Dice games are amongst the oldest gambling games to ever exist. They are surely older than any other casino game out there. There are many stories about who invented these games but most historians agree that they first appeared in Ancient Greece. They were created by either the Lydians or the Palamedes. Nevertheless, dice games, otherwise known as Craps have been a popular choice in casinos for years. Now that online casinos took over, these games are very popular there as well. They provide quite an entertaining online casino experience by rolling the dice in anticipation of a specific outcome.
Casino players can enjoy hundreds of different variants of dice titles. Most of them are easy to learn and can be learned in seconds. However, there is no way for us to describe all the different games out there and how they are played. For that reason, we will focus on the two most popular titles that belong in this category. We are talking about Sic-Bo and Craps. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about these games, how they are played, and strategies that will help you win.
Sic-Bo Dice Game
When it comes to dice games, Sic-Bo is one of the most popular titles. It’s a game that’s played with three dice and it is also known as Dai Siu, Hi-Lo, and Tai Sai. In European casinos, the game is known as the Big and Small game. Unlike many other dice titles, in Sic-Bo, the dealer is the one who rolls the dice and not the players. New players will find the game complex when they try it for the first time. However, the rules are very simple and players will learn them within minutes.
The dealer rolls the dice while the players try to guess the possible outcomes. Basically, the players predict the outcome and place bets on what they think the outcome will be. It doesn’t matter what the dealer gets because there is only one roll and the dealer doesn’t have any goals to achieve. All the placed bets are single bets and if one or more of the players guessed the right outcome they win, and the others lose their bet. The round then ends, new bets are placed, and the dealer rolls again. At online casinos, you can play a regular Sic-Bo variant where it will be only you against the dealer. In a live Sic-Bo game, there is one dealer but several players could be playing at the same time.
Sic-Bo Bet Types and Payouts
Since the rules of the game are so simple, we won’t spend any time talking about them. Players try to predict the outcome of the dealer dice roll. They place bets on the outcome they predict and if they guess right, they win. Everyone who guesses wrong losses their stake and the game restarts. Sic-Bo is as simple as that. However, there are things that players can learn to help them win the game. The bet types and payouts are the most important thing in Sic-Bo. Players should learn all the options before playing. Below, we will explain all of them in proper detail.
Three Dice Total
This is the simplest bet in the game. Players bet on the total sum of the three dice that the dealer rolls. The possible outcomes are anywhere between 4 and 17 (including 4 and 17). The payout with this bet depends on which number you pick. Certain outcomes are mathematically easier to be triggered which is why the odds for them are lower. For instance, the highest payout with this bet type is 60/1 with a house edge of 15.28%. You get this payout if you bet that the outcome will be a 4 or a 17. The lowest payout is if you bet that the outcome will be a 10 or an 11. In that case, the payout is 6/1 with a house edge of 12.50%.
Small and Big
This is a bet where the player tries to protect his investment. It’s the best bet for new players. The idea is to bet on the total of the three dice being anywhere from 4 to 10 (Small) or 11 to 17 (Big). There is a 50:50 chance that the dice total falls within the small or big outcomes. Winning with this bet type is simply based on luck and the player almost always goes on top. The house edge is only 2.78% but the possible winnings will never be very high.
Combination
As the name suggests, this bet is a combination of any two numbers that will appear on two out of the three dice. For instance, if you bet that the final outcome will be a 3, a 4, and a 5, and if the dealer rolls a 3, a 4, and a six, you will win the bet. Players can see all the possible combinations on the Sic-Bo table and the payout will always be 5/1.
Single Dice Bet
This is a bet where the player bets on a specific number to show on one of the three dice. The payout for this bet type depends on how many times the number you picked appears on the three dice. If it’s on one, the payout is 1/1, for two the payout is 2/1 while if it shows on all three, the payout will be 3/1. The house edge on this bet type is 7.87%.
Double Bet
Simple enough, this bet means that two same numbers need to appear on two out of the three rolled dice. For instance, double 2s, double 3s, or double 5s. Players need to remember that this bet means you have to bet on a specific double, not on any double. The house edge here is 18.25% while the payout is 10/1.
Triple Bet
Last but not least, we have the hardest possible outcome in the game of Sic-Bo. The triple bet means that all three dice need to show the same number. However, there are two possible ways of doing this bet. You can bet that a specific triple will happen. For instance, you bet that the dealer will roll triple 6s. The payout for such a bet is 180/1. On the other hand, you can bet that the dealer will roll a triple with his next roll. It can be any triple as long as all three dice show the same number. In this case, the payout is 30/1.
Sic-Bo Low-Risk Strategies
Since Sic-Bo is a very simple game, there are no special strategies that can help you win the game. Additionally, it’s a game of chance because no matter how much knowledge you have, you can’t impact the roll of the dice. You depend only on luck; however, there are certain things you can do to help improve your chances of winning while also mastering the game. As with any casino game, there is no strategy that will guarantee wins but if you are patient, Sic-Bo can bring you some profit.
Small and Big Bet
As we mentioned above, the Small and Big bet means that players have a 50/50 chance of winning the round. That’s why this strategy is perfect for new players who are still learning the game. Basically, the players only place Small and Big bets. With that, they get an equal chance of winning and also the lowest house edge. Ultimately, your winnings won’t be huge but you will never lose more than you can afford.
System 1-3-2-4
This is a system that you can apply while following the Small and Big bet strategy. With this system, you increase how much you bet by following the 1-3-2-4 rule. So, if you begin at $1, your next bet should be $3. Then, the next one should be $2 followed by a bet of $4. Keep in mind that you increase the bet only when you win. When you lose, you restart the system and start from the beginning, with a bet of $1.
Craps Dice Game
Craps is the most popular dice game in the world. You can find different variants of it in almost every online casino. Just like with Sic-Bo, this game might seem confusing if you have never played it. However, once you learn the gameplay, Craps is a very easy game to understand. In Sic-Bo, players bet on the outcome of what the dealer rolls. In Craps, one of the players is the “shooter” and the other players bet on whether he will succeed or fail. This is how you play the game in a real casino or when playing a live Craps game in an online casino. However, if you play a simple Craps game at an online casino, you are always the shooter since you are the only person who places bets.
How to Play Craps?
The game begins with a come-out roll which is the first roll for the shooter. Players may begin placing bets only after the come-out roll happens. The shooter rolls two dice and there are only three possible outcomes that can happen:
- Natural – When the shooter rolls a total of 7 or 11, the outcome is considered a Natural. It’s an automatic win and it means the shooter passed. Everyone who bet on “pass” wins the bet.
- Craps – When the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or a 12, the outcome is Craps and the shooter loses. Everyone who bet that he will lose wins the bet while the ones who backed the shooter lose.
- Point – The Point outcome happens when the shooter rolls a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. One of the numbers becomes “the point”. From that moment onward, the shooter will roll until he gets “the point” again or he rolls a seven. If the shooter gets “the point” again, everyone who bet that the shooter will pass wins the bet. However, if he rolls a seven first, the bet didn’t pass which means the players who bet against the shooter win their bets.
Craps Bet Types and Payouts
As we said, the rules of Craps are simple; however, players need to learn the bet types and payouts. Contrary to Sic-Bo, the game of Craps has two groups of bet types. They are known as multi-roll bets and single-roll bets. The difference between the two is that multi-roll bets last until the end of the shooter’s turn. Single-roll bets, on the other hand, last for only one dice roll.
Multi-Roll Bets
- Pass Bet – This is a bet player can make before the come-out roll happens. The player bets that the shooter will pass by rolling a 7, 11 or by rolling the point. This bet has a house edge of only 1.41% and a payout of 1/1.
- Don’t Pass – Contrary to the Pass Bet, here players bet that the shooter doesn’t pass. This happens if he rolls a 2, 3, or 12 in the come-out roll. Just like the bet type above, you can only make it before the come-out roll. The house edge here is 1.36% and a payout of 1/1.
- Come Bet – This bet is the same as the Pass Bet; however, players can only make it after “the point” has been decided. It’s a bet that can be made on any roll when it’s the shooter’s turn. However, it can’t be made before the initial come-out roll.
- Don’t Come Bet – Exactly like the Don’t Pass bet but it can only be made on rolls that happen after the come-out roll.
- Place Bet – This is a bet that players can make only on numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9. The player wins only if the shooter rolls these numbers and he loses if the shooter rolls a 7. The Place Bet can be made at any moment in the game. However, the payouts are different, depending on the number that’s rolled.
- Hard Ways – Players can bet on doubles and the idea is to get a certain total. For instance, double 2s, double 3s, double 5s, etc. If you get the total by any other means (you get a 10 but it’s a 6 and a 4 instead of double 5s), it doesn’t count and you lose the bet.
- Big 6 & Big 8 – Players bet on a 6 or an 8. If these numbers are rolled before a 7 happens, they win the bet.
Single-Roll Bets
- Field Bet – A single roll bet that’s a winner only when the shooter rolls a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. Once this bet is made, the shooter must roll one of your numbers in the next roll. If the dice lands on anything other than that, you lose the bet.
- Any Craps – This is a single bet where players are betting on three numbers 2, 3 or 12. So, if your next roll is any of these three numbers, you win the bet. The house edge is 11.11% and the payout is 7:1.
- Any 7 –The shooter has to roll a 7 for the players to win. The house edge is 16.67% and the winner is paid 4:1.
- Ace-Deuce – The shooter rolls a 3, meaning, the next roll has to be a 3 in order for the players to win. The house edge is 11.11% and the payout is 15:1.
- Aces – Players win only if the shooter rolls a 2, meaning, the next roll has to be 2 for a win to happen. The house edge is 13.89% and the payout is 30:1.
- Boxcars – The players need the shooter to roll a 12 with his next roll for them to win the bet. The house edge is 13.89% and the payout is 30:1.
- Eleven – Players bet that the shooter will roll an 11 with his next bet. The house edge is 11.11% and the payout is 15:1.
How to Win at Craps?
Special strategies for the game of Craps don’t exist. Just like any other dice game, Craps is a game of luck and there is nothing players can do to influence the roll. However, there are certain tips and tricks that can help players increase their winnings. If you are a new player, stick to the lowest-risk bets like pass/don’t pass, come/don’t come, etc. These bets have the lowest house edge and give players a 50/50 chance of winning. On top of that, these are the bets that are easiest to learn. So, until you spend more time with Craps and learn the game properly, stick to these bets. Your winnings will be lower but you also won’t lose your bankroll if you go on a run of bad results.