Sic bo is a dice game played with three dice, and its best bets are big and small, with a house edge of 2.78%. Its worst bets cost more than 30% of every bet on average, depending on the table’s paytable.
All the odds come from the 216 ways three dice can land. This guide shows the chance of winning and the house edge for every common bet, and how to work out the edge at any table. 21+ only.
How sic bo works
The dealer shakes three dice in a covered shaker, and you bet on the result before the reveal. The game is also known as tai sai and dai siu, both meaning “big small”.
- 216 outcomes: each die has six faces, so three dice can land 6 x 6 x 6 = 216 ways, all equally likely.
- Totals run from 3 to 18. Big is 11 to 17, and small is 4 to 10.
- Triples are special. Any triple, with all three dice showing the same number, makes big and small lose.
An example roll
One roll settles every bet on the table at once. Say the dice land 2, 5 and 5, a total of 12:
- Winning bets: big (12 is between 11 and 17, and it isn’t a triple), even, single number 5 (two dice, pays 2:1), single number 2 (one die, pays 1:1), the 2 and 5 combination, the specific double of 5s, and a total of 12.
- Losing bets: small, odd, every other single number, double and total, and both triple bets.
Every common bet: chance and house edge
The house edge depends on how often a bet wins and what it pays.
| Bet | Wins when | Chance of winning | Common payouts | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big | Total is 11 to 17, not a triple | 48.61% | 1:1 | 2.78% |
| Small | Total is 4 to 10, not a triple | 48.61% | 1:1 | 2.78% |
| Odd or even (where offered) | Total is odd or even, not a triple | 48.61% | 1:1 | 2.78% |
| Single number | Your number appears on one, two or three dice | 42.13% | 1:1, 2:1 or 3:1 | 7.87% |
| Two-dice combination | Both of your two numbers appear | 13.89% | 5:1 (6:1 at some tables) | 16.67% (2.78% at 6:1) |
| Specific double | At least two dice show your number | 7.41% | 8:1, 10:1 or 11:1 | 33.33%, 18.52% or 11.11% |
| Any triple | All three dice match | 2.78% | 30:1 (24:1 at some tables) | 13.89% (30.56% at 24:1) |
| Specific triple | All three dice show your number | 0.46% | 150:1 to 180:1 | 30.09% to 16.20% |
A single number pays 1:1 if it appears on one die, 2:1 on two dice and 3:1 on all three.
Bets on totals
Bets on a single total pay more for rarer totals, and paytables vary most here.
| Total | Ways out of 216 | Example payouts | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 or 17 | 3 | 60:1 or 50:1 | 15.28% or 29.17% |
| 5 or 16 | 6 | 30:1 or 18:1 | 13.89% or 47.22% |
| 6 or 15 | 10 | 17:1 or 14:1 | 16.67% or 30.56% |
| 7 or 14 | 15 | 12:1 | 9.72% |
| 8 or 13 | 21 | 8:1 | 12.50% |
| 9 or 12 | 25 | 7:1 or 6:1 | 7.41% or 18.98% |
| 10 or 11 | 27 | 6:1 | 12.50% |
To check any table, use house edge = 1 − (payout + 1) x ways ÷ 216. For a total of 7 paying 12:1, that’s 1 − 13 x 15 ÷ 216 = 9.72%.
How the betting table is laid out
Most sic bo tables use a similar layout, which groups bets from safest to riskiest.
- Top corners: small on the left and big on the right, with odd and even nearby where offered.
- Centre: the specific triples, any triple and the specific doubles.
- Middle row: the totals from 4 to 17, each marked with its payout.
- Lower rows: the 15 two-dice combinations, then the single numbers 1 to 6.
How sic bo compares with other table games
Sic bo’s best bet costs more than baccarat’s, and about the same as roulette’s. On the same RM2,000 in bets, the average losses compare like this:
| Bet | House edge | Average loss on RM2,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Baccarat: banker | 1.06% | About RM21 |
| European roulette: any bet | 2.70% | About RM54 |
| Sic bo: big or small | 2.78% | About RM56 |
| Sic bo: specific triple at 150:1 | 30.09% | About RM602 |
Why payouts differ between tables
Studios set their own paytables, so the same bet can cost twice as much at one table as at another. A total of 4 paying 60:1 has a 15.28% edge; at 50:1, the edge is 29.17%.
Some live versions add random multipliers to certain bets but pay less on the base bet. The game’s help screen usually shows the payouts and the overall RTP, so check it before you play.
What actually helps in sic bo
No strategy beats the dice, but your choice of bet changes how fast you lose on average.
- Stick to big or small. At 2.78%, 100 rolls at RM20 (RM2,000 in bets) cost about RM56 on average. The same RM2,000 on specific triples at 150:1 costs about RM602.
- Don’t bet big and small together. You lose both bets on every triple, and opposite bets don’t count towards bonuses.
- Ignore the results board. Dice have no memory, so “hot” numbers and streaks don’t predict the next roll.
Sic bo and bonus terms
Live sic bo isn’t singled out in the bonus terms we recorded, but the usual limits apply (checked 2 Nov 2026):
- Opposite bets, such as big and small together, don’t count at BK8, Maxim88, 96M, me88, GOD55, UWIN33 and 12Play.
- Excluded studios: GOD55’s live bonus excludes Evolution, Allbet, Motivation and Playtech, 96M’s excludes Sexy Baccarat, Game Play and AllBet, and BK8’s excludes Sexy Casino and Allbet.
- RNG versions don’t count at BK8, Maxim88, UWIN33 and 12Play, which exclude RNG games.
Compare live bonuses in our live casino guide and on our bonus hub.
Casino games have a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose more than you win. Online casinos are not licensed in Malaysia: read our guide, is online gambling legal in Malaysia?
Sources
- Wizard of Odds: sic bo (probabilities and paytables)
- Bonus terms come from each casino’s own pages, linked from its review (checked 2 Nov 2026).
