A game with ancient Chinese roots, Sic Bo is sometimes called dai siu (meaning big little) or tai sai (meaning lucky dice). Just a few years ago, in order to play live Sicbo, you had to go to an Asian online casino in order to play this game but this is no longer the case because live dealer Sic Bo tables are now available from all of the main European-based operators largely due to the massive uptick in the popularity of live casino gaming.
Despite having been invented hundreds of years before the advent of igaming, Sic Bo feels tailor made for online live casinos because it is a fast-paced and easy to learn dice game with short game rounds which can be played by many players at once. In very simplistic terms, Sic Bo can be seen as Asia’s answer to roulette, as the aim of the game is to correctly guess the outcome of three rolled dice.
You can find a selection of live casino games including Sic Bo on our site and in today’s article, we’ll be taking a closer look at live casino Sic Bo, sharing our top tips and tricks so you can have the best Sic Bo experience.
Understand How To Play the Sic Bo Game
So, how do you play Sic Bo? It goes without saying that the best tip we can give you is to know how the game you have chosen actually works. As we’ve already revealed, Sic Bo’s roots begin in Asia, but in the last century it has moved into some niche land-based casinos with some variants like the English ‘Grand Hazard’ and the US ‘Chuck-a-luck’. It isn’t until the last few years, however, that Sic Bo has made a real impact on the online live casino world with developers such as Evolution Gaming and Playtech looking to broaden their horizons and bring players new and unique gaming experiences.
Sic Bo is a game that is played with three dice, and similarly to roulette, players need to correctly guess the outcome of said dice in order to win. There are a wide variety of wagers which can take some getting used to, but outside of this the gameplay is very easy, just make a wager on the outcome you think will be achieved by the dice, and wait for the live dealer (or dealer operated machine) to shake the dice, and then examine the results to see if you’re a winner.
Choose the Best Live Dealer Sic Bo Game For You
While Live Sic Bo is still an up-and-coming live game variant, there are already quite a few great live Sic Bo options that players can choose from. At Lord Ping, some of the most popular Sic Bo games amongst our players include Super Sic Bo, Sic Bo Deluxe and Mega Sic Bo, and there’s even an exciting new release right around the corner from Evolution Live called Instant Super Sic Bo.
Sic Bo Deluxe (Playtech) and Super Sic Bo (Evolution Live) are very similar live games which take the traditional Sic Bo game and infuse random multipliers to increase payout potential. Similarly, Pragmatic Play’s Mega Sic Bo also increases payouts with its Mega Multiplier feature. The brand new Instant Super Sic Bo from Evolution Live plays exactly like its forerunner Super Sic Bo, but occurs at a faster pace, with dice roll after dice roll in quick succession.
While similar, its important to consider which live Sic Bo game is best for you before wagering your real money. For example, if you’re a big Playtech fan then you’ll probably want to check out Sic Bo Deluxe, but if you like multiplier features in particular then Mega Sic Bo might be up your street. If you’re already seasoned with Sic Bo then Instant Sic Bo will provide you with fast and no-nonsense gameplay, but if you’re still learning the ropes then you’ll be better off with Super Sic Bo instead.
Cultivate a Grasp of the Sic Bo Table
Like roulette, Sic Bo is a table game, and at first glance, the betting table layout for the game can be a bit overwhelming as you’re unlikely to have seen something quite like this before. Therefore, getting a grasp of how the Sic Bo table works is a vital tip.
As you probably know Asian culture is well-regarded for its efficiency, and this can certainly be seen in the layout of the Sic Bo table. The bets are divided into various classes, organised by their odds.
The single-number bets are on the very bottom row. The combination bets are next to appear, and then the total bets. The specific double, specific triple, and any triple wagers are located on top of the table. Lastly, the small and large bets are placed in the upper left and right corners of the table, respectively, and are limited to those two corners.
Almost all live Sic Bo games will use this exact layout (though they might add their own custom colour scheme or design elements) when playing live, however, you can always ask the live dealer for clarification if you see something on the table you’re not familiar with.
Learn About the Betting Options of Live Dealer Sic Bo
As you can probably tell by our description of the Sic Bo table, there are a lot of betting options that players can make, and this is probably the trickiest part of Sic Bo to get to grips with. However, if you want to play live casino Sic Bo you’re going to want to get clued up, so you don’t end up wasting any cash.
The Small and Big bets are the most fundamental ones that you should be aware of. You can wager on any dice total between (and including) 4 and 10 with the small bet. The big bet option allows players to wager on sums between 11 and 17. As you can see, the sums of 18 and 3 are absent. This is due to the fact that any triple total (three dice with the same number, such as 1-1-1, 6-6-6) will cause all small or big bets to lose.
You can also choose to wager on one specific total between 4 and 17, which has better payout potential than the small or big bet due to the lower odds of achieving this. You can wager on one, two, or all three dice to reveal a particular number if you place a single-dice bet. When you strongly suspect that two of the dice will come up with the same number, you should place a double bet. There are triple bets in addition to double bets. You can wager that the numbers on all three dice will be the same. Although there's a significant chance of losing, you can also wager on a particular set of triples.
The Sic Bo table arrangement has fifteen domino-like sections for various two-dice combinations, such as 1-2, 2-3, 3-5, etc. This wager is also known as a straightforward Two-Dice Combination bet or Domino bet.
Simplify Your Bets and Start Low
When you’re learning the ropes it’s smart to keep your wagering values low and your bets simple. This will give you the chance to observe and learn the game whilst minimising the risk to your balance (of course as a game of chance no risk can ever be truly mitigated).
The probability for both large and small bets is 48.6%. This indicates that the house edge you'll face in this game is 2.78 per cent with these which are the best possible odds. Of course, because of these favourable odds, this type of wager pays the least, but as a beginner player, they make for an ideal wager.
When you feel more comfortable with the Sic Bo game the next natural progression to make is upon single dice bets. Although these bets don't have the best house edges, they nonetheless offer a significant improvement over certain other options. The house edge on single-dice bets, for instance, is little less than 8%. You select a single number to be rolled in this wager. In the event that you obtain one, the payoff is 1:1 meaning you get your wager back, but can also be 2:1 or 3:1 or two or three appearances of your selected number.
Don’t Go Overboard on Your Wagers
Before settling down to play any casino game, be this Sic Bo, Roulette, Slots, and beyond, you should always set yourself a budget for your session as well as a play time. Setting a budget helps to stop you from getting carried away with the game and wagering more than you can afford to lose, and setting a play time will stop live casino games from consuming too much of your free time, and allow you to potentially walk away from the table with some winnings, instead of playing until you’re out of cash. These are both key responsible gambling practices, and it’s essential to always remember that when the fun stops, stop.
Enjoy the Game
This should go without saying, but you’d be surprised at how many players throw their money at games they don’t even enjoy that much. Just because a game is new or on-trend doesn’t mean that it is the perfect game for you, after all, there are so many great casino games out there, it's well worth searching for your perfect pick.
If you enjoy Sic Bo and notice that you’re starting to not have fun or are becoming frustrated by the dice rolls, then take a step back. Playing online live Sic Bo should always be fun and should be played as a hobby and not to earn money. So if you’re going into a game with the intent of winning big, you’re already losing in terms of responsible gambling. If you notice yourself getting frustrated or upset when playing, take a break and allow yourself to settle.
Play Live Sic Bo on Lord Ping Today
Now you’re up to speed with how to play Live Dealer Sic Bo, why not sign up and play today at Lord Ping? You’ll find all our Sic Bo games within our live casino game category. Good luck and have fun.
