Every total, counted
Three dice produce totals from 3 to 18, but only 4 through 17 are offered, because 3 and 18 are triples and belong to the triple bets. The edges below use the better of the two common payout schedules.
| Bet | Ways in 216 | Payout | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total 4 | 3 | 60:1 or 50:1 | 15.28% |
| Total 5 | 6 | 30:1 or 18:1 | 13.89% |
| Total 6 | 10 | 17:1 or 14:1 | 16.67% |
| Total 7 | 15 | 12:1 or 12:1 | 9.72% |
| Total 8 | 21 | 8:1 or 8:1 | 12.50% |
| Total 9 | 25 | 6:1 or 6:1 | 18.98% |
| Total 10 | 27 | 6:1 or 6:1 | 12.50% |
| Total 11 | 27 | 6:1 or 6:1 | 12.50% |
| Total 12 | 25 | 6:1 or 6:1 | 18.98% |
| Total 13 | 21 | 8:1 or 8:1 | 12.50% |
| Total 14 | 15 | 12:1 or 12:1 | 9.72% |
| Total 15 | 10 | 17:1 or 14:1 | 16.67% |
| Total 16 | 6 | 30:1 or 18:1 | 13.89% |
| Total 17 | 3 | 60:1 or 50:1 | 15.28% |
The pattern is not what most players expect. The extreme totals with the huge payouts are not uniformly the worst bets: total 4 at 15.28% is cheaper than total 9 at 18.98%, even though 4 is far rarer. What matters is how well each payout matches its true odds, not how long the odds are.
Why the middle totals are the trap
Totals 9, 10, 11 and 12 are the most likely outcomes and pay 6:1 almost everywhere. They feel like the sensible choice and two of them, 9 and 12, are among the most expensive bets on the layout at 18.98%.
Against the alternative
Every total bet is worse than Small or Big at 2.78%, most of them by a factor of four or more. If you are drawn to the totals because the payouts look large, the honest comparison is that you are paying between four and seventeen times as much for the privilege.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which sic bo total has the lowest house edge?
- Totals 7 and 14, at 9.72% on the better schedule.
- Which total is the worst bet?
- Totals 5 and 16 on the reduced 18:1 schedule, at 47.22%.
- Are the middle totals safer?
- No. Totals 9 and 12 are among the most expensive bets on the layout at 18.98%, despite being the most likely to land.
- Should I bet totals at all?
- Small and Big cost 2.78%. Every total bet costs at least four times that.
Every figure on this page is counted from the 216 equally likely outcomes of three dice, in exact rational arithmetic, and checked against published references before publication. Sic bo payouts vary between casinos more than in any other table game, so where two schedules are common both are shown. Read the layout before you bet.