What is Sic Bo?
First things first; Sic Bo is a simple dice game that’s purely based on luck. Three dice are shaken and if you match the outcomes, then you win. To ensure there’s no possibility of manipulating them, they are enclosed in a glass container. The house edge varies considerably from 2.78% to a PTSD-inducing 18.98%, depending on the specific bets placed. Though the game itself is extremely simple, there are 50 ways of placing bets. However, before we go any deeper, you should familiarise yourself with the probabilities, payouts, house edge, and odds of each bet, and what these terms mean.
- Probability: This is commonly expressed in terms of the odds against winning. It’s the ratio of unfavourable possibilities to the favourable ones.
- Payouts: The total amount to be won, including the initial wager.
- House Edge: All casino games have a built-in advantage working in the casino’s favour. It’s the average gross profit the casino expects to make from each bet, expressed as a percentage.
- Odds: A measure of how much you bet vs how much you could win. The higher the odds, the more you stand to gain.
We’ve listed the most important Sic Bo bet detailed in the table below. The values are for a typical game, but you should always check the version that you are playing first.
Bet Type | Probability | House Edge | Odds | Payout |
Big | 0.4861 | 2.78% | 11 or 10 | 1 to 1 |
Small | 0.4861 | 2.78% | 11 or 10 | 1 to 1 |
4 | 0.0139 | 12.43% | 70 - 1 | 62 to 1 |
5 | 0.0278 | 11.04% | 34 - 1 | 31 to 1 |
6 | 0.0463 | 12.03% | 20 - 1 | 18 to 1 |
7 | 0.0694 | 9.78% | 13 - 1 | 12 to 1 |
8 | 0.0972 | 12.52% | 9 - 1 | 8 to 1 |
9 | 0.1157 | 7.44% | 15 - 2 | 7 to 1 |
10 | 0.1250 | 12.50% | 7 - 1 | 6 to 1 |
11 | 0.1250 | 12.50% | 7 - 1 | 6 to 1 |
12 | 0.1157 | 7.44% | 15 - 2 | 7 to 1 |
13 | 0.0972 | 12.52% | 9 - 1 | 8 to 1 |
14 | 0.0694 | 9.78% | 13 - 1 | 12 to 1 |
15 | 0.0463 | 12.03% | 20 - 1 | 18 to 1 |
16 | 0.0278 | 11.04% | 34 - 1 | 31 to 1 |
17 | 0.0139 | 12.43% | 70 - 1 | 62 to 1 |
Double | 0.0741 | 11.08% | 12 - 1 | 11 to 1 |
Triple | 0.0046 | 16.74% | 216 - 1 | 180 to 1 |
Combination | 0.1389 | 2.77% | 6 - 1 | 6 to 1 |
Any Triple | 0.0278 | 11.04% | 34 - 1 | 31 to 1 |
1 - 6: 1 | 0.3472 | 30.56% | 2 - 1 | 1 to 1 |
1 - 6: 2 | 0.0694 | 9.74% | 13 - 1 | 2 to 1 |
1 - 6: 3 | 0.0046 | 94% | 216 - 1 | 12 to 1 |
Small and Big Bets
The first thing you’ll notice is that the Small and Big bets both carry a high probability along with a low house edge. With a built-in higher statistical advantage of winning, the math shows that these are the safest bets that Sic Bo has to offer.
- Small Bet: The total of the three dice equals any number between 4 and 10. This bet lands 48.61% of the time.
- Big Bet: The total of the three dice is between 11 and 17. This bet also wins 48.61% of the time.
Keep in mind that both these popular bets pay out at even money. For example, a $100 bet on Small, with a dice total of 8, then you win $100. But if the total is 2, then you lose $100. As you can see from the above table, there are many other bets offering higher payouts. However, looking at the odds, they are less likely to win. Also, note that the house edge is higher.
Sic Bo High Roller Strategy
When it comes to finding a Sic Bo winning strategy for high rollers, the general consensus is to win multiple bets on a single roll of the three dice. With odds of 8 to 1, strategically placing multiple bets on the numbers 8 or 13 is the way to go, especially if you’re a risk taker with a big enough bankroll. Here’s how it should work:
- Betting on 8: With a total of 11 chips, you place 3 x chips on 8. 2 x chips on double 1, 2, and 3. If 8 wins, you’ll see 27 chips returned. For a double win, 22 chips, and 12 chips for the combination.
- Betting on 13: Placing 2 x chips on the double 4, 5, and 6, along with 3 x chips on the 13. Then 2 x chips on a combination of 4 and 5. The winnings are the same as for the 8 bet.
The idea here is that the double bet acts as a hedge for the overall wager. Though we’ll admit this is certainly an exciting way to bet, it’s a long way from the optimal way to win. You’re going to be facing a ridiculously high house edge of 12.5% on each of these bets. Furthermore, the house edge on the doubles bets shoots up to an eye-watering 18.5%.
Another point is that the payouts are lousy, at just 8 to 1 and 10 to 1 respectively. For a high roller, you have to question whether the relatively small prize is worth the effort. Consider that when placing a single number bet in roulette, it gives you a house edge of 5.26% and a possible payout of 35 to 1.
Let’s face it, placing multiple Sic Bo bets that are a least 5 x higher than other available bets is hard to call a “viable betting strategy.” All you’re doing is depleting your bankroll faster. Remember that you cannot eliminate or manipulate the house edge. This will be continuously nibbling away at your funds, so you’re better off sticking with bets offering the lowest casino edge, namely, the Big, Small, and Combination bets.
Stick with a Low House Edge
With a quick search of the internet, you’ll come across a lot of advice on Sic Bo high roller betting strategies. Yet it’s pretty much all redundant. As the table above clearly shows, your fiercest opposition at the Sic Bo casino games table is the house edge. As we previously mentioned, with a game that relies purely on chance, you should consistently stick to bets with the lowest house edge. That’s all! It’s immaterial whether you’re a complete novice or a casino whale, the advice remains the same. Simply by dint of being able to bet bigger as a high roller is not going to bring you any closer to winning.
Likewise, some players and pundits might insist that practice makes perfect. However, in a game that requires zero skill, there's nothing to be gained from “practising.”
Consider Playing Live Dealer Sic Bo
When it comes to playing Sic Bo, nothing beats the experience of playing at a brick-and-mortar casino. Nevertheless, you can find the same ambience with online live dealer games. Streamed in glorious HD, and with thanks to an attractive live dealer to interact with, the gameplay holds all the thrills of the real casino, but with the added convenience of playing on your mobile at any time, and from anywhere.
You may be wondering what the strategy point is here. If you are playing online then you should look to play Super Sic Bo. It is played in exactly the same way as the regular game but the addition on random multipliers mean that you could win far more, up to 999x. Therefore, it is only logical that it should be the version that you play.
High Roller Sic Bo Top Tips
- Don’t Make Triple Bets: These are risky with just a 0.55% probability of winning.
- Wager on Small or Big Bets: This keeps your risk low, while the winning probabilities are kept relatively high.
- Use Combination Bets: High winning odds with a relatively low house edge.
- Don’t make Foolish Bets: Remember that Sic Bo has a very high house edge.
- Ignore the Gambler’s Fallacy: It’s nothing more than silly superstition.
- Stay away from Famous Betting Systems: The Martingale, D’Alembert, Paroli, and Fibonacci will all eventually fail thanks to a big losing streak, coupled with betting table limits.