How to Play the Sic Bo Game: A Simple Guide
Sic Bo is a popular gambling game originating in Ancient China. It’s a dice game, meaning the player gets a chance to guess which numbers the dice will show as well as the sum of the numbers. In fact, the varied types of bets with distinctive payouts that players can make, make the game more fun and exciting.
As mentioned, Sic Bo is an extremely popular online gambling game, and it’s widely played in land-based and best online casinos all over the world. Here, you’ll get to learn the ins and outs of playing Sic Bo, including the basic rules and mechanics of playing the game.
What Is Sic Bo?
Sic Bo is a traditional dice game that has gotten extremely popular, especially so at Asian online casinos. Many iGaming developers have created and published their own versions of Sic Bo and many of them have managed to stand out.
As many variants of Sic Bo as there are, all games retain the same core rules of throwing dice and guessing numbers. Of course, there’s many slight variations of these rules – there’s games that offer multiplier bonuses and other Sic Bo games that are played in a live dealer format, similar to watching a live TV game show.
It’s up to the player to do some research and find the best Sic Bo variants that they would enjoy playing.
Key Features of Sic Bo
If you want to play Sic Bo real money game, it’s recommended that you go through and understand the key aspects and features of the game first. These apply regardless of which particular Sic Bo game you will be playing. Here, we’ll take a closer look at the main features that help Sic Bo stand apart:
Key Stats of Sic Bo Game
While there’s a plethora of different Sic Bo games made by just as many developers, there’s some common themes and stats that are featured in these games. For example, the overall RTP of online Sic Bo games tends to be between 96% and 97.8%.
Of course, the in-game variance adjusts to the way the player plays. For example, bets like big/small are the easiest to win and, as such, offer the smallest payouts. On the other hand, bets on rare specific totals like 3 or 18 are much more difficult to pull and they pay a lot more on average.
In many Sic Bo variants, the biggest payouts amount to 150:1 or 180:1 – and in some cases, even 240:1. The maximum payout size is also determined by the maximum bet the player can make in the game. The bet range also varies depending on the version you’re playing – Sic Bo bets can vary between $0.1 and $10,000 in high-stakes games.
How Does Sic Bo Work?
There are two main Sic Bo types when it comes to online gambling: RNG and live casino. RNG Sic Bo games offer a much simpler, more casual experience for players. You’ll see the betting table, place your bet, and then hit the “play” button so the RNG shakes the dice and shows the final result. Many RNG versions are also available in Sic Bo demo mode, which lets you test the rules and bet types without making a deposit. However, if you want to play for real money, you’ll need to create a casino account and fund your balance first.
Live casino Sic Bo is much more immersive. It’s played in a real studio and the game is hosted by a live host. At all times, players will get to communicate with the dealer and with other players. The basic rules are the same – the player places a bet and the dice are shaken and thrown, revealing the winning bets.
How to Play Sic Bo: Actual Steps
The Sic Bo table may seem a bit complex at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be on your way to mastering the game in no time. Sic Bo is, in fact, very easy to play:




Understanding the Sic Bo Betting Options
One of the most complicated things about Sic Bo, especially for new players, is the betting table. The table contains dozens of different bets that you can make prior to the beginning of any round. In this section, we’ll discuss these different types of bets you can make.
Betting on Main Outcomes
The main Sic Bo betting options are usually based on the total value of the three dice. Some of the bets you can make here include:
| Bet Type | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Small Bet | You bet that the total of the three dice will be from 4 to 10. In most Sic Bo versions, this bet loses if the result is any triple. |
| Big Bet | You bet that the total of the three dice will be from 11 to 17. This bet also usually loses if any triple appears. |
| Odd/Even | Some Sic Bo versions allow players to bet on whether the final total will be odd or even. The exact rules and payouts may vary by provider. |
The more you play, the easier it will become to start to appreciate the different bet types and adjust them to fit your particular playstyle.
Betting on Dice Combinations
Dice combination bets are usually riskier because they require a more specific result from the three dice.
| Bet Type | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Specific Total | You can bet on the sum of all three dice – from 3 to 18. Sums that are closer or equal to 3 or 18 are rarest and, as such, they give the biggest payouts. |
| Two Dice Combination | This means choosing two different numbers that must both appear in the same roll. For example, if you bet on 2 and 6, your bet wins when both numbers appear among the three dice. |
| Doubles | This bet means that you hope that two dice will come of the same number. If you bet on “double 4”, for example, it means you’re betting on two of the dice coming out as 4s. |
| Any Triple | This bet wins if all three dice show the same number, but you do not need to choose which triple appears. For example, 2-2-2, 4-4-4, or 6-6-6 would all count as winning results. |
| Specific Triple | This time around, you’re betting that all three dice will come out as identical – for example 5-5-5. This bet has very low win probability, which guarantees a high payout. |
Our experts have done extensive research into finding the Sic Bo games with the best special features – you can read their findings in a separate guide that you can access by clicking here.
Understanding Payouts in Sic Bo
Since there’s so many different Sic Bo variants, including live dealer and RNG titles, it becomes all the more complex to explain the payout potential of Sic Bo. You’ll find that different games have different volatility and payout potential.
The rarest events in the game may get rewarded with a 240:1 payout and, depending on the maximum size of the wager per bet, this may amount to a huge sum – noting that certain operators allow players to make bets up to $10,000.
Certainly, you’ll find that multiplier-themed Sic Bo games offer multiplier wins that tend to be rarer, as a direct result of the game’s increased overall volatility. However, the ‘casual’ bets like big/small and odd/even that most players tend to make are known to pay at 1:1. This means that Sic Bo caters to the tastes of casual players and high-rollers alike.
Sic Bo RTP by Bet Type
Different types of bets at Sic Bo have different payout potential – and, as such, have different RTP:
- Big – 97.22% RTP
- Small – 95.37% RTP
- Odd/even – 96.5-97% RTP
- Single number – 92.13%
- Double bet – 80-85%
- Specific triple – 69.9-83.8%
- Specific total – 88-95%
You’ll have the most frequent wins by placing big/small or odd/even bets. If you want to win big, then you should aim for specific triple and any side bets that up the game’s volatility.
FAQ
Is Sic Bo available on mobile devices?
Yes, Sic Bo is optimized to run on mobile. Players can run the game on Android and iOS devices alike, through the casino app or the casino’s mobile website.