Sic Bo odds and the house edge of every bet
Three dice make 216 equally likely rolls. Big and small, the cheapest bets on the table, cost 2.78%; a specific triple paying 180 to 1 costs 16.20%. Every figure below counts all 216 rolls.
| Bet | Pays | Chance to win | House edge | Lower pay on some tables: edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small (total 4 to 10, not a triple) | 1 to 1 | 48.61% | 2.78% | — |
| Big (total 11 to 17, not a triple) | 1 to 1 | 48.61% | 2.78% | — |
| Odd total, not a triple | 1 to 1 | 48.61% | 2.78% | — |
| Even total, not a triple | 1 to 1 | 48.61% | 2.78% | — |
| Single number (pays 1, 2 or 3 to 1 for one, two or three dice) | 1, 2 or 3 to 1 | 42.13% | 7.87% | — |
| Two dice combination, such as 1 and 2 | 5 to 1 | 13.89% | 16.67% | — |
| Specific double, such as two 3s | 10 to 1 | 7.41% | 18.52% | 8 to 1: 33.33% |
| Any triple | 30 to 1 | 2.78% | 13.89% | 24 to 1: 30.56% |
| Specific triple, such as three 3s | 180 to 1 | 0.46% | 16.20% | 150 to 1: 30.09% |
| Total 4 or 17 | 60 to 1 | 1.39% | 15.28% | 50 to 1: 29.17% |
| Total 5 or 16 | 30 to 1 | 2.78% | 13.89% | 18 to 1: 47.22% |
| Total 6 or 15 | 17 to 1 | 4.63% | 16.67% | 14 to 1: 30.56% |
| Total 7 or 14 | 12 to 1 | 6.94% | 9.72% | — |
| Total 8 or 13 | 8 to 1 | 9.72% | 12.50% | — |
| Total 9 or 12 | 6 to 1 | 11.57% | 18.98% | — |
| Total 10 or 11 | 6 to 1 | 12.50% | 12.50% | — |
Why big and small are the best bets
Big and small pay even money and would be a fair coin toss, except that they lose on any triple. There are six triples in 216 rolls, three on each side, and that small gap is the whole edge: 2.78%. The same holds for odd and even.
The single number bet
Bet on one number and it pays 1 to 1 if one die shows it, 2 to 1 if two do and 3 to 1 if all three do. It looks generous, because some number wins on almost every roll, but it wins 42.13% of the time and costs 7.87%.
Pay tables change the price
The totals, doubles and triples pay differently from one casino to another, and a lower pay can double the edge: a total of 5 or 16 paying 30 to 1 costs 13.89%, paying 18 to 1 it costs 47.22%. Check the pays printed on the table before comparing bets.
Questions
What is the best bet in Sic Bo?
Big or small (and odd or even) at 2.78%, by a wide margin: every other bet in the table costs several times more.
What are the odds of a triple in Sic Bo?
Any triple comes up 1 in 36.0; a specific triple, such as three 3s, 1 in 216.
Can a betting system beat Sic Bo?
No. Every bet has its own fixed edge, so any mix of bets loses the weighted average of their edges on everything staked.
Every figure is computed by our code and checked a second way; see the methodology. Casino games are entertainment with a price: free help if gambling stops being fun.
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