Sic Bo: Rules, Bets, Odds, and House Edge (2026 Guide)

The first look at a Sic Bo table is pretty intimidating: a felt covered with squares and numbers. Basically, every combination of a three-dice outcome has its own square. But in actuality, the rules only take about two minutes to learn. However, you’ll want more than just the rules before you start playing.

Come along with us as we break down how rounds work, what you can bet on and the payouts, the house edge, and what’s actually worth betting on. There’s a reason Sic Bo is one of the most popular table games in Macau. After reading this article, you’ll understand why.

What Is Sic Bo?

You may hear Sic Bo called Dai Siu or Tai Sai, which translates to “big small.” Sic Bo is a dice game rooted in ancient China. The gameplay is simple. A dealer shakes three dice, the results are revealed, and all sic bo bets on the table are settled for that round. Because there aren’t multiple rolls in a single round, Sic Bo is closer to roulette than craps. It’s fast and easy to play. That’s likely why it has become a standard game in a software-driven RNG version as well as live table online casinos. 

Sic Bo Rules: How a Round Works

Because the sic bo rules, it’s a fast-paced game, you’ll want to understand the rules. Here’s how to play:

1. The betting window opens. 
2. You can now place bets on any combination of squares you like. 
3. The betting window closes.
4. The dealer rolls the dice, and the results are revealed.
5. If you select the correct combination, you are paid out.
6. The next betting window opens.

One important rule to remember is that you can only bet on as many squares as you like as long as the total bet remains under the table maximum bet limit.

All Sic Bo Bets and Payouts

Bets and payouts are the core of the game. Below we break down every type of bet, the payouts, probability, and house edge. It’s important to note that the actual payouts may vary from casino to casino. These figures follow the common Atlantic City-style paytable.

Bet	What wins	Typical payout (AC style)	Probability	House edge
Small	Total of 4–10, no triple	1:1	48.61%	2.78%
Big	Total of 11–17, no triple	1:1	48.61%	2.78%
Odd	Odd total, no triple	1:1	48.61%	2.78%
Even	Even total, no triple	1:1	48.61%	2.78%
Total 4 or 17	Exact total	60:1	1.39%	15.28%
Total 5 or 16	Exact total	30:1	2.78%	13.89%
Total 6 or 15	Exact total	17:1	4.63%	16.67%
Total 7 or 14	Exact total	12:1	6.94%	9.72%
Total 8 or 13	Exact total	8:1	9.72%	12.50%
Total 9 or 12	Exact total	6:1	11.57%	18.98%
Total 10 or 11	Exact total	6:1	12.50%	12.50%
Single number	1 / 2 / 3 dice show your face	1:1 / 2:1 / 3:1	—	7.87%
Two dice combo (domino)	Two chosen faces appear	5:1	13.89%	16.67%
Double	A specific pair appears	10:1 (8:1–11:1 range)	7.41%	18.52%
Any triple	Any three of a kind	30:1	2.78%	13.89%
Specific triple	A chosen three of a kind	180:1	0.46%	16.20%

Small and Big Bets

If the dice total 4 to 10, a small bet wins. If the total is from 11 to 17, a big bet wins. The payouts on both are 1:1. It’s important to understand that if the throw results in any triple dice, both small and big bets are lost. The 6 possible triples produce a house edge of 2.78%. Still, at a 48.61% win probability, small and big bets are the best bet on the table.

Odd and Even Bets

Odd and even sic bo bets are similar to small and big bets. The payout, win probability, house edge, and the fact that both bets lose to triples are all the same. The only difference is that you bet that the dice will add up to an even number or an odd number.

Specific Total Bets

This allows you to bet on the exact total of all three dice, from 14 to 17. The combinations 3 and 18 are not available to bet on, as they can only be triples. The sic bo payouts depend on the rarity of the die combinations. The totals 4 and 17 can only be reached in 3 of the 216 combinations, so they payout 60:1. More common combinations like 10 or 11 payout 6:1. 

It’s important to know that betting on longshots gives the house a larger edge as they actually underpay how rare they are. It’s best to stick to numbers 8 through 13.

Single Number Bets

With this type of sic bo strategy bet, you are betting on a single number from 1 to 6 to be rolled. The payouts scale with one die being paid out 1:1, two dice paying 2:1, and three dice paying 3:1. The house has an edge here of about 7.78%

This type of bet feels safer because the small payouts come regularly. You want to keep in mind that, at an 8% house edge, feeling safe and being a good value aren’t the same.

Two Dice Combination (Domino) Bets

Here, you pick any two dice combination from 1 to 6 and win if those two appear within the three dice. If you hit, it pays 5:1 with a probability of 13.89%. The house has a 16.67% edge. The domino name comes from the domino-shaped squares on the felt. If you’re playing with Australian rules, the payout is 6:1. That’s why it’s always a good idea to check out the paytable before choosing game variants.

Double Bets

With double bets, you’re betting that a specific pair will appear, like two 5s. Payouts can range from 8:1 to 11:1, with 10:1 being the most common. At 10:1, the house edge is 18.52%. Like domino bets, you’ll want to check the payouts before playing.

Triple Bets

There are two options here. It should be noted that they are the worst-value bets on the table. Your two options are:

1. Any triple – a three of a kind wins 30:1 and has a house edge of 13.89%. In Macau, the payout is only 24:1, which raises the edge to 30.56%. 
2. Specific triple – you bet on a specific three of a kind, like three 4s. The payout is 180:1, which is lower than the true sic bo odds of 215:1, giving the house an edge of 16.2%. You really have less than a 0.5% chance of hitting a specific triple. So, it’s best to just avoid this type of bet altogether.

Sic Bo Odds and House Edge Explained

The math is simple here. Three dice produce 216 equally likely outcomes. And that’s the foundation of the entire game. Each bet is based on how many of those 216 likely outcomes pay out a win. 

You’ll want to be careful, as the house doesn’t really follow the equation to a T. Meaning, specific triples pay less than the actual outcome according to realistic sic bo odds. For example, there is only 1 way to hit a triple 3 out of 216 outcomes. However, the house only pays out 180:1. 

This pushes the house edge even higher for that particular bet. Remember, the house edge ranges from 2.78% to around 16%. Sic Bo actually has a higher edge spread than almost any other casino game. Check this out to learn more about House Edge in Casino Games.

Sic Bo Strategy: Which Bets Are Worth It

Being honest about what a sic bo strategy can do, How to play sic bo is decided by a roll of the dice. Meaning, there’s zero skill involved in the outcome. A side note, It is similar to Baccarat. Be sure to check out our Baccarat Strategy Guide. The only thing you can control is where you place your bet. 

Having said that, here is some advice that may help you out:

• Stick with lower house edge bets – big and small bets and odd/even bets give you the best chance to beat the house
• Entertainment only – treat long shot bets as occasional for fun or gut feeling bets
• Know the payouts – keep an eye on the paytable wherever or whatever you place a bet on.

There’s another important point here. The rounds don’t have a memory. Just because you see that a triple hasn’t been rolled in 10 rolls doesn’t mean that it’s due. Players who try to spot patterns usually end up betting and losing more.

Online vs Live Dealer Sic Bo

How to play sic bo online usually has two options, depending on where you’re playing. 

• RNG tables – software-driven games. These games tend to be much faster as there’s no live dealer and a random number generator produces each result. Expect to play around 200 rounds an hour.
• Live-dealer tables – this is a stream system where a real person shakes and throws the dice. This game type is much slower and usually has higher stakes. Expect to play around 40-50 rounds per hour.

To put it in a simple way, with the house having the edge, the more rounds you play in an hour, the faster you are likely to lose money. 

Sic Bo Variants

Normally, you’ll see a few different game variants online. Here are some of the most common ones: 

• Classic sic bo rules – the game we talked about above
• Live-dealer Sic Bo – the same game as above but with a human shaking and throwing dice. People tend to be more comfortable when they see the physical dice thrown.
• Super Sic Bo  – this adds random multipliers to certain bets each round. More for fun than anything else.

A small note to mention is that with Super Sic Bo, the multipliers change the sic bo house edge as the pay tables shift with each multiplier. 

Common Sic Bo Mistakes

As with any casino game, players tend to fall into making common mistakes. Here are a few things to try to prevent:

• Trying to spot trends – each round is independent and falls back to the same true odds
• Chasing triples – if you see someone hit a triple, don’t try to reproduce that win
• Betting on too many outcomes – covering more options doesn’t make winning more likely. You are only raising the house edge
• There are no coin flips – big/small isn’t 50/50. It’s actually 48.61%. Remember, the triples
• Ignoring paytables – the same bet at different casinos doesn’t always pay the same

Most importantly, never bet with money you need. Be sure to set a limit. Sic Bo should be treated as entertainment, not a way to earn money.

Conclusion

Even if the layout of how to play sic bo looks complicated, the game is simple. Once you understand the three dice mechanics and the sic bo payouts, everything else is left up to chance. Just be careful of the 2.78% to about 16% house edge, and everything will be fine. At the end of the day, it’s important to understand that nothing you can do beats a game of chance. The outcome only depends on how the dice land and the bets you place. Be sure to follow what we’ve said and, most importantly, have fun. 

In the end, if Sic Bo isn’t your game, be sure to read our blog or check out other casino games. 

Frequently Asked Questions