Sic Bo Sic Bo
A casino game of Chinese origin where you predict the numbers and total shown by three shaken dice. Big/Small bets have a low house edge of 2.78%, but bets on specific number combinations often go well above 10%.
| English | Sic Bo |
|---|---|
| Classification | Basics & Betting Terms |
| Category | Dice table game (house bank) |
| Origin | China |
| Name meaning | Precious dice (骰寶) |
| Other names | Dai Siu (大小), Hi-Lo (Philippines) |
| Dice | 3 |
| Possible outcomes | 216 (56 distinct results) |
| House edge | Big/Small 2.78% to over 30% on some bets |
Overview
Sic Bo is a game where three dice are shaken in a small box, and you predict the result when the lid is lifted. It originated in China, and its name means “precious dice.” In Macau it’s also called “Dai Siu (大小),” and in the Philippines “Hi-Lo.” Chinese immigrants brought it to the US in the early 20th century, and it has been available in licensed UK casinos since 2002.
Each round is settled right away in a simple structure, so it’s different from craps, where the results of multiple rolls are linked together.
216 outcomes
Three dice produce 6×6×6 = 216 outcomes, and each is equally likely. If you ignore order, there are 56 distinct results. Every Sic Bo payout and the house edge is calculated from how many of these 216 outcomes win. For example, a “specific triple (1-1-1, etc.)” is 1 out of 216 outcomes, so the probability is 0.46%.
Bet types and house edge
Payout tables vary by region and casino. Below is a comparison of typical UK and Macau payouts.
| Bet | Winning condition | UK payout / edge | Macau payout / edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big | Total 11-17, triples excluded | 1:1 / 2.78% | 1:1 / 2.78% |
| Small | Total 4-10, triples excluded | 1:1 / 2.78% | 1:1 / 2.78% |
| Two-number combo | Two different chosen numbers | 6:1 / 2.78% | Varies by casino |
| Single number | Chosen number appears on 1 to 3 dice | 1:1·2:1·3:1 / 7.87% | 1:1·2:1·3:1 / 7.87% |
| Total of 9 or 12 | Sum of the three dice | 7:1 / 7.41% | 6:1 / 18.98% |
| Any triple | All three dice show the same number | 30:1 / 13.89% | 24:1 / 30.56% |
| Specific triple | Three of the chosen number | 180:1 / 16.2% | 150:1 / 30.09% |
| Specific double | Chosen number appears on 2 or more dice | 10:1 / 18.52% | 8:1 / 33.33% |
Big/Small and Odd/Even bets all lose when a triple comes up. Because of this “triples excluded” rule, even 1:1 bets carry a 2.78% house edge. The bigger the payout, the more the house edge changes with even small differences in the payout table.
Similar games
Grand Hazard and Chuck-a-luck, which originated in England, are dice games in the same family as Sic Bo. If you’re curious about how the probabilities are calculated, reading probability basics and expected value together makes it easier to follow. Basic terms are covered in general casino terms.