Sic Bo: every bet and its real chance
Sic Bo is played with three dice shaken together. The three dice can land in 216 different ways, and every bet on the table wins on a fixed group of those 216 results. Counting each group gives the true chance of every bet, and those counts are what this page lists.
How a Sic Bo round runs
- Chips go on the table layout while the betting timer runs. Several bets can be placed in the same round.
- The dice are shaken and the three faces are shown on camera.
- Every bet whose condition matches the three faces is paid; the rest lose.
Nothing carries over from one round to the next: every shake starts again from the same 216 possibilities.
Small and Big, and why triples matter
Small wins on a total of 4 to 10 and Big on a total of 11 to 17, as long as the three dice do not all match. Both lose to any triple, including 2-2-2 (a total of 6) and 5-5-5 (a total of 15), even though those totals sit inside their ranges. Evolution's published Sic Bo rules say the same.
That rule is where the house edge on these two bets comes from. Of the 216 results, 105 are a Small total without a triple, 105 are a Big total without a triple, and 6 are triples. Paid at 1:1, Small and Big each win 48.61% of the time and keep 2.78% of every bet on average.
The true chance of every Sic Bo bet
| Bet | Wins when | Ways out of 216 | Chance | Fair payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | total 4 to 10, not a triple | 105 | 48.61% | 1.06:1 |
| Big | total 11 to 17, not a triple | 105 | 48.61% | 1.06:1 |
| Odd, or Even (where offered) | an odd (or even) total, not a triple | 105 | 48.61% | 1.06:1 |
| Total of 4 (or 17) | the dice add up to exactly that | 3 | 1.39% | 71:1 |
| Total of 5 (or 16) | the dice add up to exactly that | 6 | 2.78% | 35:1 |
| Total of 6 (or 15) | the dice add up to exactly that | 10 | 4.63% | 20.6:1 |
| Total of 7 (or 14) | the dice add up to exactly that | 15 | 6.94% | 13.4:1 |
| Total of 8 (or 13) | the dice add up to exactly that | 21 | 9.72% | 9.29:1 |
| Total of 9 (or 12) | the dice add up to exactly that | 25 | 11.57% | 7.64:1 |
| Total of 10 (or 11) | the dice add up to exactly that | 27 | 12.50% | 7:1 |
| Specific double, such as two 4s | at least two dice show that number | 16 | 7.41% | 12.5:1 |
| Specific triple, such as three 4s | all three dice show that number | 1 | 0.46% | 215:1 |
| Any triple | all three dice show the same number | 6 | 2.78% | 35:1 |
| Two-number combination, such as 2 and 5 | both numbers appear | 30 | 13.89% | 6.2:1 |
| One chosen number | it shows on exactly one / two / three dice | 75 / 15 / 1 | 34.72% / 6.94% / 0.46% | paid by how many dice match |
The fair payout is what a bet would pay if the house kept nothing: (216 minus the ways) divided by the ways, to 1. A real table pays less, and its payout table shows by how much.
Reading a Sic Bo payout table
To find what a table keeps on any bet, multiply the chance by the payout plus one, then take the result away from 1. Two worked examples, with payouts chosen only to show the sum:
- A specific triple paid at 150:1 keeps 1 − (1/216 × 151) = 30.1% on average.
- A specific triple paid at 180:1 keeps 1 − (1/216 × 181) = 16.2% on average.
The one-number bet works the same way across its three outcomes: paid 1:1, 2:1 and 3:1 for one, two or three matching dice, it keeps 7.87% on average. Comparing payout tables before betting costs nothing.
Versions with multipliers
Some studios add extras to the classic game. In Evolution's Super Sic Bo, a random choice of bet spots receives multipliers during each round, and Lightning Sic Bo adds a 20% fee to the total bet. A multiplier version pays from its own payout table, so the fair payouts above describe classic Sic Bo only.
For the card games at the same live tables, see how Dragon Tiger is dealt and paid and how baccarat results boards are drawn.
Questions
How many possible results does Sic Bo have?
216. Each of the three dice has six faces, and 6 × 6 × 6 = 216. Every Sic Bo bet wins on a fixed group of those results, which is how the chances on this page are counted.
Why do Small and Big lose on a triple?
It is part of the rule for both bets. The six triples are the results on which Small and Big both lose, and they are the source of the 2.78% house edge on those bets.
Which Sic Bo bet wins most often?
Small, Big, Odd and Even each win on 105 of the 216 results, or 48.61%. A higher chance comes with a lower payout, and every bet still keeps a share for the house.
Do Sic Bo payouts differ between tables?
Yes. Each studio publishes its own payout table, and multiplier versions such as Super Sic Bo use different ones again. The payout shown at the table is the one that applies.
18+ only. Gambling involves risk: set a budget before you play and stop when it is spent. Help with safer play