Among the various card games and roulette variations, you can also spot a couple of dice games at both brick-and-mortar and virtual casinos. These include craps and Sic Bo, both of which feature dice but provide different gaming experiences. Typically, craps is the more popular casino game of the two, with many casino blogs also covering the game and its specifics. That said, there are still many Sic Bo options that cater to the needs of fans of the game.
If you enjoy playing live casino games, you may have noticed that more software providers have started offering Sic Bo variations. That indicates that the game is still a favourite pastime for many casino enthusiasts who enjoy dice games.
As the two dice options have different rules, payouts and gaming experiences, it may be tough to decide which one to play. If you are interested in how the two games are played and would like us to help you choose between them, we will make sure to provide everything you need to know about both craps and Sic Bo. After all, you may decide that both games are worth your attention and try them the next time you are at a land-based casino or simply logged into your virtual casino account.
Craps and Sic Bo Explained in a Nutshell
To be able to draw a comparison between the two dice games, you should be aware of the rules of each game and the objective of each dice casino game. Whether you decide to play craps or Sic Bo at a land-based casino or you prefer playing online, the rules of the game will not differ. However, you may notice some changes in the layouts of the games, especially if you play craps online. Other than that, once you grasp the main goal of the dice games, you will be able to play them both offline and online.
Craps Rules
Craps is a table game played with two dice and a layout that many newcomers find confusing. That said, craps bets are not difficult to understand, and you can quickly learn the main goal of the game and how to play this dice casino option. Simply put, the purpose of the game is to roll a number (known as the point) and then roll the same number again before a seven appears.
One thing that makes craps a very exciting game is the fact that any player can be the shooter – the person who throws the dice. Once a point has been established, a puck is used to mark the number on the craps layout. If the point is made (the same number is rolled before seven), the puck is turned off and the shooter will throw the dice for the come-out roll. That means that a new point will be established. If a seven appears before a point has been made, the dice are handed to a new shooter. The same rules apply to the next shooter.
As you can see, the basic rules of craps are rather simple, but to fully understand the game, you will also need to get familiar with the types of bets you can make.
Pass Line Bet
If you make this type of bet, you will be placing your money on 7 or 11 appearing on the first roll of the dice. If the shooter throws 2, 3 or 12, the bet is lost. Meanwhile, if the dice roll 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, the point that has been established must appear once more before the shooter throws a seven.
Don’t Pass
This type of bet is won if the first roll reveals 2 or 3. Meanwhile, 12 will be a push, and 7 or 11 will lose the bet. If the dice roll 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, the shooter must throw a seven before the same number appears again.
Come Bet
The rules that apply to the Come bet are the same as those that apply to the Pass Line wager. However, this stake is placed once a point has been established.
Don’t Come Bet
This is basically the same type of wager as the Don’t Pass one, but it is placed once a point has been established.
Field Bet
This is a one-roll craps bet, which is won if any of the numbers in the Field section of the table’s layout appear. If 2 appears, you are paid double, while 12 will pay triple. If the dice reveal 5, 6, 7 or 8, you lose the Field bet.
Place Bet
This type of wager is made when the shooter has established a point. This bet can be made on 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10, with place bets being won if the corresponding number appears before a 7. Each place bet has a different payout.
Proposition Bet
This is another one-roll bet that is won when the number you have backed appears on the next roll of the dice. The different proposition bets and their payouts can be seen in the centre of the craps table.
Hardways
This type of bet is won when the dice roll a pair and is lost if a 7 appears first, or if the number you have bet on (hard four, ten, six or eight) appears ‘the easy way’ (not in a pair).
Hop Bet
This is also a one-roll bet that can be placed on a specific dice formation. The bet is won only if the same combination is thrown on the next dice roll.
Sic Bo Rules
While Sic Bo uses three dice, this casino game is rather simple and easy to play. The main goal is to place your money on the possible outcome of the next roll, with bets being won if your prediction is correct. There are numerous betting options that one can make on Sic Bo, with various bets offering different payouts.
Every possible type of bet that can be placed in Sic Bo is displayed on the table’s layout, allowing players to choose the option to wager on. Unlike craps, however, Sic Bo does not present the players with the dice; instead, casinos use a dice shaker to determine the combination of the three dice.
Like craps, Sic Bo offers a wide range of possible bets that one can place while trying to predict the outcome of the dice shake.
Big
This bet is made on the sum of the three dice and is won if their collective value is between 11 and 17. This is one of the most common bets in Sic Bo and pays even money. This wager excludes triples such as three 1s, three 2s, etc.
Small
This is the other popular bet in Sic Bo, won if the sum of the three dice equals between 4 and 10. Just like the Big bet, Small pays even money. Betting on Small excludes triples.
Odd
As the name of this bet suggests, you are wagering on the sum of the three dice equalling an odd number. This type of wager excludes triples such as three 1s, three 2s, etc.
Even
This is the opposite of the aforementioned bet, placing money on the sum of the three dice equalling an even number. This bet also excludes triples.
Combination bets
This bet is made on any two exact numbers appearing on two of the three dice. The third die can show any number, as long as the other two are guessed correctly.
Single bets
This wager is made on any specific number the player believes will show up on one of the three dice. The payout increases if the chosen number appears on two or all three dice.
Double bets
If you decide to make this bet, you are betting on a specific number appearing on two of the three dice.
Specific triple and Any triple bets
In addition to singles and doubles, players can also place triple bets. They can be specific, betting on a number between 1 and 6 appearing on all three dice. It is also possible to make an Any Triple bet, which is won whenever any number appears on all three dice.
Comparing the Two Dice Casino Games
To be able to choose which dice game to play, you should draw a comparison between the two. Both dice games can be found at land-based and virtual casinos, with both craps and Sic Bo also being available at various live casinos online. That said, craps often beats Sic Bo in popularity as it is well known in the West. Meanwhile, Sic Bo is mainly played by Asian players, which is also the reason why Sic Bo has fewer virtual variants at online casinos.
Even though craps tables may be more common at land-based and online casinos, when it comes to simplicity, Sic Bo is your game. Betting on this game is pretty straightforward, requiring players to simply bet on the value of the three dice after they are shaken. Meanwhile, the betting options in craps are a bit more complicated, with some bets applying to several dice rolls and offering a different outcome depending on the value thrown with each roll.
With Sic Bo, you know whether you win or lose in just one roll of the dice. Meanwhile, in craps, your bets can apply to several rolls in a row, with players losing or winning their wagers after a few throws of the dice. Another thing that makes craps more complicated to understand is the combination of the table’s layout and the dice. You will need to be well aware of terms like come-out rolls, establishing points, making points and more.
Just because Sic Bo is easier to play, however, that does not mean that you should opt for playing only the three-dice game. Craps can also be very entertaining and it does not take long to learn how to play the game the right way. Moreover, with craps being the more popular option, it can easily be found online, where you can play for free and practise until you feel comfortable betting real money on the dice game.
Comparing the House Edge When Choosing the Dice Game to Play
When seasoned casino players are choosing a game to play, they usually take into consideration the house edge of each option. Games like blackjack or video poker can often have a house edge as low as 0.5%. However, such percentages are only achievable if players use the right strategy to reduce the edge.
Meanwhile, slots are games that tend to have a house edge of around 5%, which will not be affected by any strategy or skill. If you are considering which dice game to play, you may want to opt for betting options that have a house edge below 5%. In craps and Sic Bo, different bets have different house edges, so you will need to familiarise yourself with all betting options to determine which are the best.
While craps mostly offers bets that last for multiple dice rolls, there are also single-roll options. However, if you want to simplify the gameplay by making a single-roll bet and you are still adamant about playing with a house edge lower than 5%, you will have limited choices. The only bet that can offer a lower house edge is the Field wager, which is won whenever one of the field numbers appears on the next roll. This bet has a house edge of only 2.7%, which is significantly lower than the other craps betting options. However, this bet is paid out only when specific conditions are met.
Craps offers several multiple-roll bets that have a house edge below 5%; however, they are more complicated than the Field bet. That is why you will need to get familiar with the rules of craps and the table’s layout to be able to make use of the different options with a lower house edge.
Live Sic Bo Vs Live Craps
The two dice games can also be found at quite a few live casinos online. If you enjoy playing online with real dealers and you are wondering which game to choose, you can take into consideration several factors.
If you are basing your choice on the house edge, once again, the Sic Bo bets with the lowest house advantage are Small or Big. Meanwhile, craps will offer more options with a lower house edge, but they will include multiple-roll bets that are a bit more complicated. If you are selecting a live-dealer dice game based on house edge, craps will be the better option as it offers more bets with a lower house edge.
If you have decided to play craps at a live casino, however, you must keep in mind that this game is rarely available among live-dealer games. Despite craps being more popular than Sic Bo, there are almost no live craps options online. Meanwhile, you can find Sic Bo at multiple live casinos that run on the software platforms of different gaming providers. The reason for the lack of live craps options is the game’s complicated layout and the difficulty of recreating it in a live-casino environment.
Even though craps is a less common live-dealer option, more software developers have added the game to their portfolios. That is why you can find the classic casino game at several live casinos, offering optimised versions of the dice game, with special machines performing the dice throw.
As you can see, both versions offer their own perks and great betting options. The onus is on you to choose whichever dice game is more suitable for you when you play at live casinos online.
Conclusion
While both craps and Sic Bo are dice-type casino games, they have different rules, with various betting options available in both games. Deciding which option to play at a land-based casino or when you wager online can be a difficult choice. However, you can base your decision on several factors that can help you pick a game.
The house edge is very important, with all bets in both craps and Sic Bo having different house edges. While Sic Bo offers two bets with a lower house edge, craps provides several options with a lower casino advantage percentage. That said, the bets in Sic Bo are much easier to make, as you are simply betting on the outcome of the upcoming dice roll. Meanwhile, when betting on craps, you need to consider different factors, with many bets revealing the win or loss only after several dice rolls.
Both games are available offline and online, with craps and Sic Bo also offered at live casinos. While the same rules apply when you choose which dice game to play online, things can be a bit different with live-dealer options. Although both dice games are offered by live casinos, Sic Bo is more widely available. That said, more software companies are starting to add craps to their portfolios, offering casino players the option to enjoy the game online and still play with a real dealer.
