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Sic Bo

Live Casino

What is Sic Bo?

Sic Bo is a Chinese three-dice live casino game where you bet on one roll's outcome, from Big/Small totals to specific triples paying up to 180:1.

ByCasino Desk·Casino & Slots Editor

Reviewed byKris Fawkes·Chief Editor

What it means in practice

Sic Bo is an ancient Chinese table game, now widely offered in live-dealer format, in which three dice are rolled inside a cage or shaker and players bet on the outcome of that single roll. The betting layout carries dozens of options, from simple even-money wagers on whether the three-dice total will be "Small" (4-10) or "Big" (11-17), through specific totals, to two-dice combinations, single numbers, doubles and triples. Payouts scale with rarity: the harder the outcome, the larger the multiplier and, usually, the steeper the house edge. The most player-friendly bets are Big and Small, each paying 1:1 with a house edge of about 2.78%, since both lose whenever any triple is rolled. At the other extreme, betting on a specific triple (for example, three 5s) typically pays 150:1 or 180:1 but carries a house edge near 30%, making it a long-shot novelty rather than a value play. Any triple pays 30:1, a double pays 10:1, and single-number bets pay 1:1, 2:1 or 3:1 depending on how many dice show your number. Worked example: you stake £10 on Small. The dice land 2-3-4, a total of 9, so you win £10 (plus your £10 back). Had they landed 5-5-5, the total of 15 would still lose your Small bet because any triple beats Big and Small alike. Because payouts and house edges vary sharply by bet type, players should favour the Big/Small and single-number wagers and treat the high-multiplier triples as entertainment. Compare with craps, dragon-tiger and lightning-dice.

Why it matters

A definition like this one decides what an offer is actually worth. The same wording turns up in bonus terms, on payment pages and in game rules, and it is usually where a promotion’s real cost is hiding — so it is worth reading an operator’s own terms with this meaning in mind rather than the marketing above them.

You must be of legal gambling age where you live — 18 in most markets, 19 or 21 in others. Understanding a term does not make an outcome more likely: casino games are built to return less than they take over time. Set deposit and time limits before you play.

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