The dice games are undoubtedly one of the oldest games, invented even before any of the other popular casino games. It is believed that they were invented in Ancient Greece and created by either the Palamedes or the Lydians.
Nowadays, dice games are very popular in the casinos and thus they’ve become popular in online casinos. They provide quite an entertaining online casino experience by rolling the dice in anticipation of a specific outcome.
There are many dice game available, which is why it would be impossible to describe each and every game and how each one is played. On this page, we focus on the two most popular dice games, Craps and Sic-Bo.
Craps Dice Game
Craps is the most popular of all dice games that are available in almost all online casinos. If you’ve never played craps, it might be confusing at first, when you see the board and don’t know what the bets mean. Which is why we are going to explain everything to help you get ready for your first craps game.
In the game of craps, one player is the shooter and everyone bets on the shooter, whether he will fail or succeed. Or, whether or not the shooter will pass. This is how the game is played in land-based casinos and live casino. If you’re playing in an online casino, you are the shooter and the only one who bets.
The game starts with the come-out roll which is the first roll of dice for the shooter. The shooter rolls two dice and there are three possible outcomes:
- Natural – this is when the shooter rolls either a total of 7 or 11. It is an automatic win and it means the shooter passed. Everyone who bet on “pass” wins the bet.
- Craps – this is when the shooter rolls 2, 3, or 12 and loses, meaning didn’t pass. Everyone who bets on “don’t pass” wins the bet.
- Point – this is when the shooter rolls a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. So, one of these numbers becomes “the point” and the shooter keeps rolling until he either rolls the point again or rolls a seven. If the shooter rolls the point, then he wins and everyone wins the “pass bet”. If the shooter rolls the seven first, the bet didn’t pass. This is known as “seven-out”. After this, the shooter’s turn is over.
Craps Types of Bets and Payouts
There are different bets that can be made when playing craps. They are divided into two groups, multi-roll bets and single-roll bets. Multi roll bets are the ones that last until the end of the shooter’s turn. Single-roll bets are those that last only one dice roll.
Multi-Roll Bets
Pass Bet – As we mentioned it, the pass bet means that the player will pass i.e will roll 7 or 11 in the come-out roll or will roll the point. You can make the bet only before the come-out roll, not between rounds.
The pass bet has one of the lowest house edges of 1.41% and payout of 1:1.
Don’t Pass – Don’t pass bet is the opposite of pass bet. If the shooter rolls a 2, 3 or 12 in the come-out roll or sevens-out means that he didn’t pass. You can make the bet only before the come-out roll, not between rounds.
The don’t pass bet has a bit lower house edge of 1.36% and payout of also 1:1.
Come bet – is the same as the pass bet, but you can only make it after the point has been determined. It can be made on any roll during shooter’s turn except before the initial come-out roll.
Don’t come bet – same as the “don’t pass” bet but can be made within any other roll except the come-out roll.
Place bet – these bets can be made on any of the following numbers: 4, 5, 6, 8 or 9. You win only if the shooter rolls your number, and lose if he rolls 7. These bets can be made at any time. The payouts for the place bets are different, depending on the number.
For numbers 4 and 10, the house edge is 6.7% and the payout is 9:5; numbers 5 and 9 have a house edge of 4% and the payout is 7:5; for numbers 6 and 8 the house edge is 1.52% and the payout is 7:6.
Hard Ways – you can place a bet on a double 2s (total of 4); double 3s (total of 6) double 4s (total of 8) and double 5s (total of 10). If you get any of the totals, but with another combination, it doesn’t count.
Big 6 and Big 8 bet – you can choose to bet on 6 or 8, meaning you win if the number is rolled before a 7.
Single-Roll Bets
Field bet – this is a single-roll wager that wins if the shooter rolls a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. When you place a field bet, you must roll one of the numbers mentioned above on your next roll, otherwise, you lose your bet.
The field bet for numbers 3, 4, 9, 10 or 11 has a 5.5% house edge and a payout of 1:1. The field bet for numbers 2 and 12, on the other hand, are paid 2:1 (sometimes 3:1 for the number 12).
Any Craps – it is a single roll wager, 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 rolls a 7. 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 to win. The house edge is 11.11% and the payout is 15:1.
Aces – the shooter rolls a 2, meaning, the next roll has to be 2 in order to win. The house edge is 13.89% and payout is 30:1.
Boxcars – the shooter rolls a 12 meaning, the next roll has to be 12 in order to win. The house edge is 13.89% and the payout is 30:1.
Eleven – the shooter rolls 11. Meaning, the next roll has to be an 11 in order to win. The house edge is 11.11% and the payout is 15:1.
Craps Strategy
Craps is a game of luck, but still many players use strategies to increase their odds of winning and to have more fun. Choosing which strategy to use depends on your experience in the game and your bankroll.
When playing craps, the lowest risk bets are “pass”, “don’t pass”, “come” and “don’t come”. They have the lowest house edge and you have 50/50 chance of winning. These bets are also the easiest to understand. So, if you are a beginner, this is probably the strategy you should focus on until you master the game.
Sic-Bo Dice Game
Sic-Bo is a popular dice game played with three dice. It is also referred to as Dai Siu, Tai Sai, Hi-Lo, or the Big and Small game. Unlike the craps game, in Sib-Bo the dealer is the one rolling the dice, not a player.
Although the sic-bo table might look complex if you are playing for the first time, the rules are pretty simple. The dealer rolls the dice and the players bet on the outcome. It doesn’t matter what the dealer rolls, there are no additional rolls or goals to achieve. All bets are single roll bets and depending on the outcome someone wins and someone loses the bet. Then, new bets are placed and the dealer rolls again.
If you are playing in a live casino, there is one dealer for many other players. If you are playing in an online casino, it is only you playing the game. So, you either win for every roll you predicted or lose.
Sic-Bo Types of Bets and Payouts
As the rules of the game are pretty simple and there is nothing you should do except place your bet and wait for the dealer to roll the dice, placing the bet is pretty important. It can be really disappointing to lose a bet simply because you didn’t learn what each type of bet means and how much is the payout. So, before even trying to play, we recommend that you keep reading this text.
Three Dice Total – This is the most simple bet, where you bet on the total sum of the three dice. You can bet on a sum between 4 and 17 (including 4 and 17). The payout varies depending on which number you bet on and is displayed on the betting squares.
For example, the payout for a total of 4 and 17 is 60:1, the highest payout and a house edge of 15.28%, and payout for a total of 10 or 11 is 6:1, the lowest payout and a house edge of 12.50%.
Small and Big – if you bet on small or big, you bet on the total of the three dice being Small (4 to 10) or Big (11 to 17). This is a simple, low-risk bet since it is an even chance bet and the payout is 1:1. An important thing to know is that the Big and Small both lose if any triple appears. This is the reason why the 3 and 18 are not included in these bets. The house edge for this bet is 2.78%.
Combination – this bet is a combination of any two specific numbers showing on the two of the three dice. For example, if you bet on 5 and 6, and the dealer rolls 1, 5 and 6, you win the bet. All the combinations possible are displayed on the table, along with the payout which is 5:1. You should know that doubles are not included in the combination bet.
Single Dice Bet – as the name suggests, this is a bet that a specific number will show on any of the three dice. The payout for this bet depends on whether the number chose showed up on one dice, or two or all three. If the number chosen shows up on one dice the payout is 1:1, for two dice is 2:1 and if showed up on three dice is 3:1. The house edge for the single dice bet is 7.87%.
Double Bet – this is a bet that two same numbers will show on two of the three dice, like double 2s, double 3s etc. Good to remember is that you have to bet on a specific double, not on any double. The payout for a double bet is 10:1, with a house edge of 18.25%.
Triple Bet – this is a bet that all three dice will show a specific number. You can bet on a specific triple, or any triple, unlike the double bet. For example, you can bet that triple 6s will show on the dice, which is a specific number triple bet and payout is 180:1 which is the highest possible payout. Or, you can bet that the dealer will roll a triple on the next roll, any triple not specifying a number, and payout for that bet is 30:1. The house edge for any triple bet is 13.89% and for a specific triple bet is 16.20%.
Sic-Bo Low-Risk Strategies
Sic-Bo is a game of chance and no one can predict the outcome of the dice, so you just rely on luck. However, using a strategy can help you improve the chances to win, help you master the game, and most importantly is always fun and interesting. You need to know that there is no strategy that guarantees great results every time, but by being patient, you might see some decent profit.
Small and Big bet
The low-risk strategies are perfect for beginners to help them learn the game better and limit their losses. One of these strategies is playing Small and Big bets. These bets offer almost even chances to win, good payouts and lowest house edge. Every beginner can place these bets as they do not require any particular skills or experience. You practically bet on whether the total of the dice will be between 4 and 10 or between 11 and 17. This is the safest bet you can make with 50/50 chances to win.
System 1-3-2-4
If you are following the Small and Big bets strategy, you can also add a simple additional strategy, the system 1-3-2-4. With this strategy, you increase the amount you bet in a particular order. So, you start with a bet of €1, then the second bet should be €3, followed by bets of €2 and €4. You increase the amount only if you win. If you lose, you need to start from the beginning, from €1. This strategy protects you from significant losses since if you win the first two bets, you have guaranteed profit.
Recommended Casinos for Dice Games
William Hill Casino – has a very good selection of dice games, and more importantly, craps and sic-bo are available for players in their live casino.
22Bet Casino – we recommend this casino to players who are interested in playing sic-bo, as it has over 10 available sic-bo tables in their live casino section
Coinbet24 Casino – also offers a nice selection of dice games and a couple of sic-bo variants that you might find interesting.
