Sic Bo strategy, your first port of call is to understand the different bets that you can make. It is worth noting at this stage that when you make your bet on Sic Bo, you can bet as many different combinations as you wish, and you decide what your wager is, so long as you abide by minimum wagering requirements. Here is a list of bets to help you familiarize yourself:


The total of the numbers rolled on the dice will fall between 11 and 17, the odds are 1:1.


The total of the numbers rolled on the dice will fall between 4 and 10, the odds are 1:1.

Total You can choose to name what the total of the roll will be, Sic Bo odds vary according to the number chosen.


At least two of the dice will show the same number, odds vary between 8:1 and 11:1.


All of the dice will show the same number, you can bet with a chosen number or bet with any number, odds vary 24:1 for any triple to a whopping 190:1 if you choose to call the number.

Any one number

You call a number and if that appears on any dice you win, odds are 1:1.


The total made by the dice will be odd.


The total made by the dice will be even.


You choose two numbers (they have to be different numbers) and win if they come up, odds are 5:1

All three numbers

You can choose all three numbers that will come up, either with three unique numbers or two unique numbers. You can even, if you prefer, choose four numbers and win if you match three out of your chosen four. Odds range from 7:1 to 50:1 depending on which combination you choose.

Sic Bo Strategy

Sic Bo is really a game of chance, there is no way to determine how the dice will roll and they are not governed by what has gone before in the game. It is very difficult, therefore to improve Sic Bo odds in the player’s favour. Some players choose to use the d’Alembert betting system when they play to help them maximise at least the amount they will win even if they can’t predict what the dice will do. They tend to place the bets offering even odds such as big, small, any one number, odd or even. They then increase the wager by the amount originally bet every time they win and reduce the wager by the same amount when they lose, stopping when the wager works back down to zero. This betting strategy won’t alter the game but it can make it more fun to play and give you limits to play within.

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