How to Play Sic-Bo for Beginners

If you have been wondering how to play Sic-Bo, then you have come to the right place!  Sic-Bo is an exciting land-based and online casino game that is based in the roots of ancient China, combining the excitement of craps with speed and enjoyment of roulette.  It is often equated to the English version of a similar game called “Big Small”.  As you might have already guessed, it comes with a wide range of betting options and combinations, sometimes making it difficult for the new beginner to learn.

Once you master the unique strategies behind this casino-style game, you will quickly become addicted.  There are a few simple tricks that you can learn to help increase your chances of winning, which we are going to teach you in a quick and easy-to-understand manner.

The Fundamentals of Sic-Bo

If you were playing this game in ancient China, then you would have been playing with three hand rolled dice instead of through the online versions that are available today.  The object is to try and guess what numbers will appear on the dice after they are rolled.  You might think of this game as a lesser form of poker, where you can choose to bet that the dice will come up with a variety of matching variations of numbers, such as two-of-a-kind or three-of-a-kind. You can also bet that three unmatching numbers will appear, as well.

When you are first learning how to play Sic-Bo, remember that the odds of each type of combination are always clearly displayed on the side table which looks very much like a roulette table that you would find in a Las Vegas casino.  When the dice are rolled and the numbers are shown, lights will illuminate at the side of the table clearly depicting the winning numbers and combinations.  As in most casino type games, the Sic-Bo dice are only rolled after all bets have been placed.  The payoffs can range from “even money” for a simple one-of-a-kind bet to as much as 180:1 odds for certain roles of three-of-a-kind.  An example of this might include betting that three sixes will be the end result.

More Types of Bets that you can Place

With so many different options of combinations to bet on, this is what can be confusing to the newbie who is learning how to play Sic-Bo.  Yes, it is fairly easy to determine which combinations of numbers will win, but it is more difficult to learn the individual payoffs for each of these combinations.

Big or Small

With only three Sic-Bo dice in play, the maximum sum of numbers on the three dice can only reach 18.  A Big or Small bet is the most basic because it gives you a 50/50 chance of winning.  If you bet “big”, then you are predicting that the sum of the dice will fall in between 11 and 17 in total.  If you bet “small”, then you are predicting that the total sum of the three dice will add up to 10 or less.  However, if three of the same number are rolled, any number, then the house wins automatically, and you lose your money.

Single Numbers

If you bet on a single number, for example the number four, then your payoff is determined by how many of the dice stop on the number four.  You get 2:1 odds for a single showing, 3:1 odds for two dice with your single number, and 12:1 for three-of-a-kind.

Double Numbers

When you place this bet, you are predicting that a specific individual number will show up on two-out-of-three dice.  You have to choose a specific number though.  There is no option for a random double.  Payouts are usually at 10:1 odds.

Triple Numbers

This works much the same way as the double numbers bet.  The payout can be 180:1 if you choose the right number, and it appears on all three dice.  However, in the triples number bet, you also have the ability to bet on a random showing of triples for a significantly smaller, but still highly lucrative, payout of 30:1.

Specific Numbers

The last type of Sic-Bo bet allows you to bet on what the final tally of the three dice will roll.  The individual payouts will vary depending on the likelihood that these specific numbers can be rolled.  For example, the likelihood that the three dice will total the number four when added together is very slim.  This would mean that two dice would have to show a “1” and one die would have to show a “2”.  Odds and payoff for this combination are 62:1.  The payoffs decrease as the possibilities for the final total sum of three dice increases.

Now that you have learned how to play Sic-Bo, go online to Casino.com and start winning!