The player can make any number of bets on the Sic Bo table. The most common bets are "Big" (the sum total of the three dice will be 11 through 17) and "Small" (total 4-10). Other bets are on specific three-number totals (with varying odds from 5:1 to 50:1), on specific two-number combinations, or on single-number bets (one pays 1:1, two pays 2:1, three pays 3:1; in some casinos three pays as high as 12:1).

The game of Chuck-a-luck (also called "Birdcage") is a variation of this game which usually features only the single-number bets, sometimes with an additional bet that pays off 30:1 (or thereabouts) for "any triple," where all three dice are the same number. The name "birdcage" refers to the device in which the dice are kept, which resembles a wire-frame bird cage, that pivots about its center. The dealer rotates the cage end over end, with the dice landing on the bottom. This variation was once common in Nevada casinos, but now it is a rarity, frequently replaced by Sic Bo.

Sic bo is played with three standard dice that are shaken in a basket or plastic cup. Traditionally, in Asia, the dice were shaken on a small plate covered with a bowl, which was then lifted to reveal the roll. In modern casinos the dice are shaken mechanically, and the outcome is keyed into a computer which automatically lights up the winning zones on the table.

A player can make any number of bets on the sic bo table. Outcomes are based on the combinations that come up on the three dice. Payoff combinations are listed on a roulette-style table top that is often lit from underneath in winning areas of the layout to indicate winning combinations. The wagers available and their associated odds can differ from place to place. The wagers that are permitted in licensed casinos in the United Kingdom and New Zealand, and their associated odds are set out in the table below.

Variants

Grand Hazard is a gambling game of English origin, also played with three dice. (It is distinct from Hazard, another gambling game of Old English origin, played with two dice.) The dice are rolled down a chute containing a series of inclined planes that tumble the dice as they fall.

Chuck-a-luck, also known as birdcage, is a variant in the United States, which has its origins in grand hazard. The three dice are kept in a device that resembles a wire-frame bird cage and that pivots about its centre. The dealer rotates the cage end over end, with the dice landing on the bottom. Chuck-a-luck usually features only the single-number wagers, sometimes with an additional wager for any triple (all three dice showing the same number) with odds of 30 to 1 (or thereabouts). Chuck-a-luck was once common in Nevada casinos but is now rare, frequently having been replaced by sic bo tables. References