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Belangkai (XE88): how the four-symbol table works

A spinning four-sided die under a brass cover, four symbols and three payout figures printed on the cloth. Belangkai in plain words.

Rewritten 2 min read4 screenshots

Belangkai table on XE88 with the spinning die on a brass plate and payout figures around it

Key facts

Symbols
Fish, crab, prawn, sun
Odds on table
3.90, 2.90 and 1.95
Bet limits
Min 0.5, max 500
Chips
0.5, 1, 5, 10, 50

Belangkai is an old Malaysian dice game, and XE88 kept it simple. There are four symbols, a spinning die and a brass cover. You bet on the symbol you think will show, the cover comes off, and that is the round. The old guide summed it up in two lines. Here is the fuller version.

The table and the four symbols

The blue cloth is laid out like a compass. The four symbols sit at the four sides: a fish at the top, a crab on the left, a sun on the right and a prawn at the bottom. Each has a large 3.90 printed beside it. Between them are smaller areas marked 1.95 and, in the corners, 2.90.

Belangkai table with the brass cover lowered over the die
fig. 01 Belangkai table with the brass cover lowered over the die

In the middle is a round brass plate. At the start of a round a four-sided die on a spindle spins there, then the cover drops over it.

How a round plays out

  1. Pick a chip from the rail (0.5, 1, 5, 10 or 50).
  2. Tap the symbol or area you want to back. The table accepts bets from 0.5 up to 500.
  3. Press the Result button (the red dice). A hand lifts the brass cover.
  4. The symbol facing up wins. It appears in the top-right corner and is added to the History column.
Chips of 0.5 placed on two Belangkai betting areas before the round
fig. 02 Chips of 0.5 placed on two Belangkai betting areas before the round
A dealer's hand lifting the brass cover to reveal the die
fig. 03 A dealer's hand lifting the brass cover to reveal the die

Reading 3.90, 2.90 and 1.95

These are "for one" figures: what you get back for each 1 staked, stake included. A 1-unit bet on the right symbol returns 3.90.

The maths is short. With four symbols and one winner, a single-symbol bet wins about one round in four. A fair payout would return 4.00. The table pays 3.90, and that small gap is the house edge. The 1.95 areas sit between two symbols, so they cover roughly half the outcomes for about half the return. The 2020 write-up never explained the 2.90 corner bets, so check the game's rules before you use them.

Belangkai result with the die showing the fish and a chip on the sun
fig. 04 Belangkai result with the die showing the fish and a chip on the sun

Tips that actually hold up

  • The History column shows past results, but the die has no memory. A symbol that has not appeared for ten rounds is no more "due" than any other.
  • Spreading chips over every symbol guarantees you lose a little every round.
  • Pick a stake, set a number of rounds, and stop there.

Belangkai sits with the other XE88 table games. If you want to try it, you can play Belangkai on XE88. Adults 18+ only.

Quick questions

How many symbols win in a round of Belangkai?

One. The die under the cover settles on a single symbol, and the history panel on the right records one symbol per round.

What does 3.90 mean on the Belangkai table?

It is the return for 1 staked on a single symbol, stake included. A 1-unit bet on the winning symbol gives back 3.90.

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