So you want to learn to play Sic Bo? Sic Bo is a dice game that, as hinted at by the sound of the name, originated in Asia. “Sic Bo” literally translates to “Small Big”, in reference to what is believed as the best bet you can make in this casino game.

Truth be told, Sic Bo offers some of the most attractive bets you can make when casino gambling. There is a broad range of different types of bets you can place, which pay off based on a house’s fixed payout table.

Learn to play Sic Bo – Betting Strategies

Dice Face / One of a Kind. It is a bet that a specific number from 1 through 6 will show on any one, any two, or all three dice faces.

Payout if number comes up once – 1:1 (even money)
Payout if number comes up twice – 2:1 (bet is doubled)
Payout if number comes up thrice – 3:1 (bet is tripled)
House edge – 8%

Two Faces / Duo. It is a wager that a combination of two specific numbers from 1 through 6 will appear on any two or all three dice.

Payout – 5:1
House edge – 17%

Totals. It is a bet on a specific sum total of all three dice, from 4 through 17.

Total Payout (House Odds) House Edge
4 or 17 60:1 29.1%
5 or 16 18:1 47.2%
6 or 15 14:1 30.5%
7 or 14 12:1 9.7%
8 or 13 8:1 12.5%
9 or 12 6:1 18.9%
10 or 11 6:1 12.5%
Small. It is a wager that the sum total of all three dice will fall within the “small” range, which is between 4 and 10. These are the best bets in sic bo. Three of a kind loses. Hardways 6 and 9 provide the house advantage.

Payout – 1:1 (even money)
House edge – 3%

Big. It is a wager that the sum total of all three dice will fall within the “big” range, which is between 11 and 17. These are the best bets in sic bo. Three of a kind loses. Hardways 12 and 15 provide the house advantage.

Payout – 1:1 (even money)
House edge – 3%

Triple / Three of a Kind. It is a bet that a specific number from 1 through 6 will show on all three dice.

Payout – 150:1 (huge but against terrible odds of 215:1)
House edge – 30%

Any Triple / Any Three of a Kind. It is a bet that all three dice will display the same number, regardless of what number that is.

Payout – 24:1 (against true odds of 30:1)
House edge – 30%

Pair / Two of a Kind. It is a bet that a specific number from 1 through 6 will show on any two of the three dice. These are some of the worst bets in sic bo. Approach with caution unless feeling extremely lucky.

Payout – 8:1 (against true odds of 12:1)
House edge – 33%

Any Pair / Any Two of a Kind. It is a bet that any two of the three dice will display the same number, regardless of what number that is. You are not betting on a certain combination but on a certain characteristic of the roll. These are some of the worst bets in sic bo. Approach with caution unless feeling extremely lucky.

Payout – 8:1 (against true odds of 12:1)
House edge – 33%