01 · Snapshot
A compact procedure with a crowded betting map.
Sic bo uses three standard six-sided dice, traditionally shaken beneath a cover or inside a cage. Players place wagers on the eventual total or on faces and patterns that may appear. Betting closes, the dice are shaken and revealed, and all positions resolve from that one result.
The name is commonly translated from Cantonese as “precious dice”. Related games and presentations may be called tai sai, dai siu, big and small, hi-lo or chuck-a-luck, although exact rules and equipment can differ.
02 · Sequence
One shake settles the whole board.
- The table opens and accepts wagers on marked outcome categories.
- A dealer closes betting. At electronic tables a countdown may control the window.
- The three dice are shaken or randomised in approved equipment.
- The dice are revealed and each face and the total announced.
- Losing positions are cleared and winners paid according to the displayed schedule.
Unlike craps, sic bo has no shooter point cycle and no wagers that normally persist across multiple rolls. This makes rounds self-contained and can make play exceptionally fast.
03 · Probability map
Middle totals are common; extremes are rare.
Three dice create 6 × 6 × 6 = 216 equally likely ordered outcomes. Only one produces total 3 (1–1–1), while 27 produce total 10 and another 27 total 11.
| Total | Combinations | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| 3 or 18 | 1 each | 0.46% |
| 4 or 17 | 3 each | 1.39% |
| 5 or 16 | 6 each | 2.78% |
| 6 or 15 | 10 each | 4.63% |
| 7 or 14 | 15 each | 6.94% |
| 8 or 13 | 21 each | 9.72% |
| 9 or 12 | 25 each | 11.57% |
| 10 or 11 | 27 each | 12.50% |
Totals form a symmetrical distribution because each die face can be transformed from x to 7−x. This symmetry explains why 3 and 18, 4 and 17, and so on have matching probabilities.
04 · Wager families
The layout groups outcomes in several ways.
Small and Big
Small usually wins on totals 4–10 and Big on 11–17, but any triple loses both. Each side therefore wins on 105 of 216 outcomes. At even-money payouts, the common house edge is 6/216, or about 2.78%.
Specific total
The wager selects one total from 4 to 17. Payouts generally rise toward the rare extremes. Because paytables vary, two tables can charge different mathematical prices for the same total.
Single number
The selected face must appear on at least one die. Many schedules pay 1:1 for one occurrence, 2:1 for two and 3:1 for all three. The chance of at least one occurrence is 91/216, but the tiered settlement requires a full expected-value calculation.
Two-number combination
Both selected distinct faces must appear among the three dice. There are 30 successful ordered outcomes out of 216, a probability of about 13.89%.
Specific double and any double
A specific double asks for at least two instances of one chosen face. “Any double” may mean exactly one pair under some rules. Names must be read with the actual table definition.
Specific triple and any triple
A specific triple names all three matching faces, such as 4–4–4, which occurs once in 216. Any triple covers six results. The large posted payout can still fall short of fair odds.
05 · Paytable
No universal payout schedule exists.
| Common bet | Win probability | Example payout | Example house edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small / Big | 105/216 | 1:1 | 2.78% |
| Specific two-number combination | 30/216 | 5:1 | 16.67% |
| Any triple | 6/216 | 24:1 | 30.56% |
| Specific triple | 1/216 | 150:1 | 30.09% |
| Total 10 or 11 | 27/216 | 6:1 | 12.50% |
These examples illustrate a common schedule, not a promise about any venue. Some tables pay 180:1 for a specific triple, substantially changing its edge while leaving it negative. Electronic variants may introduce multipliers or altered rules that require a separate calculation.
An event with probability 1 in 216 has fair profit odds of 215 to 1. A 150-to-1 payout is visually large but mathematically far below fair odds.
06 · History
An East Asian game with many local identities.
Three-dice big-and-small games have long histories in China and surrounding regions, although a single clean invention story is difficult to establish. Sic bo became strongly associated with Cantonese-speaking casino culture and with Macau and Hong Kong.
Western accounts have linked related equipment to chuck-a-luck, a game in which three dice tumble inside an hourglass-shaped cage. Casino sic bo developed a broader layout of totals, combinations, doubles and triples. As international casinos expanded during the twentieth century, the game travelled to Australia, North America and Europe.
Modern versions use sealed shakers, illuminated result displays, automated dice, terminals and stadium formats. The electronic screen may visualise trends or recent totals, but a history graph has the same limitation as a baccarat road or roulette board: it does not make an independent fair result predictable.
07 · Myths
Coverage is not a loophole.
Placing both Small and Big at the same time appears to cover most outcomes, but one stake cancels the other's profit and triples can lose both. Combining several totals likewise exchanges one outcome profile for another while preserving the embedded prices.
“Cold” triples remain exactly as likely on the next fair shake as recently observed triples. Dice-setting claims are not applicable to a sealed or mechanically shaken sic bo device. Progression systems only alter bet size and the distribution of session outcomes.
08 · Risk
Fast resolution and broad paytables reward restraint.
A player can cover many boxes before each shake, making the headline minimum misleading. Calculate the total amount across the entire layout. High-payout triples and combinations produce memorable wins but much more frequent losses.
Set a firm session timer, keep only one pre-set entertainment amount available and do not use a larger payout as a reason to continue. For free, confidential Australian support, contact Gambling Help Online 24/7 on 1800 858 858.