Whether you are familiar with the online casino industry or you haven’t as yet tried out any casino game, odds are, you know what dice are. Those small throwable cubes that come with marked sides – you know them, right? Well, dice are used to play a variety of games, including social games hence the reason they are widely popular and also the reason why you probably know of them. In addition to social games, however, dice can also be used to play several casino games, one of which is Sic Bo.
Sic Bo isn’t one of the highly popular casino games. Certainly, ahead of the game, you will find other titles such as slots, roulette and blackjack. The thing, however, with Sic Bo is that it’s actually a ‘hidden’ gem. Not only does the game provide good entertainment value for gambling lovers, but it’s also highly lucrative. Just so you know, it comes with a base of 97.22% (of course, the base RTP may be positively or negatively affected by the bet placed).
To learn more about this hidden gem of a game in the process grasping all the important gameplay rules, gameplay action and winning strategies, all you need to do is devote just a few minutes of your time to reading this comprehensive Sic Bo beginner’s guide.
What is Sic Bo
So, what exactly is Sic Bo. The simple answer is that it’s a casino game which is played using dice. If we are to get into the finer details, we can add that Sic Bo is a table game. This is necessitated by the fact that it’s played on a casino table, and the gameplay action is controlled by a dealer. It is the dealer who is tasked with throwing the dice on the table. The objective of the game is to predict the outcome of the three dice which are thrown on the table by the dealer.
There are some straightforward bets available which include simply predicting the outcome of all three dice thrown on the table to more complex but highly lucrative bets, which entail predicting complex dice combinations. Players thus are spoiled for choice when it comes to placing bets in Sic Bo. However, for beginner players, it’s recommended to go for straightforward bets.
How to Play Sic Bo
The first thing that we want to say is that when you sit at a Sic Bo table in a brick-or-mortar casino or when you launch the game online for the first time, you will find the betting grid to be complex and confusing. There are a variety of small boxes available on the betting grid. Well, this shouldn’t scare you at all from giving the game a try. Despite what looks like a seemingly complex and confusing game, Sic Bo actually comes with simple gameplay rules that are easy to grasp, and the game itself is not at all complex.
After you launch the game, you will need to decide on the bet option to use. It’s recommended to go for bet options that allow you to enjoy several rounds for one gaming session. This, therefore, means you have to know your bankroll beforehand and then properly structure it to sustain you for long. Just like any other table game, your bet amount at the Sic Bo table comes in the form of chips. You therefore need the right denominations chips before you sit at the table. To place your bet, you just need to place your chips on the corresponding betting grid box that aligns with the bet type you want.
The betting grid accommodates all the possible bet types you can go for. Below are some of the bet types you can go for:
- Big: This entails placing a bet on the total of all three dice to fall within the range of 11 and 17
- Small: This entails placing a bet on the total of all three dice to fall within the range of 4 and 10
- Totals: This entails placing a bet on the total of all three dice to fall within the range 4 and 17
- Single-Dice Bet: This entails placing a bet on one specific pip (marking on the dice) to appear on 1, 2 or all 3 dice. If the pip specified by the player appears on one dice, the game pays out 1:1. If the pip appears on two dice, the game pays out 2:1. For all three dice, the game pays out 3:1
- Double Bet: This entails placing a bet on one specific pip to appear on two dice simultaneously. For this bet, the game pays out 10:1
- Triple Bet: This entails placing a bet on one specific pip to appear on three dice simultaneously. When players specify the pip that’s going to appear on all three dice simultaneously, the game pays out 180:1. However, if players do not specify the pip that will appear on all three dice simultaneously but simply predict that all three dice will show the same pip, then the game pays out 30:1
- Combination Bets (Domino Bets): This entails placing combination bets on the outcome of the roll of two dice only instead of three dice. Various two-dice bet types are available to choose from when it comes to combination bets
- Even/Odd: This entails placing a bet on the total of the roll of three dice to be an even number or odd number.
Playing and Winning Strategies
Sic Bo is a pure game of chance. This, therefore, means the most important attribute that players need is pure luck during their gaming session. However, while this is the case, players ought to note that they can improve their luck and hence chances of winning by employing the following strategies.
- Opt for the most popular and straightforward bet types, especially the big, small, totals and even/odd types. This is necessitated by the fact that they have low house edges hence better winning odds
- Spread bets into multiples on each betting round. When you spread your bets into multiples, it means on each betting round, you have more than one shot at winning. It’s important, however, not to overdo this, as your wins may simply cover the losing wagers from your other multiple bets
- Plan for a relatively longer gaming session and properly plan your bankroll. While it’s true that some lucky players hit the jackpot (big wins) from their first wagers, you shouldn’t rely on this as that’s a rarity. Rather, properly structure your bankroll to sustain you for a long gaming session
- Practice is very important when it comes to Sic Bo. Practice the game for free first, and then play the real money version of Sic Bo once you have thoroughly mastered all gameplay rules and playing strategy.
Round Up
Despite its seemingly complex and confusing layout, Sic Bo is actually a simple game to master and play. This, in essence, makes it an accommodating game even to casino beginners hence the reason you should give it a try.
