The first stones resembling dice were discovered in Iran and are more than 5000 years old. "Magical" dice were also trusted in ancient Rome, Egypt, and China. For example, in the Celestial Empire, dice were used in the game Sic Bo, which has existed for thousands of years. Sic Bo dates back to ancient China and was played with the help of three dice. However, in those days, the dice were not the familiar hexagonal shape. Instead, they used stones, shells, bones, and animal teeth.
Sic Bo means "precious dice" or "pair of dice" in Chinese. Initially, it was played only by members of the upper Chinese class. The game was also popular among teachers in martial arts schools. Over time, this entertainment became popular among ordinary people as well.
From China, Sic Bo came to America, where it was played by railroad workers and miners, usually immigrants. It took decades for the pastime to spread among Americans, who initially adopted Sic Bo as one of the carnival games.
The European variant of Sic Bo is craps. The game originated around the 11th or 12th century in England. Unlike the ancient Chinese variant, two dice are used in craps.
Among the many table games available in the casinos of the world, there are such varieties of Sic Bo as Grand Hazard and Chuck-a-luck. The first game is of English origin and is popularly called "Three Dice in a Cage." Chuck-a-luck is a carnival game, sometimes played to raise money for charity.
Now, Sic Bo can be found in many casinos in America. In Foggy Albion (England), the game was legalized only in the 21st century, specifically in 2002. In gambling establishments in Macau and Hong Kong, it is known as Dai Siu, which translates as "big or small," and in the Philippines, the game is popular under the name Hai-Lo.
How to play Sic Bo
Sic Bo is available in both land-based and online casinos. The rules are simple, and just like in a dice game, you only win if you get certain dice results. The game consists of just three stages:
Start by placing your casino tokens on a specific part of the table according to your predicted outcome.
Then, the casino dealer (or random number generator for software users) rolls three dice.
You win if you guessed the correct outcome and lose if your prediction is incorrect.
Betting options available
All players visit casinos with the ultimate goal of making a profit and having a little fun at the same time. Sic Bo is the perfect combination of these two factors. The game has several betting options, as shown on the Sic Bo table, and different rules to follow, making it fun and exciting.
