One of the most well-liked games in Asian casinos is Sic Bo, which is an English term for “dice pair.” Even some American casinos have started to offer the game. There are some similarities between Sic Bo and craps if you’ve never played. There is a board and three dice in it. Like craps, the board also has a confusing appearance and may make it challenging for you to understand the various bets. Here are the top three Sic Bo bets you can place, along with where to locate them on the board:
Odd or Even
A wager on the three dice producing an odd number is known as an odd bet. A wager on an even roll of the dice is known as an even bet. These wagers don’t really differ from Big and Small wagers in any way, aside from how they win. Both bets still have a 48.6% chance of winning, and the house has a 2.8% advantage. Players receive the same benefits from Odd and Even as they do from Big and Small. But there is one crucial distinction: The majority of Sic Bo boards don’t contain odd or even. If odd and even wagers are available, they can be found in the top left corner of the table, while big and small wagers can be found in the top right.
Big or Small
These two wagers were combined. They both have the same house advantage (2.8%) and give you the same chance of winning (48.6%). The top right-hand corner of the board has a Big Bet. The Big Bet, which pays out 1 to 1, is clearly marked with the winning numbers 11 through 17 so you shouldn’t have any trouble locating it. If the dice fall between the numbers 11 and 17, you will only lose if a triple, or a roll of the same three numbers, occurs. Here’s an illustration: You would lose if you rolled a triple of fours. The top left-hand corner of the board is where you’ll find the Small Bet. If the three dice add up to a total between 4 and 10, this wager pays out 1 to 1. Once more, if a Triple, such as three 2s, appears, you will lose.
Dice Combinations
These bets, which are all found going across the board’s last two rows, are made on two of the three dice landing on a particular number combination. Some of the various dice combinations on which you can bet include 1 and 2, 2 and 3, and 3 and 4. There are altogether 15 different dice combinations. There is a 2.8% house edge for every roll of the dice. One significant distinction nevertheless exists: With the 15 dice combinations, your odds of winning are just 13.9%. Betting on any dice combination has this as its biggest drawback. With a Big, Small, Even, or Odd bet, your chances of winning are higher. You will receive a 6 to 1 payout if you do succeed, though. Regrettably, some casinos in Macau only provide a payout of 5 to 1, raising the house advantage to 16.7%. Don’t even think about placing a wager on a dice combination if your game is set up this way.
Sic Bo’s worst bets
The issue with Sic Bo is that every wager, excluding the ones I’ve already mentioned, has a house advantage of at least 7.4%. Spend no time placing any of the other wagers. However, if you decide to try some of the other wagers on the table, avert placing the following bets:
- Specific Triple – When all three dice show the same number, you win a massive 180 to 1 payout for a successful wager. This is certainly thrilling, but the odds of specific triples are only 0.46% and the house advantage is 16.2%.
- 4 or 17 – This wager assumes that the three dice will result in a total of either 4 or 17. Although the payout is 60 to 1, there is only a 1.4% chance that you will win, and the house edge is 15.3%.
- Specific Dice Combinations – While the third die displays a specific number, the first two dice will form a particular combination. Although the payout is 50 to 1, the house has a massive 29.2% advantage. Additionally, your chances of winning are only 1.4%.
- Specific Doubles – In this wager, you place a wager on two of the three dice that have a certain number on them. If you are successful, the payout is 10 to 1, but the house has an 18.5% advantage. And your odds of winning are only 7.41%.
Conclusion
Due to the significant house advantage on some bets, Sic Bo occasionally receives a bad rap when compared to other table games. However, there are some bets that make playing Sic Bo worthwhile. The ability to select high probability bets like Big, Small, Odd, or Even is nice. Alternately, you can choose the riskier dice combinations and still benefit from the low house edge of 2.8%. But once more, given the house edge on some wagers, you’ll want to stay within the parameters of these bets to avoid getting taken advantage of by the casino.
