Sic Bo Basic Strategy
House edge: 2.78% (Big/Small bets)How To Play
Three dice are rolled in a covered cage. You bet on the outcome - specific totals, individual numbers, combinations, doubles, triples, or big/small. Each bet has its own payout and edge. The layout looks intimidating but most bets reduce to a handful of smart options.
House Edge
BetHouse EdgeBig (11-17) / Small (4-10)2.78%Even / Odd2.78%Single number (1 die)7.87%Two-dice combination16.67%Specific triple (e.g., three 5s)30.09%Any triple13.89%Total of 4 or 1715.28%Basic Strategy
- Stick to Big or Small. Both lose on triples, which is where the house gets its 2.78%.
- Avoid all proposition bets in the middle of the layout.
- Single-number bets at 7.87% are tolerable for variety but should not be your main play.
- Never chase specific triples (180:1 payout, true odds 215:1).
Common Mistakes
Spreading chips across the entire layout to "cover the dice." The casino has built the edges so that combined coverage strategies always lose more than focused Big/Small play. Believing that a string of Smalls makes a Big "due." Each roll is independent.
Example Bet
You bet $10 on Small. The dice roll 2-3-4 (total 9). You win $10. The next roll is 5-5-5 - even though the total (15) would have been Big, triples lose all Big and Small bets regardless. That triple rule is the entire source of the house edge.
Bottom Line
Sic Bo is fast, loud, and visually overwhelming. Ignore 95% of the layout and play Big/Small at 2.78%. Set a stop-loss before sitting down, treat it as entertainment, and walk away when you hit your number.