Sic Bo in an online casino: rules, bets, house edge and variants

Sic Bo (Chinese 骰寶, literally "rare dice") is an ancient Chinese gambling game with a tradition of more than 2,000 years. It has spread in the online casino as a simpler alternative to craps — without the complicated stages of the game. One roll of three dice is made and bets are settled immediately. For Philippines players, Sic Bo is interesting precisely because of this simplicity and relatively good math for Small, Big and Even/Odd bets (house edge only 2.78%).

This article discusses all types of bets in Sic Bo, their payouts and exact house edge, today's four variants of the game (Classic, Super, Lightning and Mega Sic Bo) and practical strategy. For context on other live dealer games, read the articles live casino Philippines and Craps in an online casino .

What is Sic Bo and a brief history

Sic Bo (pronounced "sik-bou", literally "rare dice" in Chinese) is a gambling game with three six-sided dice. You bet on the result of one roll — you can bet on the sum of all three dice, on specific numbers, on combinations or on special results such as doubles or triples. The table has a spread of all possible bets with associated payouts; you click on the field and enter the value of the tokens.

The history of the game dates back to the Chinese Han Dynasty (roughly 200 BC). Originally it was played with bricks or stones, later with cubes. Sic Bo entered Western casinos in the 20th century through the Chinese communities in the USA (Las Vegas, Atlantic City), and in Macau casinos it is still one of the most popular games ever. It exists in two basic forms in an online casino:

• RNG (Random Number Generator) Sic Bo: an automatic variant where the roll of the dice is simulated by a certified random number generator. Tempo: 5 — 15 seconds per turn, suitable for fast play.
• Live Sic Bo: the croupier shakes physical dice in a glass dome or a traditional cage ("cage") and you watch the process live via camera. Tempo: 30 — 60 seconds per round, atmosphere of a real table.

Sic Bo variants: Classic, Super, Lightning and Mega

In a modern live casino you will not find one Sic Bo, but several versions. They differ in multipliers, fees and how high the winnings can go. Mathematically, the best bet — Small/Big — remains the same in all (RTP 97.22%, or house edge 2.78%); the difference is in riskier bets and volatility.

The key difference is Lightning Sic Bo: it charges a 20% bet fee before each round, but due to the allocated multipliers, the published theoretical RTP for Big/Small and Even/Odd remains at 97.22%. Both Super Sic Bo and Mega Sic Bo add multipliers for free — the price is a slightly lower RTP on bets that the multiplier hits. You can find a detailed breakdown of multipliers in the section below Lightning, Super and Mega Sic Bo .

Basic game mechanics

Sic Bo has one of the simplest progressions among board games:

1. You enter bets on the table — multiple bets can be active at the same time.
2. After the betting phase is over, the dealer shakes the dice (or the system simulates a roll).
3. The result is evaluated — the casino pays out the winnings and withdraws the losing bets.
4. A new, completely independent round begins.

No phases, no "point", no waiting for the next roll like in craps. This is exactly why Sic Bo is a good first dice game. Some online versions allow you to save your favorite bet configuration and repeat it with one click, or to automatically play several rounds in a row (autoplay).

A roll of three dice has 216 possible outcomes (6 × 6 × 6). Sic Bo allows bets on different subsets of these outcomes — from the most likely (Small/Big= 105 out of 216= 48.6%) to the extremely rare (specific triple= 1 out of 216= 0.46%). The entire math of the game is based on this one number — 216.

Three dice roll probabilities — complete table

If you understand the distribution of totals, you can judge every bet in the game. Out of 216 possible results, the middle sums (10 and 11) fall most often, the extremes (3 and 18) the least often. Here's the full breakdown:

The key fact follows directly from the table: the sum 4 — 10 (Small) falls in 105 out of 216 rolls, and the sum 11 — 17 (Big) also in 105 out of 216. The remaining 6 results are triples (1-1-1 to 6-6-6) — and it is when the triple is small that both Big and Small lose. This is why the house edge is not zero, but exactly 6/216= 2.78%.

Small, Big and Even/Odd: the best bets for players

Small, Big and Even/Odd are the simplest and mathematically best bets in Sic Bo:

• Small: a bet that the sum of the three dice will be 4 — 10. Loses on a sum of 11 — 17 or any triple.
• Big: the opposite of Small — a bet on the sum of 11 — 17. Loses on 4 — 10 or on a triple.
• Even/Odd: bet that the sum will be even or Odd. It also loses on triple and the math is identical to Small/Big — beware, however, Even/Odd is not on every table (most often found in Macau and select live versions).

All three have a 1:1 payout (net win equals stake). The probability of winning is 105/216= 48.61%, the probability of losing is 111/216= 51.39% (105 results of the opposite range + 6 triples). The difference of 6/216 is the house edge: 2.78% — comparable to european roulette (2.7%).

A key detail that many overlook: Both Small/Big and Even/Odd lose on any triple (1-1-1, 2-2-2, ... 6-6-6). Without this rule, it would be a perfectly fair 50:50 bet. It is these 6 results that give the casino its 2.78% margin. On a specific amount: when turning € on Small/Big, you lose on average ₱ 100— for comparison, American roulette takes ₱ 200and a regular slot 75 — ₱ 400

Specific Number: a bet on a specific number

Specific Number (also called "Single") is a bet on the occurrence of a specific number (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6) in the roll. The payout depends on how many times the number is rolled on the three dice:

Example: you bet ₱ 500on the number 5 and the roll ends 5-2-5. The number 5 is rolled twice, the payout is 2:1 — you get ₱ 1000net winnings plus the original ₱ 500back, for a total of ₱ 1000

House edge: 7.87%. It's the second best bet in Sic Bo after Small/Big, but the difference is significant — 7.87% versus 2.78% means almost three times faster average loss. Specific Number makes sense as an occasional diversion rather than a basic bet.

Total: higher payout, higher house edge

The total bet is on a specific sum of three dice (4 to 17). The more unlikely the sum, the higher the payout — but also the higher the house edge:

Total bets have a significantly higher house edge than Small/Big — from 9.72% to almost 19%. The best of these is Total 7 or 14 (9.72%), the worst is Total 9 or 12 (18.98%) — note, although 9 and 12 fall almost as often as 10 and 11, their 6:1 payout is worse priced against the odds. Attention: the indicated payouts and house edge apply to the standard (atlantic-city) paytable. However, it varies between casinos and versions of the game, and the difference may not be small — for example, Total 5/16 at a payout of 30:1 has a house edge of 13.89%, but at 18:1 (common in Macau versions) over 29%. Always check the table's specific paytable before playing.

Double and Triple: extreme payouts, extreme house edge

Special bets on repeated numbers attract high payouts, but are among the most expensive in the game:

• Specific Double: a bet that at least two specific numbers (such as 5-5 or 5-5-X) will come up. Probability: 16/216= 7.41% and a house edge of 18.52% applies, if the triple of the given number (5-5-5) is also included in it; some versions of the game do not count the triple to the Specific Double or pay it at a different rate, which changes the probability and the payout. A typical payout is 10:1 (8:1 or 11:1 elsewhere). Before placing a bet, check the rule and payout in the paytable of the specific table.
• Any Triple: a bet that three of the same dice will land (1-1-1 to 6-6-6, any). Probability: 6/216= 2.78%. Typical payout: 30:1. House edge: 13.89%.
• Specific Triple: a bet on a precisely determined triple (for example, exactly 3-3-3). Probability: 1/216= 0.46%. Typical payout: 180:1. House edge: 16.20%.

Beware of the "payout= house edge" fallacy: Any Triple pays 30:1, but that doesn't mean it has a 30% house edge. The actual house edge is 13.89% because any triple lands in 6 out of 216 rolls (2.78%). A high number in the payout (30:1, 180:1) speaks of the rarity of the result, not the casino's margin. You always calculate the margin only by comparing the payout with the real probability.

Triple bets look attractive because of the high payouts, but mathematically they are loss-making. With 100 bets of ₱ 50on a particular triple, the expected loss is ₱ 500With 100 bets on Small/Big, the loss is only ₱ 100— almost six times less for the same number of rounds.

Combination bets (Domino and three numbers)

Some variants of Sic Bo also offer combination bets on specific numbers:

• Two-Dice Combination ("Domino"): a bet that two specific different numbers will fall (for example, 3 and 5 — can be 3-5-X, X-3-5, etc.). Probability: 30/216= 13.89%. Standard payout: 5:1. House edge: 16.67%. Despite the relatively high chance of winning, this is a weak bet because the 5:1 payout is undervalued relative to the odds.
• Three Single Numbers: a bet that three specific different numbers will come up in any order (eg 1-2-3). Probability: 6/216= 2.78%. Payout: 30:1. House edge: 13.89%. It is more common in the Macau versions of the game.

Both combination bets rarely appear in regular online Sic Bo, and neither is a good choice — their house edge (16.67% and 13.89%) is several times higher than Small/Big.

House edge overview: which bet to choose

This is the most important table in the entire article. Ranks all standard Sic Bo bets from best to worst by house edge:

The recommendation is clear: play Small/Big or Even/Odd. The difference between the best (2.78%) and the worst bet (18.98%) is almost sevenfold — and they're both on the same table, one click away from each other. For comparison with other table games, read the table in the article the casino's mathematical edge and expected value .

Lightning, Super and Mega Sic Bo: variants with multipliers

Multiplier versions are the most popular live versions of Sic Bo today. The mechanics are always the same: before the roll, the system randomly assigns a multiplier to the selected bets, and if you win on such a bet, the payout is multiplied. The differences are in the fee, the maximum multiplier and the provider.

Super Sic Bo (Evolution)

Before each roll, several betting fields receive a random multiplier up to ×1000. No fee is charged. The price for the multipliers is that the base payouts on hit bets are slightly reduced — therefore the RTP of riskier bets drops to around 95%, while Big/Small and Even/Odd hold 97.22% (house edge 2.78%).

Lightning Sic Bo (Evolution)

The most attractive, but also the most expensive version. Before the round, the system assigns multipliers up to ×2000. For this, you pay a mandatory fee of 20% of the bet before each round (for a ₱ 50bet, you actually bet ₱ 50). Despite this fee, the published theoretical RTP for Big/Small and Even/Odd is still 97.22% — the multipliers assigned to these bets cover the fee on average. Riskier bets have an RTP of around 95%.

Example: before the roll, the system announces that Total 9 has a multiplier of ×50. The normal payout for Total 9 is 6:1, so if you hit with a multiplier, the payout can jump to multiples of the normal amount. This possibility of the occasional mega win is why players seek out the Lightning version — not the better math, but the higher volatility.

Mega Sic Bo (Pragmatic Play)

Pragmatic Play's answer to Super Sic Bo. Multipliers up to ×1000, no charge. RTP for Big/Small 97.22%, drops to around 95.5% for riskiest bets. Functionally, it is very similar to Evolution's Super Sic Bo; they differ in table design and study.

Bottom line: if you want the best math, play Small/Big in Classic or Super Sic Bo (no charge). Lightning Sic Bo only makes sense if you enjoy chasing a big multiplier and knowingly accept higher volatility and a 20% fee. In all variants, the same bet selection rule applies as in classic.

Comparison of Sic Bo with other casino games

To make it clear where Sic Bo stands in the game rankings, here's a house edge comparison of the best bets in each game (and, for context, the worst Sic Bo bets):

Sic Bo with a Small/Big bet is at the level of European roulette — better than slot machines and American roulette, but worse than blackjack, baccarat or craps. So Sic Bo is a reasonable game if you stick to Small/Big. Once you switch to Total or Triple bets, you fall into the mathematically worst options in the entire casino. For a complete overview of the margin of all games, read the article house edge in live casino games .

Betting systems and myths — why they don't work in Sic Bo

There are many superstitions surrounding dice games. They make even less sense in Sic Bo, as each throw is a completely independent round. The most common mistakes:

Myth 1: "After the Small series, the Big must come"

This is a classic gambler's fallacy. Dice have no memory — even if a Small is rolled five times in a row, the probability of a Big on the next roll is still 48.61%, not even a tenth more. Tracking the history of results ("roadmap" in the live version) is useful for atmosphere, but has no predictive value.

Myth 2: Martingale and similar systems "beat" the casino

Martingale (doubling the bet after each loss) on Small/Big runs into two problems: (1) the maximum table limit limits how long you can double; (2) the house edge does not change with the betting system — only the turn. After 8 losses in a row, with a ₱ 50bet, you would need € for a single round. Higher turnover x same margin= higher average loss. The same principle is discussed in the article about betting systems in roulette (Martingale, Fibonacci, D'Alembert).

Myth 3: A high payout means a good bet

The 180:1 payout on Specific Triple is tempting, but it only speaks to the rarity of the outcome — not whether the bet is profitable. Converted to a house edge (16.20%), this is one of the worst bets in the game. The only fair measure is house edge, not payout size. More about how to read the expected value in the article about RTP and volatility .

Bank strategy and management

Sic Bo is a game of chance — no strategy changes the long-term outlook. The only decision with real impact is choosing a bet. Practical rules that maximize fun and protect the bank:

• Play almost exclusively Small/Big or Even/Odd. House edge of 2.78% is comparable to European roulette; everything else is significantly worse.
• Bet 1 - 2% of the bankroll per round. With € bank, a reasonable bet is 50 — ₱ 200With Small/Big, the variability is low, so the bank lasts a long time.
• Avoid "tempting" bets. Triple, Total and Double bets have a house edge of 13 — 19%. They are interesting from the point of view of adrenaline, but loss-making in the long run. If you want to play them, set aside a small "fun" amount for them outside of the main pot.
• Set your loss limit in advance. Decide before the game how much you are willing to lose per session (for example, a fixed portion of the bank) and end the game when it is reached. This is not a winning system — just a budget control tool.
• Determine in advance the threshold for choosing a portion of the profit. If you are in the profit, it is wise to put aside a part of the winnings and not continue playing with the whole amount. The winnings are your money — there is no "casino money", each subsequent round has the same house edge as the first.
• Time limit 60 — 90 minutes. With a fast RNG pace (200+ rounds per hour), the risk of impulsive decisions increases.
• To control the budget, prefer the live variant. A slower pace (30-60s per round) means less turnover and a lower average loss per hour.

The article will help for the overall plan of the bank online casino budget management .

An example of one hour at Sic Bo

To make the numbers concrete, here is a modeled hour session with a ₱ 100bet on Small/Big (house edge 2.78%) at two typical paces of play. The "95% range" shows where you are 95% likely to be after one hour — the normal range around the average loss:

Two things from the table are worth remembering. First, the RNG pace increases the turnover and thus the average loss — for the same bet of ₱ 100almost three times the money goes through your bank in an hour. Second, although the average loss is small, the short-term variability is much greater than the average — in one hour you can realistically end up in profit and loss of several hundred crowns. This is precisely why both stop-loss and take-profit make sense: the average speaks of hundreds of hours, one session can deviate in both directions.

Sic Bo and bonus terms — does it count towards spins?

Sic Bo with a Small/Big bet is one of the games with a low house edge, which is double-edged from the bonus point of view: good for the player during free play, problematic for the operator when spinning. Therefore, in most Philippines casinos table and live games to spin bonus:

• They don't contribute at all (0%): a common condition with welcome bonuses. Bets on Sic Bo during an active bonus then have no effect on fulfilling the condition.
• They contribute 5 — 10%: an occasional exception. When betting ₱ 500on Small/Big, only 12 — ₱ 50count towards the spin.
• They contribute 100%: very rarely for low-margin table games, practically only for specific "table game" bonuses.

Practical advice: during the spin of the welcome bonus Sic Bo it is better not to play if it does not contribute. After completing the spin (or from your own money without the bonus), Small/Big is a reasonable choice. Before accepting the bonus, always check the specific contribution rate — you can find instructions in the article bonus terms value .

Sic Bo in Philippines licensed casinos

Sic Bo is available in Philippines licensed casinos primarily through two live game providers:

• Evolution: Classic Sic Bo, Super Sic Bo and Lightning Sic Bo. Evolution studios have certification for regulated markets, HD/4K video quality, dealer usually speaks English. Pace 30 — 60 seconds per round.
• Pragmatic Play: Mega Sic Bo with Multipliers. Similar structure to Super Sic Bo, own studio and table design.
• Automatic RNG variant: some casinos also offer an RNG version of Sic Bo in the table or virtual games section — faster pace, no croupier.

The availability of specific variants varies between Czech operators and changes over time — some have the entire Evolution portfolio including Lightning Sic Bo, others only basic table games. You can verify it most reliably directly in the "Live casino" section by filtering according to the Evolution or pragmatic play provider . Play exclusively in a casino with a valid Philippines license from the gambling regulator — only there the RNG and the paytable are under the control of the regulator. You can find an overview of the offer in the article live casino Philippines .

Resources and further reading

Dice and board games:

• Craps in an online casino — second big dice game, better math, more complicated rules
• Baccarat in an online casino — another low margin game
• Blackjack — basic strategy — the best math from board games
• Casino poker games — Casino Hold'em, Ultimate, Three Card Poker

Mathematics, systems and comparison:

• House edge in live casino games — margin comparison of all games
• Mathematical casino edge and expected value
• Betting systems in roulette — why Martingale and Fibonacci don't work
• RTP and volatility — how to read expected value and variability

Live Casino, Bank and Bonuses:

• Live Casino Philippines — where you'll find Evolution and Pragmatic Play
• Crazy Time and Live Casino Show — other popular live products
• Bingo and Keno in an online casino — other games based on chance
• Budget management in an online casino — bank plan for low variance games
• The value of the bonus terms — how to verify a Sic Bo spin contribution
• Glossary of online casino terms
• Responsible gaming — limits and self-exclusion

External sources and official sites:

• Wizard of Odds — Sic Bo — paytables and house edge of all bets
• Evolution — Lightning Sic Bo — official game page (fee 20%, multipliers ×2000)
• Pragmatic Play — Mega Sic Bo — official game announcement with x1,000 multipliers
• Gambling regulator — Philippines gambling regulator

❓ FAQ about Sic Bo