If you were to think of one game (more than any other) that Asian players like to have a crack at, it may just be Sic Bo. Developed in China and arguably older than roulette, this famous game – which translates as “dice of treasure” – is now played in live casinos online using three sets of dice, as is also known as Dai Siu, Tai Sai and Hi-Lo. It may not be commonly offered as a live casino game in the West, but it is near enough commonplace in all major Asian live casino websites.
Recommended Live Sic Bo Casinos
Key Features of Live Sic Bo Online
Sic Bo doesn’t really come with variants. There is generally only one version of the game you can play, although each software developer has their own take on it. No matter which version you play, though, a few things are common to all Live Dealer Sic Bo games.
- Keyboard Shortcuts: With so many different bets on the table, a great deal of Live Sic Bo games come with a plethora of keyboard shortcuts to help you rapidly place your favourite bets. This can speed up betting when you only have a finite period to get your bets in, in-between games.
- Asian Live Dealers: The beauty of playing this Asian classic at live casino sites is that genuine Asian live dealers often host it. This adds a cultural touch of home for any player. Moreover, they can usually speak a variety of Asian languages as well as English.
- A Surplus of Betting Options: As mentioned a moment ago, there is a surplus of betting options open to you when playing Live Sic Bo. We’ll come to those many bets in more detail a few moments, though.
Most live dealer games which feature Sic Bo tend to be streamed from Asia. Manila and Macao can often play host to studios which offer Live Dealer Sic Bo. Although it is less common, you may also be able to find games streamed from Eastern Europe and the United Kingdom, too.
Recommendation: Live Casino House
If live dealer casino games are your forte, you can’t go wrong with Live Casino House. Playable in English, Chinese, Japanese, Thai or Vietnamese, their collection of live games are streamed from various top casinos and studios across Asia, with the likes of Evolution Gaming and Ezugi providing the games, amongst others. Also keep an eye out for their selection of Asia Gaming (AG) speciality casino games (see video below), if you want a taste of home when playing online at this site. Last but not least they also feature a dedicated section for slot games.
Live Sic Bo Games in More Detail
Playing Live Sic Bo is like betting on roulette. Instead of a roulette wheel, though, you will be betting on the outcome of three dice. If your bet matches whatever appears on the dice, then you will win. If not, you lose. There are so many different betting options to wager on that it is possible for players to walk away with some rather impressive prizes if fortune and fate smile down on them.
On-Table Options When Playing Live Sic Bo
While the dice bets do occupy a large section of the betting board and thus the screen, there are other options which can be viewed on-screen which add an extra dimension to Live Dealer Sic Bo. Some of these include:
- Adjustable Video Quality: Players playing on poorer internet connections will often have the option to adjust the quality of the video stream.
- Multiple Cameras: As well as being able to adjust the quality of their stream, players can also adjust the cameras they are watching the game with, in a handful of Live Dealer Sic Bo games. Keep in mind that this option is not available in every software provider’s Sic Bo game.
- Histories and Statistics: Players will have access to a wide range of histories and statistics screens when playing Live Sic Bo. Any player who believes in seeing patterns in previous hands can use these screens and data to potentially “predict” future outcomes in the game.
Sic Bo Betting Options
Live Sic Bo has plenty of betting options for you to take advantage of. For starters, there is an ample number of different bets. Even then, the wagering range in Sic Bo tends to be quite broad, to accommodate both low-rolling and high-rolling players alike. Given that, it is time to look at some of the betting options you have open to you when playing Live Dealer Sic Bo at Asian casino sites.
- Small/Big Bets: Small bets consist of betting that the total on the dice will be between 4 and 10 points. Big bets consist of betting that the total value of the dice will be between 11 and 17 points. Note that players will lose their bets if three instances of the same number appear on the three dice.
- Number Bets: A bet that one number (1-6) will appear on at least one dice. If the number appears on one, two or three dice, players can win 1:1, 2:1 and 3:1, respectively.
- Pair Bets: There are 15 possible 2-dice combinations in Live Sic Bo. These are listed on the betting board. Players need to land the numbers on at least two of the dice to win.
- Double Bets: Players bet on a specific pair appearing on the three dice. If this occurs, a 10:1 pay-out is acquired.
- Triple Bets: Players bet on a specific triple appearing on the three dice. If this occurs, a massive 180:1 payout occurs.
- Any Triple Bets: Players can win 30:1 if any triple (1-6) appears on the three dice.
- Total Bets: A straight-up bet from 4 to 17. You cannot bet on 3 or 18. Players can bag wins of 6:1 if the total bet of the three dice equals 9, 10, 11 or 12. If the total of three dice equals 8 or 13, the payout rises to 8:1. It will increase to 12:1 and 17:1 for 7 or 14 and 6 or 15 points. Players who land 5 or 16 in total over the three dice will win 30:1. The top prize for a total bet is 60:1, paid out if a player lands a total of 4 or 17 on all three dice.
The RTP in Live Sic Bo
Generally speaking, most Live Sic Bo games have an RTP (return to player) rate around 97%. It varies slightly depending on which developer’s game you are playing. However, the house edge when looking at Small or Big bets is around about the 2.78% mark. That is reasonably decent and puts the game on par with European and French roulette, which Live Sic Bo is often compared to.
Play Sic Bo Online – How to Credit Your Online Casino Account
Finding a mobile-friendly version of Live Dealer Sic Bo is a challenge and finding a free version of the game to play is just as taxing. We haven’t come across a free Live Sic Bo game, and the chances are that you won’t either. Given that, depositing into your favourite Asian live casino account to play the game is recommended. Further details regarding payment options.
Should you decide to sit down and play Live Sic Bo, then we recommend depositing at Asian casinos using iWallet, ecoPayz, Venus Point, and credit cards such as VISA. In most cases, players will be able to deposit into their accounts using US dollars, potentially alongside more local Asian currencies.
For instance, BitStarz is a good choice for an online casino which is available in English, Chinese and Japanese. It enables you to deposit and withdraw funds using USD, CNY as well as the Japanese YEN (in addition to various cryptocurrencies). They do not offer Sic Bo as a live game, but feature the Asian classic Dragon Tiger instead, alongside baccarat, roulette, blackjack, and other titles, of course.
Live Sic Bo Bonuses
Most Asian online casino sites can rather efficiently deliver a welcome bonus to you. However, very few of them can serve up a specific Live Sic Bo bonus. Considering that, we would recommend that players take full advantage of any live casino welcome bonus they come across.
In most cases, you will be able to use the welcome bonus to play Live Sic Bo anyway. Keep in mind that it may take longer to fulfil wagering requirements when playing Live Sic Bo, as opposed to playing games with higher house edges.
The History of Sic Bo: A Chinese Game Which Is Older Than Roulette
Sic Bo is arguably (well, probably) older than roulette, a game which it is very similar to. The game was developed in China and was initially played with carved animal bones. Played for hundreds of years, it eventually made its way to the United States with Chinese immigrants. Of course, the US casinos added their own tweaks, giving the game an electronic betting board and utilising dice instead of bones.
Making the leap to the online casino world wasn’t such a big step for Sic Bo, and from there on out, it rapidly became a live casino game, too. Although it does have a growing audience in the West, Live Dealer Sic Bo is still more popular with players at Asian live casino sites.