KEY TAKEAWAYS
Sic Bo is a dice game played in casinos around the world, from Macau to Atlantic City, and it is built around the roll of three dice. Players bet on single numbers, pairs, totals and simple ranges, and every roll settles all of the bets on the table at once. This reference card explains what the game is, how the table is set up, how a round works, which bets are standard, what they pay under common rule sets, and how the game varies by venue. The payout tables show house edges under both Atlantic City and Macau payouts, since the rules differ between places. The card is a summary of the standard rules and not a tutorial or a strategy guide, and the posted rules at any table are the final word.
The Game at a Glance
Sic Bo is a casino dice game in which players bet on the outcome of a roll of three dice. The table below gives the basic facts, and the figures are drawn from published analysis of the game.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Players | Any number of players share one table and each places their own bets |
| Equipment | Three standard six-sided dice and a betting layout printed on the table |
| Objective | Predict the numbers, totals or combinations that the three dice will show |
| Possible outcomes | 6 × 6 × 6 = 216 combinations of the three dice |
| Typical house edge | 2.78% on Small and Big, higher on most other bets, depending on the payouts |
| Where commonly found | Macau, Atlantic City, some large Las Vegas casinos and some online games |
The name is usually translated as “dice pair”, and the game is generally described as Chinese in origin. Payouts and the layout vary from place to place, so the posted rules at a table always apply.
Setup and Objective
Sic Bo needs very little equipment, but its layout contains many different bets. Understanding the layout is most of the work of understanding the game.
The game uses three dice, which the dealer shakes or rolls, often inside a covered container so that the result is random. The table layout shows each available bet with its payout printed beside it. Players place chips on the areas that match the outcomes they are predicting.
The objective is to place bets that match the roll. A bet can name a single number, a pair of numbers, the total of all three dice, or a simple range such as small or big. Every bet is settled separately, so a player can have several bets on the layout at the same time, and one roll can win some of them and lose others.
Because three dice produce 216 equally likely combinations, every probability in the game can be found by counting combinations. For example, a total of 10 can be made in 27 of the 216 combinations, which is 12.50%. Payouts depend on the venue, and a bet that pays more is generally a bet that wins less often.
How a Round Works
A round of Sic Bo follows the same short sequence every time, regardless of which bets the players choose.
1. Bets are placed. Players put chips on the layout, and each bet area shows its payout. Betting stays open until the dealer closes it.
2. The dice are rolled. The dealer shakes or rolls the three dice, and the result is announced and usually highlighted on the layout.
3. Winning bets are identified. The dealer checks each bet against the result. A bet on a single number wins if that number appears on at least one die. A bet on a total wins if the three dice add up to it. A small or big bet wins on the matching range of totals but loses on any triple.
4. Bets are paid and collected. Winning bets are paid at the odds printed on the layout, and losing bets are removed.
5. A new round begins. The layout is cleared and players place bets for the next roll. Each roll is independent of the ones before it.
A worked example. The dice show 2, 5 and 5, which total 12. A Big bet wins, since 12 is in the range 11 to 17 and it is not a triple. A bet on the number 5 wins with two matches. A bet on a total of 12 wins. A Small bet loses, as does a bet on any triple.
Standard Bets and Payouts
Sic Bo offers a long list of bets, and the payouts differ by venue. The table shows the common bets under the payouts used in Atlantic City and in Macau, with the probability of winning and the house edge under each set of payouts.
| Bet | Wins when | Atlantic City pays | Macau pays | Chance of winning | House edge (AC / Macau) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | Total is 4 to 10, not a triple | 1 to 1 | 1 to 1 | 48.61% | 2.78% / 2.78% |
| Big | Total is 11 to 17, not a triple | 1 to 1 | 1 to 1 | 48.61% | 2.78% / 2.78% |
| Total of 4 or 17 | Dice add up to the chosen total | 60 to 1 | 50 to 1 | 1.39% | 15.28% / 29.17% |
| Total of 5 or 16 | Dice add up to the chosen total | 30 to 1 | 18 to 1 | 2.78% | 13.89% / 47.22% |
| Total of 6 or 15 | Dice add up to the chosen total | 17 to 1 | 14 to 1 | 4.63% | 16.67% / 30.56% |
| Total of 7 or 14 | Dice add up to the chosen total | 12 to 1 | 12 to 1 | 6.94% | 9.72% / 9.72% |
| Total of 8 or 13 | Dice add up to the chosen total | 8 to 1 | 8 to 1 | 9.72% | 12.50% / 12.50% |
| Total of 9 or 12 | Dice add up to the chosen total | 6 to 1 | 6 to 1 | 11.57% | 18.98% / 18.98% |
| Total of 10 or 11 | Dice add up to the chosen total | 6 to 1 | 6 to 1 | 12.50% | 12.50% / 12.50% |
| Specific triple | All three dice show the chosen number | 180 to 1 | 150 to 1 | 0.46% | 16.20% / 30.09% |
| Any triple | All three dice match each other | 30 to 1 | 24 to 1 | 2.78% | 13.89% / 30.56% |
| Double | At least two dice show the chosen number | 10 to 1 | 8 to 1 | 7.41% | 18.52% / 33.33% |
| Domino | Both chosen numbers appear | 5 to 1 | 5 to 1 | 13.89% | 16.67% / 16.67% |
| Any one number | Chosen number appears on one, two or three dice | 1, 2 or 3 to 1 | 1, 2 or 3 to 1 | 42.13% | 7.87% / 7.87% |
Each house edge follows from the number of winning combinations out of 216 and the payout. For example, a total of 4 or 17 wins in 3 of 216 combinations, so the edge at 60 to 1 is 1 − 61 × 3 ÷ 216 = 15.28%. Online and regional games can use other payouts, such as 12 to 1 instead of 3 to 1 for three matches on Any one number in Australia.
Common Variations
There is no single universal Sic Bo, and the details change with the venue.
Regional payouts. The payouts are the same across Atlantic City and across Macau, but the two sets differ from each other, as the table above shows. Australian casinos use a third set that pays more on several bets, which lowers the house edge on them.
Different layouts and names. There is no universal agreement on the names of many Sic Bo bets, so one table may call a bet by a different name from another. Always read the layout and the posted rules for the table in front of you.
Extra bets in some venues. Some Macau tables offer Odd and Even, which pays 1 to 1 and loses on any triple, and a few offer combination bets built on specific groups of three or four numbers. These bets are less widely offered than the standard list.
Online and electronic games. Online and electronic versions often use virtual dice and can offer a wide range of payouts, including on Any one number when three dice match. The listed payouts in any such game determine its house edge.
Key Terms
These short entries explain the words that appear on a Sic Bo layout. A full gambling glossary is a separate resource.
Small
A bet that the total of the three dice will be 4 to 10, which loses on any triple.
Big
A bet that the total of the three dice will be 11 to 17, which loses on any triple.
Triple
A roll in which all three dice show the same number. A specific triple names the number, and an any triple bet wins on every triple.
Double
A bet that at least two of the dice will show a chosen number.
Domino
A bet on two different numbers, which wins if both appear among the three dice.
Combination
A general word for a bet on specific numbers appearing together, such as the two-number bet that is also called a domino.
Total
The sum of the three dice, which can range from 3 to 18. The totals 3 and 18 are possible only with a triple.
Any one number
A bet on a single face that pays according to how many dice show it, normally 1, 2 or 3 to 1.
Related Reading
Dice games share part of their vocabulary with other casino games. General money and odds terms such as house edge and payout are explained in the gambling money terms glossary, and the vocabulary of odds is covered in the betting odds terms glossary.
