History of Sic Bo

Today Sic Bo or Lucky Dice as it is now called is fast becoming a very popular game in the gaming circles as we know it. This game has been introduced into most of our modern casinos, both land and online. However it may not be common information that Sic Bo, although only introduced into casinos in the United States since the year 2002, has had its origins among the ancient Chinese civilizations.

Long before casinos were even invented, Sic Bo was being played by the ancient Chinese people. In fact, it was played much before the invention of dice! ‘Sic Bo is a game that belongs to the time period of the primordial masters when the well known and much practiced martial art techniques of Karate and Tai Quon Do were first being formulated and perfected. Sic Bo was played by these ancient martial arts fighters when they took breaks from their combat. Since they had no standard dice to use (as it had not yet been invented) these players used various objects like small stones, pieces of animal bones and shells to play Sic Bo. They would engrave small numbers or digits or even dots on these pieces and use them to play and place their bets on. Gradually this game became popular and spread to the Chinese mainland where it was played throughout the land.

This age old game of Sic Bo was also known as ‘Dai Siu’ which means ‘dice bowl’ as the dice were kepy in a bowl and rolled; also as ‘Tai Sai’ or dice pair. ‘Sic Bo’ was first translated to mean ‘two bricks’; this was because of the shape of the dice. Later Sic Bo came to be known as ‘lucky pair’ as only two dice were used at that time during play, but it gradually advanced into the usage if three dice to make the combinations of the outcome far more interesting ad entertaining. Today it goes by many other names but Sic bo is essentially the same game. It has been called ‘big and small’, ‘hi-lo’ and ‘lucky dice.’ Some even call it ‘Rice Bowl Game of Three Dice’ in recognition in accordance with the Chinese heritage where rice bowls were used to hold the dice.

Today Sic Bo is played in numerous casinos all over the world under various names and guises. It is extremely popular in Asia which is supposed to be the place of its origin. Sic Bo is played a great deal in Macau under the name ‘Dai Siu’ and in the Phillipines it is gives great joy to many under the name ‘Hi-Lo.’ Sic Bo also lends its gaming format to other games and has been said to be the basis for the game of Roulette.

Basically, it can be said that Sic Bo is a game of pure chance where players try to guess the probable outcome of the roll of three dice. They may bet on one, two or all three of the dice; or they may bet on a possible number or even on the sum of the outcome of the roll of the dice. The players then place wagers on their selections and the game begins.
Traditionally, Sic Bo when played in Asia, was played in a very simple maner without much trappings. The dice or rather the stones or bones that had been carved with figures were shaken on a small plate or saucer that had been covered with a rice bowl. After a few seconds, this bowl was then raised to reveal the outcome of the roll of the dice.

Today, many people still play Sic Bo in a simple manner using three standard dice that are shaken in a plastic bowl or cup. However, in the modern casinos that we find all over the world such as the Las Vegas casinos, the dice are shaken mechanically, and the resulting outcome is entered into the casino’s computer which automatically lights up the winning zones on the player’s table. For many players, the attraction of Sic Bo lies not only in the thrill that comes from taking a chance but also in the sheer joy and excitement that comes from seeing the winning corresponding numbers light up on the Sic Bo table.

Sic Bo was first introduced into the United States of America in the early twentieth century by the influx of Chinese people who had immigrated there. It was officially introduced into American casinos on May 13, 2002 and has been played ever since.
Sic Bo is also played in Europe and can be played legally in the United Kingdom in their licensed casinos. This is allowed according to the The Gaming Clubs (Bankers' Games) (Amendment) Regulations 2002.

Sic Bo was not as popular as some of the other games in casinos both land based and online and was usually played in rooms specifically designated for Asian games. However today this seems to be changing as more and more people are opting to play Sic Bo in casinos.

The modern game of Sic Bo as played in casinos all over the world is not completely Chinese in form, though it has its roots there. Although derived from the Mandarin style, today’s game of Sic Bo also shows many traces of similarity to the English game known as ‘Birdcage.’ In this game the three standard dice were rolled in a wire structured sort of birdcage where they had been placed. The cage was turned by means of a wooden handle that ran through the cage and rotated it upside down. Whatever numbers the dice landed on were the final outcome on which the winners and losers of the game were determined. This form of the game ensured no cheating as human contact with the dice was completely impossible. The game took the name “Birdcage’ from the contraption that was used to roll the dice.

Currently this game of Sic Bo is becoming more and more popular as it offers the chance of real gaming which depends on absolute luck. Whatever the game may be called worldwide it is undeniable that Sic Bo is truly one of the most fun and entertaining games in the whole world