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Sic Bo is a gambling game of Chinese origin. It is also known as Tai Sai or Dai Siu, meaning Big Small. It 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).
Outcomes are based on the combinations that come up on the three dice. Winning variations can yield a pay-off ranging from 1:1 to 180:1. Payoff combinations are listed on a roulette-style table top that is often lighted from underneath in winning areas of the layout to indicate winning combinations.
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 originated in ancient China and is still a popular Asian casino game. It can be found in most American casinos, and is widely played in casinos in Macau where it is known as Dai Siu.