Sic Bo

Sic Bo is a dice game originating in China and literally means "dice pair" a funny term when considering the game is actually played with three dice.

The game also has several other popular names such as Dai Sai or Dai Sui both meaning "big (or) small" that refers to the wide selection of big or small bets offered when you play Sic Bo. Another popular name mainly used in the Philippines is Hi-Lo, but in most western land casinos and online casinos it is always called Sic Bo.

In China the game was initially played with bricks cages between two plates and a special bowl that the bricks were turned into to reveal their outcome. Over time the game changed and dice caged in a shaker were used instead of bricks.

The game is very popular in Asia and has been played in the Philippines and Macao for centuries. In the early 20th century it was brought over to the US by Chinese immigrants and quickly gained popularity with western gamblers.

Nowadays it is offered in all US casinos and also in the UK, New Zealand, Australia and many European casinos.

The game became very popular with western players as it is one of the easies table games available that can be easily learned, unlike more complicated dice-based table games such as Craps.

The game is played using three dice caged in a shaker and a Sic Bo table where players place their wagers. Players must wager on the outcome of the three dice and bets are offered in various combinations including bets on specific numbers appearing and bets on totals of the three dice.

There is a very wide array of bets offered in a variety of odds so players are able to bet small or big and take calculated low risks or gamble big taking much greater risks on the outcome of the game, or combine low risk and high risk bets on a single roll of the dice.

The hardest wager to succeed in is a specific Three of a Kind where all three dice will show the same number. As there are three dice in play the odds are 6x6x6 = 216 to 1 and most land casinos will pay 180 to 1 or 150 to 1. This gives the casino a huge edge over players.

However when you play Sic Bo in online casinos the odds offered are much more favorable to the player. Of course there is no need to wager on such a rare hand as Three of a Kind. There are many types of bets offered in Sic Bo that offer payouts ranging from 1 to 1, 8 to 1, 10 to 1, 12 to 1, 18 to 1, 30 to 1 and 50 to 1. These bets offer much better odds and a greater chance of being successful.