Sic Bo is a dice game: three dice are shaken, and you bet on the totals, combinations or individual numbers that will appear. The house edge varies more than in almost any other casino game. Big and Small cost 2.78%, while several specific bets cost more than 30% on some paytables. Because providers use different payouts for the same bet, the paytable on the table you are playing matters more than the game itself.
This guide sets out the dice maths, a typical paytable with the house edge on each bet, and a worked round in naira. Figures are from the Wizard of Odds Sic Bo analysis.
Three dice, 216 outcomes
Each die has six faces, so three dice can land in 6 × 6 × 6 = 216 ordered combinations. Totals run from 3 to 18. Middle totals are common because many combinations produce them: total 10 can be made 27 ways, while total 4 can be made only 3 ways (1-1-2, 1-2-1, 2-1-1).
Every payout in Sic Bo can be checked against these 216 outcomes. Big (totals 11–17) and Small (totals 4–10) each win in 105 of them, because the six triples (1-1-1 through 6-6-6) are excluded. That gives a win chance of 105/216 = 48.61% at even money, which is where the 2.78% edge comes from.
Typical paytable with house edge
The two most common paytables are known as Macau and Atlantic City. Online and live tables usually follow one of them or something close.
| Bet | Wins when | Chance | Macau payout | Edge | Atlantic City payout | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small / Big | Total 4–10 / 11–17, no triple | 48.61% | 1:1 | 2.78% | 1:1 | 2.78% |
| Odd / Even | Odd or even total, no triple | 48.61% | 1:1 | 2.78% | not listed | — |
| Total 4 or 17 | Exact total | 1.39% | 50:1 | 29.17% | 60:1 | 15.28% |
| Total 5 or 16 | Exact total | 2.78% | 18:1 | 47.22% | 30:1 | 13.89% |
| Total 6 or 15 | Exact total | 4.63% | 14:1 | 30.56% | 17:1 | 16.67% |
| Total 7 or 14 | Exact total | 6.94% | 12:1 | 9.72% | 12:1 | 9.72% |
| Total 8 or 13 | Exact total | 9.72% | 8:1 | 12.50% | 8:1 | 12.50% |
| Total 9 or 12 | Exact total | 11.57% | 6:1 | 18.98% | 6:1 | 18.98% |
| Total 10 or 11 | Exact total | 12.50% | 6:1 | 12.50% | 6:1 | 12.50% |
| Specific triple | Three of a chosen number | 0.46% | 150:1 | 30.09% | 180:1 | 16.20% |
| Any triple | Any three of a kind | 2.78% | 24:1 | 30.56% | 30:1 | 13.89% |
| Specific double | At least two of a chosen number | 7.41% | 8:1 | 33.33% | 10:1 | 18.52% |
| Two-dice combination | Two chosen different numbers both appear | 13.89% | 5:1 | 16.67% | 5:1 | 16.67% |
| Single number | Chosen number on 1, 2 or 3 dice | 42.13% | 1:1, 2:1, 3:1 | 7.87% | 1:1, 2:1, 3:1 | 7.87% |
The single-number bet pays according to how many dice show your number: 1:1 for one, 2:1 for two and 3:1 for three. Across 216 outcomes, your number appears on exactly one die 75 times, on two dice 15 times and on all three once.
Why paytables differ between tables
The dice probabilities never change, but the payouts do, and the edge moves with them. Total 5 pays 18:1 on a Macau table (47.22% edge) and 30:1 on an Atlantic City table (13.89%). Wizard of Odds also records an Australian table where the two-dice combination pays 6:1, cutting its edge from 16.67% to 2.78%, and total 9 or 12 pays 7:1, for an edge of 7.41%.
Live studio versions add their own twists. Some apply random multipliers to selected totals or triples and reduce the standard payouts to pay for them. A paytable that looks familiar can hide a lower base payout, so read the help screen of each table rather than relying on the table above.
The lower-cost bets
On standard paytables, three groups stand out:
- Big, Small, Odd and Even at 2.78%. They win just under half the time and lose on every triple.
- Single number at 7.87%. It wins 42.13% of the time and occasionally pays 2:1 or 3:1.
- Totals 7 and 14 at 9.72%, the cheapest exact totals on both main paytables.
Everything else costs at least 12.5% on a Macau-style table. The big payouts on triples and extreme totals look attractive, but they are where the house edge is highest unless the table pays at the top of the range.
A worked round
You place four chips: ₦1,000 on Small, ₦500 on total 9, ₦500 on single number 3, and ₦500 on a specific double of 2s. Your total stake is ₦2,500.
The dice land 2-3-4, a total of 9.
- Small wins, because 9 is between 4 and 10 and the roll is not a triple: +₦1,000.
- Total 9 wins at 6:1: +₦3,000.
- Single number 3 appears on one die, paying 1:1: +₦500.
- Specific double 2 loses, because only one 2 appeared: −₦500.
Net result: +₦4,000. You receive ₦6,500 back (₦4,500 in winnings plus the ₦2,000 staked on the three winning bets).
On the next roll the dice show 5-5-5. Small loses, total 9 and single number 3 lose, and the double 2s lose. The whole ₦2,500 goes. A triple beats Big as well as Small, which is exactly why those bets are not 50/50.
Result history and patterns
Live tables show the last few dozen rolls with hot and cold totals highlighted. Dice have no memory, so a total that has not appeared for 40 rolls is no more likely on the next one. The display is useful for checking that the game is running, not for predicting it. Staking systems that raise bets after losses cannot change the 2.78% or higher edge on each wager. The bankroll management guide explains how to size stakes for volatile bets like triples.
Sic Bo on 8XBET
8XBET’s lobby lists Sic Bo among its dice and live casino games. Stake limits and the exact paytable sit in each table’s information panel, and they can differ between an RNG table and a live studio version of the same game. Live dice tables stream video, so Wi-Fi is easier on mobile data than a 4G bundle. For comparison with other low-decision games, see the roulette guide and the live casino overview.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bet Big and Small together to avoid losing?
No. If the dice show a triple, both lose. On any other roll, one wins and one loses, so you lose 2.78% on average and gain nothing.
Why does a triple beat Big and Small?
Excluding the six triples is how the house earns its edge on even-money bets. Without that rule, Big and Small would be exactly fair.
Dice games move fast, so a fixed session budget helps; the responsible gambling page lists support options.
