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The History of Sic Bo
As mentioned above, Sic Bo began its life as a game of chance in ancient China. No one really knows how many hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of years old Sic Bo really is.
We do know that the name Sic Bo meant "two bricks". However, the game was played with three bricks. The "two bricks" eventually became "dice pair". Again, we don't know why it was called "dice pair" when it was played with three dice, not two. Maybe the Chinese were not too careful with their naming of games.
Asian Sic Bo
Sic Bo soon became very popular throughout Asia. In the Philipppines it became known as "hi-lo". In Macao it is called "dai siu". It has also been called "tai sai" and "big and small".
Sic Bo Immigrates
In the early 20th century, Sic Bo was introduced into the United States with the influx of Chinese immigrants in those years. Although it is one of the lesser known casino table games, it can now be found in casinos in the U.S., the U.K. and Australia.
Sic Bo Today
Today Sic Bo is played with three standard dice that are shaken in a basket or cup. In the Asian tradition, the dice were shaken on a small porcelain plate covered with a bowl which was then removed to show the result of the roll.
In casinos the dice are shaken mechanically in the cup and the result, which is computerized, lights up the winning areas on the table. One of Sic Bo's main attractions, today, is the fact that the table areas light up.
There are various and several betting combinations in Sic Bo which are displayed on the colorful Sic Bo table layout. Players bet on the combinations which result from the roll of the three dice and multiple bets are allowed. Sic Bo is usually considered an "unequal" game of chance meaning that the house odds are very big, and the chances of any significant wins are small.
Sic Bo Betting
The aim of the game is to guess the outcome of the totals, or combination of totals, of the rolled dice. There are seven types of Sic Bo bets:
- Big Bet: the total score of the three dice falls between the numbers 11 and 17
- Small Bet: the total count of the dice falls between the numbers 4 and 10
- Single Bet: a bet that a specific number (1 thru 6) will come up on any one or more of the dice
- Two Numbers: a bet that a combination of two numbers will show up on the dice
- Totals Bet: a bet on the total count (4 to 17) of the three dice
- Triplets: betting that all three dice face will show a specific number. This bet has a huge house advantage and is considered the worst bet at the Sic Bo table.
Sic Bo Strategy
There is really no strategy in this game. It is purely a game of chance, but many Sic Bo fans believe that it is best to make either the Small or Big bets, or both, as they have the lowest house advantage and the best odds.
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