Sic Bo – meaning “precious dice” – is an ancient Chinese dice game that has become a fixture of casinos across Asia, including Macau and Malaysia. Three dice are shaken, and you bet on how they will land. It looks busy because the table is packed with betting options, but once you understand the handful of bet types, Sic Bo is quick to pick up. This guide explains how to play, what each bet pays and which bets give you the best chance.
How Sic Bo Works
- Place your bets on the table layout before betting closes.
- The dealer shakes three dice in a covered container or automatic shaker.
- The dice are revealed, and every bet that matches the result is paid. Many bets can win at once.
With three six-sided dice there are 216 possible outcomes. Totals range from 3 (1-1-1) to 18 (6-6-6), and middle totals like 10 and 11 come up far more often than the extremes.
Sic Bo Bets Explained
Big and Small
The simplest and most popular bets. Small wins if the total is 4 to 10; Big wins if it is 11 to 17. Both pay 1:1 – but both lose on any triple, which is where the house edge comes from.
Odd and Even
Bet on whether the total will be odd or even. It pays 1:1 and, like Big and Small, loses if a triple appears.
Single number
Pick a number from 1 to 6. You win if it appears on at least one die: typically 1:1 for one die, 2:1 for two and 3:1 (sometimes more) for all three.
Total bets
Bet on the exact total of the three dice, from 4 to 17. Rare totals pay the most – totals of 4 or 17 commonly pay around 50:1 or 60:1, while common totals such as 10 or 11 pay around 6:1.
Two-dice combination
Choose two different numbers, such as 3 and 5. You win if both appear. This usually pays 5:1.
Specific double
Bet that a chosen number appears on at least two dice, for example two 4s. Typical payout: 8:1 or 10:1.
Any triple and specific triple
Any triple wins if all three dice show the same number, usually paying 24:1 or 30:1. A specific triple, such as three 6s, is the longest shot on the table, typically paying 150:1 or 180:1.
A Quick Example Round
You place RM20 on Big, RM5 on the total of 11 and RM5 on the two-dice combination 5 and 6. The dice land 5-5-1 for a total of 11.
- Big (11–17) wins at 1:1: RM20 profit.
- Total 11 wins at 6:1: RM30 profit.
- The 5-and-6 combination loses, because no 6 appeared: RM5 lost.
Several bets settling at once like this is normal in Sic Bo – which is why it pays to keep track of how much you have on the table each round.
Sic Bo Payouts and House Edge
Payouts differ between tables and providers, so always check the paytable. The table below shows common payouts and the approximate house edge at those rates:
| Bet | Common payout | Approx. house edge |
|---|---|---|
| Big / Small | 1:1 | 2.8% |
| Odd / Even | 1:1 | 2.8% |
| Single number | 1:1 / 2:1 / 3:1 | 7.9% |
| Specific double | 10:1 | 11.1% |
| Any triple | 30:1 | 13.9% |
| Two-dice combination | 5:1 | 16.7% |
| Specific triple | 180:1 | 16.2% |
At lower payout rates – for example 8:1 on a double or 150:1 on a specific triple – the house edge climbs even higher.
The Best Sic Bo Bets
If your goal is the longest playing time and the best odds, Big and Small are the clear choice. With a house edge under 3%, they are among the better-value bets in any live casino. Odd and Even offer the same odds where available.
The long-shot bets – totals, doubles and triples – are exciting because a single win can pay dozens or hundreds of times your stake. But you pay for that excitement with a much higher house edge. A sensible approach is to keep most of your stake on Big or Small and use small amounts for the occasional long shot.
Sic Bo Myths to Ignore
- “Big is due after five Smalls.” Dice have no memory. Every shake is independent of the last.
- “Hot numbers keep coming.” Result boards show history, not the future.
- “Betting everything covers you.” Covering many bets at once guarantees that most of them lose each round.
Live Sic Bo Variants
Modern live studios have added their own twists. Some tables add random multipliers to certain bets in selected rounds, which boosts potential payouts on those bets while slightly reducing standard payouts elsewhere. The core rules stay the same, so the bet guide above applies to any table you join.
Tips for Playing Sic Bo
- Learn the paytable of the table you are playing – payouts vary.
- Anchor your play on Big or Small for the lowest house edge.
- Limit long-shot bets to a small, fixed share of your budget.
- Set a session limit and stop when you reach it.
Play Live Sic Bo at Yes2win
You can play live Sic Bo with real dealers from providers including AllBet, Asia Gaming and XPG in the Yes2win live casino, alongside baccarat, dragon tiger and roulette. Deposit in Ringgit with FPX or e-wallets, and play from your phone or desktop. New to Yes2win? Start on the homepage.