Sic Bo is a casino game that slowly but steadily gaining a foothold in various parts of the world. We can talk about it gaining a foothold because Sic Bo is not -relatively speaking – as popular as other casino games. Games that are industry household fixtures include roulette, blackjack poker and slots. Sic Bo is nowhere as well-known as those three, but it is catching on quick. The game’s origin is ancient China where it was and is still played as dai siu. This might explain why it’s especially in demand in Asia. In the Philippines, it is fondly known as hi-lo, and is a very prevalent offering in online casinos. In the USA, Sic Bo features predominantly in Asian card rooms plus a few regular casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
Online Sic Bo: Basic Rules
Sic Bo is a simple dice game, much like craps. In fact, those with previous crap-playing experience can expect to be able to take to Sic Bo like a duck to water. The game has two main, unmissable features:
Three dice. They are contained inside a chest. When play commences, the dealer shakes the chest and opens it, showing the outcome.
The game has a board. This board shows various bet types that a player can choose.
The instant the dealer does his thing and shows where the dice have landed, everyone’s fate becomes apparent. If the player’s forecast is congruent with what the dice say, it’s party time. If not, then better luck next time. These rules apply for both land-based Sic Bo and online. Now of course there are no physical dice in the latter version. Most online software will show a graphical simulation of a transparent jar with the three dice. When shaken, the dice’s outcome is entirely the determination of the software, through a program called a Random Number Generator (RNG). The online version may also feature a human dealer or not depending on whether it’s a live game.
Sic Bo: Skill or Luck?
The only determinant of the outcome of a game of Sic Bo is the dice, as we’ve seen above. So can anyone really divine which way dice may roll? No. Knowing this directly answers the question above. Since rolling dice is a 100% chance-based endeavor, success or failure at Sic Bo depends entirely on a player’s relationship with lady luck. It’s a proper gamble. The main difference between this game and Craps is that the latter involves a level of skill that a player cultivates through experience. Nonetheless, one can apply some strategy when it comes to making the bets. It’s not a strategy that assures the player of winning all the time or anything like that. But it can help increase the chances of landing a win and minimize the chances of losing the stake. Here are our two top tips:
Small/Big are great bets. These are bets with low risk, and a high likelihood of success. Small/Big bets have 1:1 odds, meaning they pay out even money. The probability for either is a nice 48.6%, and they have a favorably low house edge of 2.78%. Here’s our dossier on House Edge and how it affects betting success.
Combination bets are good, too. They are not as high-probability as Small/Big but are definitely way easier to predict than Single bets.
So ultimately, the above two tips can improve success at online Sic Bo. However, always remember that your fate lies in the roll of the dice. Also, take note of a third, governing tip that every proper gambler must always follow: gamble responsibly. Be financially conscious and always keep within your budget.
