Sic-Bo is an ancient Chinese gambling game played with three dice and a table marked with a variety of betting options similar to a roulette table. The name Sic-Bo originally meant “two bricks” which then became “dice pair”. However, today it is played with three dice which makes the game more interesting.

Sic-Bo is also known throughout Asia as Tai sai, Dai siu, big and small and hi-lo. It is widely played in the Philippines as “hi-lo” and in other Asian countries as “Dai siu”. Although it is an extremely popular game in Asia, it was only introduced in the U.S. in the beginning of the 20th century with the influx of Chinese immigrants into the country. The game can now be found in most U.S. casinos although it is one of the lesser known casino games and is often played in rooms designated by the casino for Asian games.

Sic-Bo is played with three standard dice that are shaken in a basket or cup. In Asia the tradition was to shake the dice on a small porcelain plate covered with a bowl which was then removed to show the result of the “roll”. In casinos the dice are shaken mechanically in the basket or cup and the result is fed into a computer which then lights up the winning areas on the table. For many players, the biggest attraction of the game is the fact that the table lights up.

The Sic-Bo table is very colorful with all the various betting combinations shown on the layout. Players bet on the combinations which show up on the three dice and multiple bets are allowed. The basis of Sic-Bo is simple, and althought the payouts are not traditionally as high as some casino games, it is an entertaining and relaxing game.

Players can bet on single numbers, meaning that a specific number will show up on one or more of the dice. The player can also bet on specific two number combinations which means that two particular numbers will appear. Then there are also bets on the totals of all three dice. It is also possible to place “small” or “big” bets. The “small” bet is a wager that the total of the three dice will fall between 4 and 10. The “big” bet is a total that falls between 11 and 17. It is also possible to bet on a “triple” or “triplet”, meaning that all three dice will show the same number. The house advantage is very large on a “triple” and this is considered the worst bet on the Sic-Bo table.
Since Sic-Bo is completely and utterly a game of chance, Sic-Bo strategists generally recommend the Small and the Big bets as the safest - the online casino house advantage is the lowest, and the chances of winning are the greatest. The game is the most fun when there are many players around the table and the excitement rises when the winning zones are displayed by the colored lights.  Source: Alljackpots.com