How to play Sic Bo
http://www.winneronline.com/rules/sicbo.htm
Sic
Bo is a dice game of Asian origin. The name means "two dice" or
"dice pair" and refers to the some of the higher paying bets that a
player can place. In fact the game uses three 6-sided dice and a variety of
betting options are available as marked on the Sic Bo table, all based on
predictions of what dice combinations the throw will yield.
Objective
Players
place their bets on the Sic Bo table, predicting various outcomes, totals and
combinations of the three dice. Multiple bets can be placed and they pay off
according to the odds indicated on the table.
Betting
and the odds
There
are seven different types of bets in Sic Bo:
Dice
Face: players may bet that any one of the six dice sides will show. If that
number comes up on any one of the dice, the player wins even money. If two of
the dice show the selected face, the bet is paid off at 2-to-1. And if all three
dice show the same face, the bet is paid at 3-to-1. The house edge on this bet
is approximately 8%.
Two
Faces: this is a bet that a combination of two particular numbers will appear.
If the player bets, for example, that a 1 and a 6 will appear and it does, the
house pays off at 5:1. The house advantage here is about 17%.
Totals:
players can wager on the total of all three dice. The player selects a specific
total from 4 to 17. Since the combination of faces that can result in the
selected total varies, so too does the payoff (see chart). The chart gives the
corresponding house advantage on that particular totals bet.
Total
|
Payout
|
House
|
4
or 17
|
60:1
|
29.1%
|
5
or 16
|
18:1
|
47.2%
|
6
or 15
|
14:1
|
30.5%
|
7
or 14
|
12:1
|
9.7%
|
8
or 13
|
8:1
|
12.5%
|
9
or 12
|
6:1
|
18.9%
|
10
or 11
|
6:1
|
12.5%
|
Small
or Big: this wager is a bet that the total of the three dice will fall in a
specific range. A bet on "Small" is on the total being between 4 and
10. A bet on "Big" is on the dice totaling between 11 and 17. But see
the small print that says "Lose on any triple"? If any three-of-a-kind
comes up, the house takes your wager. Still, the odds of winning Small or Big
are by far the best on the table. Here the house holds about a 3% edge.
Triple:
Here you're betting that all three faces will come up with a specific number.
The payoff is large, 150:1, but for good reason. The chances are 215:1 against
you, giving the casino a 30% advantage.
Any
Triple: You're betting that all three faces will be the same. This pays out at
24:1, but the true odds are 35:1. Again, you're fighting a 30% house advantage.
Any
Pair: Betting that a pair of any particular number will come up pays 8:1.
Believe it or not on this bet is one of the worst on the table. The house holds
a 33% advantage.
Payoff
Payoffs
in Sic Bo are marked right on the table and vary according to the type of bet
you place.
Strategy
Because
Sic Bo is a game of chance, the best strategy is to stick with the best odds.
Looking back over the numbers you'll see that the house edge on Small and Big
bets is a fairly reasonable 3%. If you're going to play smart, that's your bet.
If you feel lucky, the table is yours.