By 
Fact-checked by Sic bo is a dice game: three dice are rolled, and you bet on the total or on which numbers land. Big and Small are the lowest-edge bets at 2.78%, because both lose whenever all three dice match, according to Wizard of Odds.
Most other bets cost far more, often over 10%, and payouts vary from table to table. That makes the paytable the first thing to read when you sit down.
How sic bo works
Each round uses three ordinary dice with faces from 1 to 6, so totals run from 3 to 18. You place your chips on the layout before betting closes. Then the dice are shaken and the result is shown.
Small wins on a total of 4 to 10, and Big wins on 11 to 17. Both lose to any triple, such as three 4s. Odd and Even, where a table offers them, lose to a triple in the same way.
There are 216 ways three dice can land (6 x 6 x 6), and 6 of them are triples. Those six rolls are where the casino’s 2.78% comes from: Big wins on 105 of the 216 outcomes and loses on 111.
Without the triple rule, Big and Small would be an even coin flip. With it, every RM100 you bet on them costs about RM2.78 on average.
Two rolls, step by step
Say the dice show 2, 3 and 6, a total of 11. Big wins, Odd wins and a bet on the total of 11 wins. Bets on the single numbers 2, 3 and 6 each win, and so do the 2-3, 2-6 and 3-6 combinations.
Small, Even, every double and every triple lose on that roll. So does any other total.
Now say the dice show 4, 4 and 4, a total of 12. Big loses even though 12 is a Big total, because it’s a triple, and Small loses too. The specific triple 4, any triple, the double 4, a single 4 and the total of 12 all win.
Sic bo bets, payouts and house edge
Wizard of Odds compares three common pay tables, from Macau, Atlantic City and Australia. Where they differ, this table shows the range.
| Bet | Wins when | Pays | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small or Big | Total of 4 to 10, or 11 to 17, with no triple | 1 to 1 | 2.78% |
| Odd or Even | Odd or even total, with no triple | 1 to 1 | 2.78% |
| Single number | Your number shows on one, two or three dice | 1, 2 or 3 to 1 | 7.87% (3.70% where three dice pay 12 to 1) |
| Two-number combination | Both chosen numbers show | 5 to 1 (6 to 1 at some tables) | 16.67% at 5 to 1 |
| Specific double | Your number shows on at least two dice | 8 to 1 up to 11 to 1 | 33.33% down to 11.11% |
| Any triple | All three dice match | 24 to 1 up to 31 to 1 | 30.56% down to 11.11% |
| Specific triple | All three show your number | 150 to 1 up to 180 to 1 | 30.09% down to 16.20% |
| Total of 4 or 17 | Exact total | 50 to 1 up to 62 to 1 | 29.17% down to 12.50% |
| Total of 10 or 11 | Exact total | 6 to 1 | 12.50% |
Source: Wizard of Odds. In each range, the bigger payout carries the smaller edge.
The same bet can cost very different amounts. A specific triple at 150 to 1 carries an edge of 30.09%; at 180 to 1 it’s 16.20%, almost half as much.
Single numbers show how small changes matter. Paying 1, 2 or 3 to 1 for one, two or three matching dice gives 7.87%. Paying 12 to 1 for three matching dice cuts it to 3.70%.
Totals pay more at the edges because they land less often. A total of 10 or 11 comes up 27 times in 216 rolls, while 4 or 17 comes up just 3 times. That’s why 10 pays 6 to 1 and 4 pays 50 to 1 or more.
The other bets work the same way. A specific double lands 16 times in 216 rolls, about once in 13.5, yet 8 to 1 needs it once in 9 to break even. Any triple lands 6 times in 216, and a specific triple just once.
Odd and Even appear only on Wizard of Odds’ Macau pay table, where it calls them uncommon. If your table has them, they cost the same 2.78% as Big and Small.
How sic bo compares
Big and Small are the cheapest bets in sic bo, but not the cheapest in a live lobby. At 2.78%, they cost a little more than single-zero roulette at 2.70%. They cost more than twice the baccarat Banker bet at 1.06%, on Wizard of Odds’ figures in our live casino guide.
If a low edge is what you’re after, our baccarat guide explains the Banker bet. If you enjoy sic bo for the dice, keep to the even-money bets and the edge stays under 3%.
Live sic bo and multipliers
Evolution’s Super Sic Bo adds random multipliers of up to 1000x to some bet spots after betting closes. Big and Small still “lose to any Triple”.
Its page doesn’t publish the base payouts or an RTP. Read the paytable inside the game before you compare it with a standard table. A big multiplier headline tells you nothing about the edge on its own.
Where you’ll find sic bo
We record which studios each casino lists, not each table, so none of our records names a sic bo game. Evolution, which makes Super Sic Bo, is listed by 9 of the 10 casinos we compare (checked 5 Nov 2026). Check a casino’s live lobby for a sic bo table before you deposit.
Seven of the 10 casinos we compare carry a Red flag, because their licence number can’t be checked on a public register. Only BK8, me88 and GOD55 have licences that check out; see the full ranking.
Sic bo and bonus turnover
Turnover is the total you must bet before you can withdraw a bonus. If you’re clearing one, don’t cover Big and Small on the same roll.
That pair of bets can only break even or lose: one wins, the other loses, and both lose on a triple. It may not count either, because 8 of the 10 casinos we compare say opposite-side bets don’t count towards turnover.
The live casino welcome offers, with 25x to 30x turnover, are compared in our live casino guide. Our bonus page covers the rest.
Practical tips
- Stick to Big, Small, Odd or Even. At 2.78%, they cost the least.
- Read the paytable. The same bet can pay 150 to 1 or 180 to 1, which almost halves the edge.
- Don’t cover both sides. Big plus Small on one roll can only break even or lose.
- Ignore hot and cold numbers. As Wizard of Odds puts it, “dice simply have no memory”.
- Treat long shots as long shots. A specific triple lands once in 216 rolls on average, so it can drain a budget before it pays.
- Set a budget. Decide what a session can cost before the first roll, and stop when it’s gone.
Casino games are built so the house wins over time. Expect to lose more than you win.