What Is The Difference Between Craps And Sic Bo?

Craps and Sic Bo both are dice games that you can easily find at any online casinos. Also both these games see players bet on outcomes of the rolls of dice.

As the two primary types of dice game, both Sic Bo and Craps are very popular among players. However, Sic Bo is not as popular as craps.  Let’s explore both the games and find what is the difference between Craps and Sic Bo dice games.

Craps does require a little more skill to play than Sic Bo. In Craps, players make bets in the outcome of a series of rolls. There are many different combinations to bet on relating to both the dice and the Craps table it is rolled on, so there is quite a lot to memorise. On the other hand, Sic Bo is much more simple. The bets are related to either the combination of numbers on three dice, or on the dice totals. Beginners or who want simple game go for Sic Bo as it is an easy game.

What is the difference between Craps and Sic Bo?

To know the difference between Craps and Sic Bo first let’s see how they are played.

How to play Craps?

Online Craps is played with 2 dice at a table. Once you play often you will understand the craps table layout.  On the left side are the Come, Don’t Come, and certain Odds bets, and on the right are the Pass, Don’t Pass, and other Odds bets. In the centre are various Proposition bets. Many of the bets can be won by rolling 1 of 2 numbers. Other results will either lose the bet or they will establish the Point. In the case of the latter, you get another chance to throw the dice to try to win your bet.

For example, if you place the Pass Line bet, you need to roll a 7 or 11 to win it. If the result is 2, 3, or 12, your bet loses. Any other number becomes the Point. You then need to roll the Point again before you roll a 7 to win the bet.

Other popular Craps bets are Pass Line Odds, which you can place after establishing the Point when you place a Pass Line bet, the Come bet, the Come Odds bet, and the Don’t Come bet.

How to play Sic Bo?

Sic Bo is played with 3 dice, and it also has a table layout that can be confusing to new players. As with Craps, it helps to take the time to familiarise yourself with the betting options and the layout of the table.

One of the biggest differences between the two games is that the betting options of Sic Bo tend to be simpler than those of Craps. Sic Bo does not feature phases in rounds.

A Big bet is a wager that the total produced by the 3 dice will be between 11 and 17. A Small bet is betting that the total will be between 4 and 10. A Pair bet is placed on one of 15 different combinations of 2 of the 3 dice.

A Total bet is when you bet that the dice will produce a specific total. A Double bet is a wager that a certain pair of numbers will be produced by 2 of the dice. A Triple is that all 3 dice will produce a specific number.

Craps and Sic Bo offer different gaming experiences. If you try them both, start off by placing simpler bets, and take it from there.

Craps and Sic Bo Bets – Difference

Sic Bo offers multiple betting options to choose from. However, you should know that some bets come with an extremely high house edge. The two bets with the most favourable odds are Small and Big that pay 1 to 1. With these bets you predict that a total will be 4 to 10 (Small) or 11 to 17 (Big). Combination bets pay 2 to 1 and they are based on the value of two out of the three dice. Some Sic Bo bets are highly risky but, at the same time, they award large prizes. For instance, specific triple bets award 180 to 1 but their house edge sits at 16.2%. Another type of bet in Sic Bo you should avoid is a specific dice combination. While it pays a prize of 50 to 1, it has a huge house edge of 29.2%.

As for Craps, players can choose from multiple bets, which makes the game rather confusing. The two most common bets are Pass Line and Don’t Pass which pay 1:1 and have the lowest house edge. Another popular pair of bets are Come and Don’t Come wagers that also pay 1:1. Odd bets are considered to be the extensions of these four wagers and they come with no house edge, yet the amount you can wager is capped by the casino. Some of the worst Craps bets you should avoid include Any 7, betting on 2 or 12, Yo (11) and Hi-Lo.

Craps and Sic Bo – House Edge

When we look at the house edge of any table game there are two parameters to it.

The house edge that pertains to games such as blackjack and video poker, and this is usually around 0.5%- but this assumes that the player is skilled in the art of the game they are playing, do not play these games until you are well practiced.

Then the house edge pertaining to slot machines, online this usually equates to around 5%. No strategies need to be used here, one player is not favoured over another in terms of skill, and rather, each player is treated equal.

Therefore when you are looking to play dice games online, you need to look for the bets that offer less than 5% advantage to the house.

Regrettably the game of sic bo only has two wagers that fit this category, they are the Small and Big bets. With the small bet the wager is won on totals of either 4 or 10, except in the event of triples. With the big bet, the totals are 11 and 17, excepting triples. Each bet has the same house edge, around 2.8% and they pay out evens. So if you do opt for sic bo, then opt for these two bets.

If you wish to place a bet over a single roll in craps, thus simplifying the game, then your choices are even more limited, the only bet that fits into the less than 5% house edge category is the Field bet. You win on this bet when the number that is rolled following the bet is either, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12. The house edge here is only 2.7%, but will only be paid out once certain conditions are met, such as the rule that 2 or 12 pays-out one at 2:1 and the other at 3:1. When it comes to multiple bets in craps, there are several that have less than a 5% house edge, but then you will need to be quite skilled at the rules in order to understand how they work, and if you were after a simple game then you will crap out.

Which is best to play Craps or Sic Bo?

It is entirely upto you to choose whch dice game you wisht o play.

Sic Bo’s three dice deliver more possible combinations than Craps’ two, so studying the odds will be harder before you can bet effectively on a Sic Bo table. However, it’s an easier game to play when you’re starting off, because the bets are clear and the winner is decided on a single roll.

Betting on Craps continues for as long as the shooter keeps rolling. Any bets on the Pass Line are betting for the shooter, while those on the Don’t Pass Line are backing the house… and that’s just on the come-out roll. Then there are several betting options if the shooter sets a point. So, although there is more scope to employ betting strategies in Craps, they may take you longer to learn.

Finally the choice is yours!