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Getting to Know Dice Games: Common Dice Casino Games

Round Head Icon Angie - February 12, 2024

Card games, dice games, games of luck, of skill, mixed games, live, online, RNG… there’s a plethora of ways to categorise and compartmentalise gambling games in modern-day gambling halls. While we are quite devoted to online slots, we are also big fans of lesser-known games that are not often featured in casinos but can deliver an equally potent cocktail of fun and intrigue as slots and high-end card tables.

In case you were wondering what are the most common dice games in online and live casinos, roll down to see our guide to popular dice casino games today.

Sic Bo

Okay, there are two dice games frequently played in online casinos worth mentioning. The first one is Sic Bo, a cool Asian dice game played with three dice. Compared to other gambling games, it’s incredibly easy to understand and play, although it might be a little bit too much for beginners. But then again, nearly every gambling game is a bit too much for beginners, right?

So, Sic Bo is a game of dice where the entire point is to try and predict the outcome of the roll. The wagers are placed on the many possible betting options, as three dice are involved. There are combination bets covering outcomes of one, two, and three dice, so you can see why it could get a wee bit complicated for newbies.

Out of all dice games on the list, Sic Bo is by far the most popular at online casinos, and it’s usually the only one you can catch at live casinos (except for those that have Evolution’s Live Craps).

How to Play Sic Bo

Now, the fun part: online casino players will definitely want to learn how to play Sic Bo online! Luckily for you, the game is exceptionally easy to get a hang of – you just need basic knowledge of its betting positions.

Namely, a round of Sic Bo consists of two parts: the betting phase, and the dice roll.

During the betting phase, players place wagers on positions on the UI. All these positions cover every single outcome of the dice roll that you can think of.

Sic Bo Bets

Here’s a brief explanation of the bets available in Sic Bo.

  1. Small/Big bet – these cover the outcome of all three dice. A player wins this bet when the outcome of the roll is smaller/bigger than 10 (if you wager on Small, the winning outcome is <10, and vice versa), but if all three dice have the same number, you won’t win. These are among the safest bets, as they pay even money (1:1).
  2. Odd/Even bet – these are the same as the one above, meaning they take into consideration all three dice and pay out if the outcome is an Odd number/ Even number (depending on what you’ve wagered on). It’s an even-money bet with a loss on Triple.
  3. Total bet – this is the exact value of the 3 dice together, regardless of their distribution. Exact payouts depend on the total number wagered on.
  4. Single bet – this refers to a specific number you’ve wagered on that wins if at least 1 dice has that number.
  5. Double bet – the same as with single, but two dice must have the same number.
  6. Triple bet – wins if all three dice have the same outcome, and it pays if it is the number you’ve selected.
  7. Any Triple bet – wins if all three dice have the same outcome, regardless of the number on them.
  8. Combination bet – a combo of two numbers, on any of the three dice, like 5 and 3, and if 1 die has 5 and the other 3, you win.

An Example

At the beginning of the round, the player places wagers on the outcomes they want. The betting phase typically lasts around 15 seconds, but if you are playing an online game, the betting phase might last indefinitely. in live mode, you have between 12 and 18 seconds to place wagers.

As soon as the betting is closed, the host will announce the roll. Dice in a little shaker automatically shake and roll. However, the shaker stops and the three dice reveal their numbers. depending on the wagers placed, winners get their payouts and players get ready for another round.


PLAY SIC BO AT QUEENPLAY CASINO


Craps

The other very popular dice game is craps. This is a staple of brick-and-mortar casino venues, but online casinos haven’t seen many versions of craps online. instead, there have been just a few – including a couple of live craps tables as well.

Generally speaking, craps are among the best gambling games to be played on a gambling floor. It’s fast-paced, multifaceted, and has a social element to it, making it a very entertaining game to pick. The only downside? It’s difficult to translate into online terms.

Because it revolves around players throwing actual dice and other players betting on the odds and results, it was not easy to bring that into a digital format and still keep the core of the game. However, a few game producers managed and this is how we got a slew of craps games today. Although, if you want the closest thing to the real deal, you should definitely go for live craps games.

How to Play Craps

A round of craps starts and ends at the table. This table, especially its layout, are crucial for craps as players throw the dice onto the table. It’s a very superstitious game, as the dice have to hit the end of the table and then stop, so players are constantly trying to invent new techniques of throwing dice to ensure the best result That, of course, is not possible to guarantee, so we are left with a superstitious bunch who take dice throwing very seriously. In online and live game mode, the throw is automatic, using a machine that throws the dice (or a live dealer, but that’s a different story).

it is important to know that in the case of online and live craps, you play against the house (as the dice are thrown by the dealer, not the players). In real-life mode, you play against players.

At the start of the round, a shooter (player throwing the dice) throws the dice (in live craps, that’s the dealer or a mechanical arm). The first roll is called the Come-out roll. it has three potential outcomes.

  1. Natural – the outcome of the roll is 7 or 11, resulting in an instant-win and allowing the player another come-out roll. It’s typically a 1:1 payout.
  2. Craps – the outcome of the roll is 2, 3, or 12, resulting in an instant loss for the shooter.
  3. Point – the outcome of the roll is 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, resulting in a point phase where the shooter rolls dice again in an effort to hit that number as the outcome again. If they hit a 7 before that, the round is lost for the shooter.

players wager either on the chances of the shooter winning or the house winning.

Craps Bets

The shooter throws the dice, but the rest of the punters wager on the shooter’s outcomes. There are many possible bets, which makes newbies easily confused. but worry not, we’ll explain everything. Here are the potential bets in craps.

  1. Pass/ Don’t Pass – this bet is for the come-out roll. Betting on Pass means you bet on the shooter rolling a Natural or Point. Don’t Pass is betting that the shooter rolls craps. Both are 1:1 even money bets.
  2. Come/Don’t Come – the same as Pass/Don’t Pass except these two bets are available only in the Point phase. Both are 1:1 bets.
  3. Take Odds – the wager is placed on unresolved Pass/Come bets, winning if the relevant bet wins as well.
  4. Lay Odds – the same as Take Odds, except it’s placed on Don’t Come/ Don’t Pass bets.
  5. Place to Win – a bet that predicts a certain number that would land as the result before rolling a 7, with each number having its specific payout.
  6. Place to Lose – the same as Place to Win except this bet wins if 7 appears before a specific number you’ve wagered on. Payouts differ according to the result.
  7. Hardways – bet that wins when the players accurately predict the combination of numbers participating in the roll, such as a Hard 6 winning with 3 +3, or 5+1 dice. This bet wins if the combo appears before a 7.

One-roll Bets

The wagers listed above are all wagers covering multiple rounds. However, there are also bets you can place on a single roll.

  1. Field – this bet wins if the roll outcome is 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. The payout is 1:1 for all results except 2 and 12, when it is 2:1.
  2. Seven – the bet wins if the next outcome is 7, worth 4:1.
  3. Craps – this one is a winning wager if the outcome of the roll is 2, 3, or 12, paying 7:1.
  4. Aces – also called craps, it pays if the outcome is 2, and pays 30:1.
  5. Any Deuce – the bet predicts the outcome will be explicitly 3, for which you get 15:1.
  6. Boxcars – in case of an outcome of 12, this wager will deliver a 30:1 payout.
  7. Elevens – just like its name suggests, it pays if the next outcome is 11. The payout is 15:1.
  8. Horn – this wager combines the previous 4 wagers into one, paying if you catch 2, 3, 11, or 12. The payout is 3:1.

PLAY CRAPS AT REVOLUTION CASINO


Not So Common Dice Games

Besides these two, there are other games played with dice that you can play as a gambling game. However, these are not so widespread, and in fact, might be considered obsolete at online casinos. Even so, do not let that discourage you from trying them!

Chuck-a-luck

Chuck-a-luck, also called birdcage, is a dice game played with 3 dice. The closest thing to Chuck-a-luck is Sic Bo, which is far more popular than this one, especially in online casinos. today, Chuck-a-luck is a game that’s mostly played at charity events or carnivals. We haven’t had a chance to see it at online casinos yet.

The Vietnamese game Bau cua ca cop is a carbon copy of Chuck-a-luck. This variant is far less complex than traditional Sic Bo, which makes it easier to learn and play, but unfortunately, no online casinos hold Chuck-a-luck tables online. The biggest downside to this game is the high house advantage, essentially setting up players for fail and giving the casino a far bigger advantage than the players.

Hazard

Grand Hazard and Hazard are both gambling games played with dice, but they are not the same. So, Grand Hazard is a variant of Sic Bo just like Chuck-a-luck. Grand Hazard uses 3 dice, just like its other variants. In Grand Hazard, players use a chute with inclined planes called hazard chutes down which dice are rolled. Players wager on the outcome of the dice roll. In case a 3-of-a-kind is rolled, that’s called a raffle (worth 18:1).

Hazard, on the other hand, is played with 2 dice. It’s very outdated, considering it was popular in the 17th and 18th century.  An interesting thing about Hazard is that the roll of a 2 is bad, resulting in a loss.

Conclusion

Dice games are very popular games of chance at gambling sites, both land-based and online. The only thing that you need is to choose the right game, which is not easy, considering several choices. Besides the games listed above, there are also several live game shows that feature dice elements inside, so you definitely have material to explore. One example is the famous Lightning Dice, a famous staple of Evolution live games. Stay tuned for more guides and info on the best gambling games out there!