Sic bo

Sic bo (骰寶), also known as tai sai (大細), dai siu (大小), big and small or hi-lo, is an unequal game of chance of ancient Chinese origin played with three dice. Grand hazard and chuck-a-luck are variants, both of English origin. The literal meaning of sic bo is "precious dice", while dai siu and dai sai mean "big [or] small".

The layout of a sic bo table

Sic Bo is a casino game, popular in Asia and widely played (as dai siu) in casinos in Macau, Hong Kong. It is played in the Philippines as hi-lo. It was introduced to the United States by Chinese immigrants in the early 20th century, and can now be found in most American casinos. Since 2002, it has been played legally in licensed casinos in the United Kingdom.

Gameplay involves betting that a certain condition (e.g. that all three dice will roll the same) will be satisfied by a roll of the dice.

Gameplay

Players place their bets on areas of a table that have been divided into named scoring boxes. The dealer then picks up a small chest containing the dice, which they close and shake, before opening the chest to reveal the combination.[1]

Comparison to craps

Sic bo is one of two casino games involving dice, the other being craps. Sic bo is strictly a game of chance because every roll on the dice results a win or loss on any bet. In craps, some bets require certain rolls before they can become winning or losing bets, thus encouraging strategy.

Betting options
Name Wagering event Probability United Kingdom New Zealand Macau & Hong Kong No house edge
Odds House Edge Odds House Edge Odds House Edge Odds
Big (大) The total score will be from 11 to 17 (inclusive) with the exception of a triple 48.61% 1 to 1 2.78% 1 to 1 2.78% 1 to 1 2.78% 37 to 35
Small (小) The total score will be from 4 to 10 (inclusive) with the exception of a triple 48.61% 1 to 1 2.78% 1 to 1 2.78% 1 to 1 2.78% 37 to 35
Odd The total score will be an odd number with the exception of a triple 48.61% 1 to 1 2.78% 1 to 1 2.78% 37 to 35
Even The total score will be an even number with the exception of a triple 48.61% 1 to 1 2.78% 1 to 1 2.78% 37 to 35
Specific 'Triples' or 'Alls' (圍一 圍二 圍三 圍四 圍五 圍六) A specific number will appear on all three dice 0.46% 180 to 1 16.2% 180 to 1 16.2% 150 to 1 30.1% 215 to 1
Specific Doubles A specific number will appear on at least two of the three dice 7.41% 10 to 1 18.5% 11 to 1 11.1% 8 to 1 33.3% 25 to 2
Any Triple or All 'Alls' (全圍) Any of the triples will appear 2.8% 30 to 1 13.9% 31 to 1 11.1% 24 to 1 30.6% 35 to 1
Three Dice Total

(a specific total score in the range of 4 to 17 inclusive)

 4 or 17 1.4% 60 to 1 15.3% 62 to 1 12.5% 50 to 1 29.2% 71 to 1
5 or 16 2.8% 30 to 1 13.9% 31 to 1 11.1% 18 to 1 47.2% 35 to 1
6 or 15 4.6% 18 to 1 12% 18 to 1 12% 14 to 1 30.6% 103 to 5
7 or 14 6.9% 12 to 1 9.7% 12 to 1 9.7% 12 to 1 9.7% 67 to 5
8 or 13 9.7% 8 to 1 12.5% 8 to 1 12.5% 8 to 1 12.5% 65 to 7
9 or 12 11.6% 7 to 1 7.4% 7 to 1 7.4% 6 to 1 19% 191 to 25
10 or 11 12.5% 6 to 1 12.5% 6 to 1 12.5% 6 to 1 12.5% 7 to 1
Dice Combinations Two of the dice will show a specific combination of two different numbers (for example, a 3 and a 4) 13.9% 6 to 1 2.8% 6 to 1 2.8% 5 to 1 16.7% 31 to 5
Single Dice Bet The specific number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 will appear on one, two, or all three dice 1: 34.72%
2: 6.94%
3: 0.46%		 1: 1 to 1
2: 2 to 1
3: 3 to 1		 7.9% 1: 1 to 1
2: 2 to 1
3: 12 to 1		 3.7% 1: 1 to 1
2: 2 to 1
3: 3 to 1		 7.9% 1: 1 to 1
2: 3 to 1
3: 5 to 1 (simplest version)
Four Number Combination Any three of the four numbers in one of the following specific combinations will appear: 6, 5, 4, 3; 6, 5, 3, 2; 5, 4, 3, 2; or 4, 3, 2, 1 11.1% 7 to 1 11.1% 7 to 1 11.1% 7 to 1 11.1% 8 to 1
Three Single Number Combination The dice will show a specific combination of three different numbers 2.8% 30 to 1 13.9% 30 to 1 13.9% 35 to 1
Specific Double and Single Number Combination Two of the dice will show a specific double and the third die will show a specific, different number 1.4% 50 to 1 29.2% 60 to 1 15.3% 71 to 1

The most common wagers are "Big" and "Small".

Variants

Grand Hazard is a gambling game of English origin, also played with three dice. It is distinct from Hazard, another gambling game of English origin, played with two dice. The dice are either thrown with a cup or rolled down a chute containing a series of inclined planes ("hazard chute") that tumble the dice as they fall.[2] Threes-of-a-kind are known as "raffles" and pay out at 18 to 1.

Chuck-a-luck, also known as "sweat cloth", "chuckerluck" and birdcage,[2] is a variant in the United States, that has its origins in grand hazard. The three dice are kept in a device that resembles a wire-frame bird cage and that pivots about its centre. The dealer rotates the cage end over end, with the dice landing on the bottom. Chuck-a-luck usually features only single-number wagers, sometimes with an additional wager for any "triple" (all three dice showing the same number) with odds of 30 to 1 (or thereabouts). Chuck-a-luck was once common in Nevada casinos but is now rare, frequently having been replaced by Sic Bo tables.

See also
  • Cee-lo - a gambling game played with three six-sided dice

Notes
  1. Mendelson, Paul (2011). "12". The mammoth book of casino games. London: Robinson. ISBN 9781849014960.
  2. The Official World Encyclopaedia of Sports and Games 1979 Diagram Group p 128

References

Regulation in the United Kingdom

Regulation in New Zealand

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