How to play sic bo
Three dice, one shake, many ways to bet – here is every sic bo rule with a quick example.
What is sic bo
Sic bo is a dice game. The dealer shakes three dice in a covered bowl, and you bet on what the dice will show.
Three dice give 216 possible results, and each one is equally likely.
| Bet | Pays | Wins | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small / Big | 1 to 1 | 48.61% | 2.78% |
| Odd / Even | 1 to 1 | 48.61% | 2.78% |
| Single number | 1, 2 or 3 to 1 | 42.13% | 7.87% |
| Total 4 or 17 | 60 to 1 | 1.39% | 15.28% |
| Total 5 or 16 | 30 to 1 | 2.78% | 13.89% |
| Total 6 or 15 | 17 to 1 | 4.63% | 16.67% |
| Total 7 or 14 | 12 to 1 | 6.94% | 9.72% |
| Total 8 or 13 | 8 to 1 | 9.72% | 12.50% |
| Total 9 or 12 | 6 to 1 | 11.57% | 18.98% |
| Total 10 or 11 | 6 to 1 | 12.50% | 12.50% |
| Two-number combination | 5 to 1 | 13.89% | 16.67% |
| Specific double | 10 to 1 | 7.41% | 18.52% |
| Any triple | 30 to 1 | 2.78% | 13.89% |
| Specific triple | 180 to 1 | 0.46% | 16.20% |
Atlantic City pay table, exact over all 216 dice outcomes. Pays differ in Macau and online.
Sic bo bets with examples
- Small – the total is four through ten, except any triple. Example: one, three and five make nine – a win. House edge 2.78%.
- Big – the total is eleven through seventeen, except any triple. Example: four, five and six make fifteen – a win. House edge 2.78%.
- Single number – pick one number, for example four. You win if at least one die shows a four, and you win more if two or three dice show it. House edge 7.87%.
- Combination – pick two different numbers, for example two and five. Both must show. House edge 16.67%.
- Specific double – for example two threes. House edge 18.52%.
- Specific triple – for example three sixes. House edge 16.20%.
- Any triple – any three of a kind. House edge 13.89%.
- Total – pick the exact sum, for example ten. House edge on ten or eleven: 12.50%.
A lower house edge means you lose less on average per bet, not that you will win.
Why Small and Big lose on any triple
Example: the dice show three threes. The total is nine, which looks like Small – but Small loses, because any triple beats both Small and Big.
That rule drops the chance of Small from half to 48.61%. Big works the same way.
Before you bet Small or Big, remember that every triple, from three ones to three sixes, counts as a loss.
Where the sic bo house edge comes from
Every bet pays less than its true odds. Example: a specific triple shows up with a chance of 0.46%, but the payout is smaller than what that chance would justify.
That gap is the house edge – here 16.20%. No betting pattern changes it; see sic bo strategy for the math.
Try bets in the free sic bo simulator to watch the edge add up over many rolls.
Pay tables can differ
The house edges on this page use the common Atlantic City pay table. Tables in Macau and online games can pay differently on single numbers, triples and totals.
A smaller payout on the same bet means a bigger house edge. A close relative with one bet type is chuck-a-luck.
Read the payout printed on the table layout before you place a chip.
Questions
What is sic bo?
Sic bo is a casino dice game played with three dice. You bet on totals, single numbers, pairs, combinations or triples, and winning bets are paid from a fixed pay table.
What is the best bet in sic bo?
Small and Big have the lowest house edge at 2.78% on the common Atlantic City table. They still lose money over time, because every sic bo bet has a house edge.
Why do Small and Big lose on a triple?
The rules say any triple makes Small and Big lose, even if the total is in range. This lowers the chance of Small to 48.61% and creates the house edge.
How many outcomes are there with three dice?
There are 216 possible outcomes, and each one is equally likely on fair dice.
Are sic bo payouts the same everywhere?
No. Atlantic City, Macau and online tables can use different pay tables, so the house edge on the same bet can be higher or lower.