Rules
and Strategies
Rules
How to play Sic Bo
by Max Drayman
19 Jul 1999
Sic
Bo is a dice game of Asian origin. The name means "two dice"
or "dice pair" and refers to the some of the higher
paying bets that a player can place. In fact the game uses three
6-sided dice and a variety of betting options are available as
marked on the Sic Bo table, all based on predictions of what dice
combinations the throw will yield.
Objective
Players
place their bets on the Sic Bo table, predicting various outcomes,
totals and combinations of the three dice. Multiple bets can be
placed and they pay off according to the odds indicated on the
table.
Betting
and the odds
There
are seven different types of bets in Sic Bo:
Dice
Face: players may bet that any one of the six dice sides will
show. If that number comes up on any one of the dice, the player
wins even money. If two of the dice show the selected face, the
bet is paid off at 2-to-1. And if all three dice show the same
face, the bet is paid at 3-to-1. The house edge on this bet is
approximately 8%.
Two
Faces: this is a bet that a combination of two particular numbers
will appear. If the player bets, for example, that a 1 and a 6
will appear and it does, the house pays off at 5:1. The house
advantage here is about 17%.
Totals:
players can wager on the total of all three dice. The player selects
a specific total from 4 to 17. Since the combination of faces
that can result in the selected total varies, so too does the
payoff (see chart). The chart gives the corresponding house advantage
on that particular totals bet.
| Total |
Payout |
House |
| 4 or
17 |
60:1 |
29.1% |
| 5 or
16 |
18:1 |
47.2% |
| 6 or
15 |
14:1 |
30.5% |
| 7 or
14 |
12:1 |
9.7% |
| 8 or
13 |
8:1 |
12.5% |
| 9 or
12 |
6:1 |
18.9% |
| 10 or
11 |
6:1 |
12.5% |
Small
or Big: this wager is a bet that the total of the three dice will
fall in a specific range. A bet on "Small" is on the
total being between 4 and 10. A bet on "Big" is on the
dice totaling between 11 and 17. But see the small print that
says "Lose on any triple"? If any three-of-a-kind comes
up, the house takes your wager. Still, the odds of winning Small
or Big are by far the best on the table. Here the house holds
about a 3% edge.
Triple:
Here you're betting that all three faces will come up with a specific
number. The payoff is large, 150:1, but for good reason. The chances
are 215:1 against you, giving the casino a 30% advantage.
Any
Triple: You're betting that all three faces will be the same.
This pays out at 24:1, but the true odds are 35:1. Again, you're
fighting a 30% house advantage.
Any
Pair: Betting that a pair of any particular number will come up
pays 8:1. Believe it or not on this bet is one of the worst on
the table. The house holds a 33% advantage.
Payoff
Payoffs
in Sic Bo are marked right on the table and vary according to
the type of bet you place.
Strategies
Winning Sic Bo strategies
by
Max Drayman
19 Jul 1999
Because
Sic Bo is a game of chance, the best strategy is to stick with
the best odds. Looking back over the numbers you'll see that the
house edge on Small and Big bets is a fairly reasonable 3%. If
you're going to play smart, that's your bet. If you feel lucky,
the table is yours.
