Sic Bo guide to the dice, the layout and the odds
Sic Bo is a three-dice game known as Tai Xiu in Vietnam and Hi-Lo in Thailand. You bet on what the dice will show, from a simple Big or Small to an exact triple. This guide ranks the bets by cost so you know which are cheap and which are long shots.
On this page
Live studios in the lobby
How Sic Bo works with three dice
In Sic Bo the dealer shakes three dice in a sealed dome, and every bet is a prediction about those dice. Three dice can land in 216 ways, and the price of each bet comes from how many of those ways it covers.
The layout looks busy but follows a clear order. Small and Big sit at the two ends, with Odd and Even beside them. Doubles and triples run along the top, totals from 4 to 17 across the middle, and two-dice combinations and single numbers below. Totals of 3 and 18 are missing because they can only be triples.
Sic Bo bets and typical payouts
Payouts differ between tables, so treat these as common figures and check the paytable in the game. The last column is the house edge at the payout listed.
| Bet | Common payout | Chance to win | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big (11 to 17) or Small (4 to 10) | 1:1 | 48.61% | 2.78% |
| Odd or Even | 1:1 | 48.61% | 2.78% |
| Single number, on one, two or three dice | 1:1, 2:1 or 3:1 | 42.13% | 7.87% |
| Total 7 or 14 | 12:1 | 6.94% | 9.72% |
| Total 8 or 13 | 8:1 | 9.72% | 12.50% |
| Total 10 or 11 | 6:1 | 12.50% | 12.50% |
| Total 9 or 12 | 6:1 | 11.57% | 18.98% |
| Total 6 or 15 | 17:1 | 4.63% | 16.67% |
| Total 5 or 16 | 30:1 | 2.78% | 13.89% |
| Total 4 or 17 | 60:1 | 1.39% | 15.28% |
| Combination of two numbers | 5:1 | 13.89% | 16.67% |
| Specific double | 10:1 | 7.41% | 18.52% |
| Any triple | 30:1 | 2.78% | 13.89% |
| Specific triple | up to 180:1 | 0.46% | 16.20% |
The cheapest bets and the long shots
Big, Small, Odd and Even are the cheap seats. Each wins on 105 of the 216 outcomes and pays even money. The six triples make the difference, and they are the whole 2.78% edge.
Single numbers come next at 7.87%, then totals of 7 and 14 at 9.72%. Everything else costs between about 12% and 19% of what you stake. A specific triple lands once in 216 rolls on average, and on tables that pay 150:1 instead of 180:1 its edge climbs to about 30%.
In money, sixty rounds at 100,000 VND is 6,000,000 VND staked. On Big the expected cost is about 167,000 VND. On a specific double it is about 1,111,000 VND.
Live variants with multipliers
Multiplier versions, such as Evolution’s Super Sic Bo and Pragmatic Play Live’s Mega Sic Bo, add random multipliers to a few bet areas each round, reaching up to 1,000 times the stake. To fund them, base payouts on the long-shot bets are reduced.
Big, Small, Odd and Even keep their 1:1 payout and 2.78% edge and never receive a multiplier. These tables change the game only for players who bet totals, doubles and triples, who get longer dry spells and an occasional large hit.
Session advice
For steady play, keep to Big, Small, Odd or Even at one flat stake. If you enjoy long shots, add one small fixed bet on a total or a double each round, and do not add more spots because the last roll missed. Dice have no memory, and ten Bigs in a row do not make Small due.
Sic Bo counts as live casino at Live Casino House, so there is no welcome bonus, but the live reload bonuses and VIP rebate and cashback apply. For a similar edge on a wheel, compare live roulette, or see the live casino guide for other tables. Players must be 18 or over, and the responsible gaming page shows how to set a budget and keep to it.
Sic Bo FAQ
Why do Big and Small lose on a triple?
That rule is the house margin. Without it, Big and Small would each cover exactly half of the outcomes and the bet would be fair.
Are Sic Bo, Tai Xiu and Hi-Lo the same game?
They are the same three-dice game under local names. Tai Xiu means Big and Small in Vietnamese, and Hi-Lo is the name used in Thailand.
Can a betting system change the odds in Sic Bo?
No. Each roll is independent and each bet keeps its own edge whatever you staked before. A system changes the size and timing of your bets, not their cost.
How often does a triple come up?
Any triple appears 6 times in 216 rolls, about once in 36. One particular triple, such as three fours, appears once in 216.