How to Play Online Sic B o
Sic Bo is an ancient Chinese dice game played with three dice. Surprisingly, the Sic Bo table looks very similar to the roulette table – and the gameplay is similar.
In this guide, you will learn how to play Sic Bo. We will cover some of the different betting options and the rules of playing Sic Bo, and we will also look at some strategies to improve your chances of winning. Firstly, however, we’re going to look at the history of Sic Bo.
History of Sic Bo
Sic Bo is an exciting casino game that has its origins in ancient China. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to put a date on the game’s exact creation, and this is because it has developed significantly over time. Each time a new development infiltrates the game, small aspects of the gameplay change. However, historians know that Sic Bo emerged around the same time karate and taekwondo came into existence.
Interestingly, ancient Chinese history books show that Sic Bo was one of the games played by soldiers during their periods of relaxation. However, back then, dice had not been invented. As a result of this, the soldiers used a variety of different objects to play the game.
Historians believe that the soldiers used small animals’ shells, rocks, and bones to play. They would engrave these objects with markings. When Sic Bo was created, soldiers played it primarily to relax. It is said that martial arts fighters were particularly fond of the game, using it to sharpen their mental and physical skills. However, as time passed, Sic Bo continued to grow in popularity, and before long, it found its way into the palaces of emperors and their concubines.
Eventually, Sic Bo managed to reach the masses and underwent a similar boom to Texas Hold’em as we saw in the United States of America. As you can imagine, Sic Bo has had several different names over the years. It was previously known as Dai Siu and Tai Sai.
In the game’s early stages, many historians believe that only two dice were used. This may be why it used to be called Lucky Pair. However, due to prolific trading between the Chinese and the West, Sic Bo soon found its way to the European continent, and when it was introduced in land-based casinos in the USA, a third dice was added.
Many people assume that Sic Bo has been in casinos for decades. However, it was only officially introduced in the United States in 2003. Since then, it has become a viral game, and you will be able to find it at virtually all online casinos and some of the bigger land-based casinos.
How to Play Sic Bo Online
Playing Sic Bo online is incredibly easy. While the game has evolved from using two dice to using three guys, the game’s rules have not changed that much. The dealer will pick up the dice in a small chest when gameplay begins. They will then shake the dice and roll them onto the table.
The general goal of Sic Bo is to place bets on the dice combinations that you think will land. You can bet on all combinations, and there are also some special bets on which you can place wagers. In the next section of this guide, we will look at some of the different Sic Bo bets that players can make at the table.
Sic Bo Bets
There are several different Sic Bo bets available. While every game developer and casino offers slightly different bets, the best bets are universally available.
Below, we’ll take a look at some of the most common bets you will find yourself able to place at the Sic Bo table.
Small and Big Bets
Small and big bets are, without a doubt, the most popular bets at the Sic Bo table. Virtually every Sic Bo table will feature these betting options, and they pay even money, so they are sort of like the red/black bets you can place at the roulette table.
The small bet is when you place a bet on any dice sum between four and ten being rolled. The big bet is when you place a bet on the sum being between 11 and 17. Both of these bets pay 1/1 – even money, in other words. They also have the smallest house edge out of all the bets you can place at the Sic Bo table. This is why many players enjoy placing these bets.
However, if you are observant, you may have noticed that the numbers three and 18 are missing. That is because when you place a small or big bet, any triple sum – that is, three dice with the same numbers – will automatically result in a loss. As a result, the true odds of the big or small bets are not exactly 50-50, and the probability of you winning is 48.61%.
Sums Bets
A sum bet is where you place a bet on the total number the dice equals. It’s a great alternative if you don’t feel like betting on specific dice numbers or their combinations. For example, you could bet on the total sum being 10. If you placed this bet, the three dice would need to add up to 10 for you to win.
The payouts for sum bets tend to be quite good. This is because it is hard to guess the total sum of the three dice accurately. For example, if you bet the total sum is four, you will average a payout of 60/1. At the other end of the scale, if you bet on the total sum being 17, you will also be paid out at 60/1.
Of course, the middle numbers are much easier to hit. For example, if you place a bet on the total sum being 12 or 13, you will be paid out at 6/1 or 8/1, respectively.
Single Dice Bet
A single dice bet is similar to placing a straight-up number bet on the Roulette table. If you make a single dice bet, you are betting that a specific number will appear on one, two, or all three of the dice. For example, if you bet on a six being rolled, if it appears on just one dice, you will be paid out at even money. If a six appears on two dice, you will be paid out at 2/1, and if a six is rolled on all three dice, you will be paid out at 3/1.
Unfortunately, the payouts are not great, especially considering you are paid out 3/1 if your chosen number lands on all three dice. As a result, single dice bets are not placed very frequently by players at the Sic Bo table.
Double and Triple Bets
Double and triple bets can be placed when you have a strong inclination that two of the dice will land, showcasing the same number. The payout of this bet is 10/1. However, the odds of you predicting it correctly at just 7.4%. This is the double bet.
The Triple bet, as you may expect, requires you to predict all three dice have the same numbers. If you guess correctly, you will be paid out on 30/1. You can also bet on a specific set of triplets to make things more complicated. However, the odds are pretty poor here, and the casino house edge increases significantly if you place this bet.
Two Dice Combination Bets
If you look further down to the bottom of the Sic Bo table layout, you will notice 15 domino-like areas. Here, you can place bets on two-dice combinations. For example, you could bet on 2-3, 4-5, and 3-6. Here, you are simply placing a bet on the combinations you think the dice will land on.
At some Sic Bo tables, you can also bet on what is known as the Domino. This is simply the two dice bet, and it works in an almost identical way. It is just named differently. All of these bets pay 5/1, which isn’t great considering the true odds.
Three Tips to Improve Your Chances of Winning
While Sic Bo is, without a doubt, a game of luck, there are a few things that you can do to improve your chances of winning. However, you should be very cautious if you see anyone recommending a specific Sic Bo strategy. Such strategies do not exist, and don’t forget; casinos would not be able to offer these casino games if there were ways of beating the long term.
That being said, you can follow a few strategy tips to boost your chances of winning, and we will look at three of these tips below.
Limit Where You Bet
One of the most important things to remember when playing Sic Bo is not to bet on too many areas. When you are playing Sic Bo online, you will find yourself able to place multiple bets at the same time. Many online casinos allow you to bet on up to 16 areas per roll. However, it is not recommended to bet on that many areas, which will increase the casino’s house edge dramatically.
Of course, it’s tempting to cover as many positions as possible; doing so, you think, will improve your chances of hitting a winning bet. However, you need to step back and analyze all the betting options available to you. For example, what are the mathematical chances of winning each of these bets, and are the payouts worth it?
Once you understand better the different bets available to you and their payouts, you will start to see that placing lots of bets at the table like this is simply a wrong decision. It is much better to choose a few bets, stick to them religiously, and hope that luck is on your side when playing.
Prioritize Betting on the Big or Small Area
As we mentioned earlier, the big and small bet areas have the best odds at the Sic Bo table. More importantly, these bets also carry the slightest house edge. This means the casino expects to make less money from players playing these bets than other bets on the table. Or in other words, you can expect to win more money playing these bets compared to others at the table.
If you head to a land-based casino, you will notice that many players sitting around the table bet only on big and small bets. While there is an argument against doing this due to the tedious nature of placing these bets, if you are looking to maximize your chances of winning, and do not want to take chances on some of the more obscure bets, then sticking to the big or small bets is a great choice.
Of course, if you are gambling online, the excitement factor of this bet decreases even more. As a general rule of thumb, we suggest sticking to big or small bets if you are playing in a land-based casino. This is because there is a social aspect to playing the game, so you won’t feel as bored as if you were playing online.
Don’t Believe the Gambler’s Fallacy.
Gambler’s fallacy is something you can see in virtually every casino table game. It’s cost players billions of dollars over the years. Despite players thinking that an event is due to happen, reality shows that every time you play a casino table game, the game’s result is genuinely independent and random.
Just because the dice have been landing on specific numbers for the last few rolls does not increase the likelihood of this change in subsequent games. The outcomes of the dice do not depend on past events. Regardless of what people at the Sic Bo table try to tell you, there is no increase in the probability that an event will happen just because it has not happened for a long time.
Similarly, you should also avoid chasing losses. While it can be tempting to try and increase your bets to try and win back those losses, doing so puts you at risk of losing even more money.
If you are on a cold streak, the best thing to do is to walk away from the table for a set period. Go for a walk, have a cigarette, grab a bite to eat – do anything that prevents you from withdrawing more money and putting more chips at the table. Of course, chasing your losses will work occasionally, but nine times out of 10, it will backfire and cost you more money.
Where to Play Sic Bo Online
If you want to play Sic Bo online, you must choose to play at a trustworthy casino. With more casinos out there than ever, finding a reputable and safe online casino can seem daunting.
Here at Casinomeister, we appreciate the challenges of finding a reputable online casino. That’s why we have dedicated the last two decades to reviewing – fairly – online casinos. We have a dedicated team of online gambling experts who scour the web in search of new online gambling websites, reviewing them and giving our readers our honest opinions and thoughts.
When we recommend casinos, we do so with our full backing behind them. We are not influenced by money, so casinos cannot pay us to recommend them – and this means that when you choose a casino from the Casinomeister website, you can rest assured that you will be playing at a brand that has a genuinely good reputation for looking after its players and is a safe place to play at.
If you want somewhere to play Sic Bo, we strongly recommend choosing one of the casinos at the top of this page. You may also see these casinos in the menu on the right-hand side of your screen. All of these casinos have been hand-picked by our team of online gambling experts. They generally offer a large assortment of games; they have fast cashouts, their customer support facilities are top-notch – and, most importantly, they all have a solid reputation for looking after their players and treating everyone fairly.
Browse through the recommended casinos, and if you see one that you like the look of, hit the “join now” or “play now” button to be taken directly to the sign-up page and create your free account.
FAQs
Are there any good Sic Bo strategies?
Although you will find many supposed Sic Bo strategies online, most of them tend to focus solely on bet combinations or betting strategies. Please be aware that you cannot consistently use a betting strategy to win at sic Bo or any other casino game.
While it is undoubtedly true that you can do things to decrease the house edge – mainly, staying away from specific bets – there is nothing you can do to win the game consistently. If such a strategy was implemented, casinos would be out of business very.
As a general rule of thumb, if you want to minimize the house edge, you should stick to playing the small and big bets. These bets carry a 48.6% probability of winning, and the house edge is minimal. Of course, placing these bets is the most exciting pastime in the world, and for this reason, many players simply choose to ignore the advice.
What are the odds and the house edge in the game?
The odds of a specific bet vary depending on the type of bet. However, the four and 17 bet carries a house edge of 12.5%, the five and 16 bet carries a house edge of 11.1%, and the six and 15 bet carries a house edge of 12%. The lowest house edge is found on numbers nine through 12. The house edge of these bets is just 7.4%.
How does Sic Bo compare to other casino table games?
Compared to other casino table games, Sic Bo does quite well. When you place the big or small bet, the house edge is just 2.78%. However, compare this with Blackjack – which carries a house edge of just 0.29% – and you can see that Sic Bo fairs considerably poorer.
Regarding an equivalent, sic Bo is roughly comparable to roulette, which carries a house edge of 2.7% on a single zero table. Baccarat has an average house edge of 1.06% when placing a bet on the bank option. As with any casino table game, Sic Bo should be played for fun.
Is the Sic Bo game available online?
Yes! Today, virtually every online casino offers sic Bo in some form, and it’s straightforward to begin playing. One of the benefits of playing at online casinos is that you can enjoy multiple variations of Sic Bo. For example, many of the online casinos that offer sic Bo will also offer game variations with side bets.
This means you can place a bet on an optional side bet, and while every game developer and casino has its side bet options, one of the most popular is the progressive side bet. A progressive jackpot increases each time a player plays the game and doesn’t win the jackpot. When you do hit the required commendation to scoop the jackpot, you will win it in its entirety.
What is Sic Bo?
Sic Bo is an exciting casino game that has its origins in ancient China. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to put a date on the game’s exact creation, and this is because it has developed significantly over time. Each time a new development infiltrates the game, small aspects of the gameplay change. However, historians know that Sic Bo emerged around the same time karate and taekwondo came into existence.
Today, sic Bo can be found at pretty much every online casino. Unfortunately, it is not as widely available as in land-based casinos. This is because it takes up quite a lot of floor space and is not one of the most popular games. However, if you head to Las Vegas or a land-based casino in a central metropolitan area, the chances of finding a Sic Bo table increase.
Can I try Sic Bo for free?
Yes! Almost every online casino in the world allows you to try its casino games for free. This includes Sic Bo. Playing in demo mode is a fantastic way of getting a feel for the game without having to risk any of your own money. You can play the game in demo mode for as long as possible. Once you are comfortable with it, you can move on to playing for real money if you are inclined.
However, please be aware that if you are from the UK, you will need to verify your identity before you can play any free-play casino games. This is due to new regulations from the UKGC, and it is simply out of the casino’s hands.