Casino Dice Games Guide

There’s a wealth of iconic imagery that comes to mind when we think of the casino. The glitz and glamour of the flashing lights of Las Vegas. The cascading reels of rows and rows of loud and colourful slot machines. The cards and chips that come with age-old games like poker, blackjack, and baccarat.

And then there’s the humble dice. A staple of games both in and out of the casino, these centuries-old gaming accessories are some of the most iconic examples of what the public would expect to find in a casino venue.

That’s because the games that utilise these dice remain some of the most popular that you can find at a casino. Perhaps it’s their simplicity, with no need for detailed insight into the possible permutations of card hand ranks or values of suits and face cards.

Or perhaps it’s the fact that these games are some of the oldest known to man, with the dice and its games believed to have originated in the Ancient world. Today, you will still see a great number of casino games with dice and in this guide, we’ll cover the most popular and what you can expect to find.

What Are Casino Dice Games?

Games using dice aren’t new to the world and they’re available everywhere. Everyone has played a board game that uses them at least once in their life. However, those who don’t frequent the casino might not be as familiar with some casino dice games that can be found. Ultimately, these are games of chance that use dice as the fundamental mechanism of randomisation for either player or dealer.

As the wheel and ball function for roulette to throw up an entirely random outcome, the dice do the same. Similar can also be said for cards that are used in casino games. For example, Craps could be seen as being a similar game to something like Baccarat. In the latter, players bet on their or the banker’s cards being of certain values. In the former, players bet on the dice shooter’s rolls and the values that his dice will throw up. At the end of the day, they are devices to provide random outcomes and to bet on.

History of Casino Dice Games

Entertainment has been a part of the human experience for all of documented history and games of chance can even be found all the way back in the most ancient periods. It is believed that the very first dice can be traced back as far as 2800 BC, almost 5000 years ago, and their predecessors are even found in Ancient Egypt. That is to say that the history of dice games can largely be described as being the history of human civilization.

Almost every significant culture throughout time has developed something similar to what we would recognise as dice games.

Ancient Romans are known to have played games with small dice-like figures and their shields to pass the time. They would even gamble on these games, despite the pastime being outlawed in the empire. And from there, these casino dice game-like pastimes would continue to grow. Particularly in Ancient China, they evolved into a phenomenon. The dice would form the basis for the domino, which became a staple of gaming in Asia.

It was this explosion in popularity across the continent in the Far East that led us to where we find ourselves now. The casino games that were all the rage in the gambling houses of destinations like Macau continued to boom and, during the early-to-mid 20th Century wars, soldiers from the West would witness them and take them back to their home countries. Eventually, these would become staples in these Western casinos and become firm favourites.

What Types of Casino Dice Games Are There?

One of the many things that makes dice such an integral part of gaming is their universal nature and versatility. Because of this, the games that use them are as varied as any you will find in a casino, incorporating different ways of playing, different numbers of dice, and different playing setups. In fact, some innovative developers are taking everything we already know about dice and card games and revolutionising them with live casino titles that turn our expectations on their heads.

While you’re most likely to find two-dice games, in particular Craps variants, at your casino, some games will incorporate a third. This extra dice acts to introduce an extra level of volatility and increase the number of bets that can be placed on the outcomes. For example, the 3-dice casino game Sic Bo introduces a whole host of betting options that you wouldn’t find in Craps, much more similar to a card game like poker.

Not only that, as you find with card games the casino dice games list will be full of different variants that use different table setups as part of their playstyle. For example, comparing Sic Bo to Craps, you will find that the former has a much fuller table with all the betting options laid out in front of a player in a grid. However, Craps tables are a little less cluttered and are set out much differently due to their fewer options.

Play Casino Dice Games

We’ve discussed the popularity of these games, their history, and the ways they might vary from each other. But you’re probably asking how to play casino dice games. You will likely be able to find these games at your local casino but they will most definitely be included in the catalogues of online sites, including in live casinos with real-life dealers shooting dice. In particular, you will likely find these two games - the two most popular at casinos worldwide.

Live Casino Craps

Craps is probably the West’s most popular dice game you will find in casinos and online. It’s a typical table game, with a casino dealer and a number of players sitting around a table. In it, one player takes a turn as the dice roller, known as the shooter. The other players will bet on the outcome of the shooter’s rolls.

These include set outcomes, as well as side bets on the values of the rolls. The shooter will be looking to avoid certain numbers, known as a Crap out, and aiming to achieve others. In-depth guides to casino dice games online will include all of these outcomes and their probabilities for players looking to sit at the Craps table. This includes information on things like the Pass and Don’t Pass Line bets, as well as the first dice roll, known as the “Come Out”. Knowing the rules is key before playing Craps.

Sic Bo

This is a game that can trace its lineage back to Ancient China and it remains a popular option in Asian casinos in places like Macau and the Philippines. It was legally licensed to British casinos in 2002 and has gone from strength to strength since then due to its engaging gameplay and fresh feel. In its native Asia, it is known by different names, including Hi-Lo or Big and Small.

Much like Craps, the players bet on the outcome of a dice roll. However, unlike that game, the dealer rolls the dice in a closed box. Not only that but it uses three dice, instead of just two. Because of this, there are a lot of different options for the players to bet on, since the potential value is now 50% more. Also unlike Craps, there are no particular numbers or values that the player is looking to happen, given that the dealer is the one with the dice. That makes this a simpler game for new players. So if you’re wondering how to win 3-dice games in casinos, with Sic Bo you have the unenviable task of predicting the outcome of a dealer’s roll.

Themed Dice Games

Sic Bo and Craps might be the main casino games that make use of dice that you will find but that doesn’t mean they’re the only ones. Developers like Evolution are offering unique takes on existing games by introducing dice to different live casino titles and merging them with different themes to appeal to different audiences.

In this game, dice are rolled by a machine. Two belong to one side of the table named Home and two to a side named Away. As a player, each round, you will place a bet on whether the “game” will be a Home or Away win, or a draw. A win is decided by which side rolls the highest value. This takes an innovative spin on dice games by introducing a whole new level of gameplay with football-style results.