Bunco Games Near Me? Top 107 Best Answers

Bunco is insanely fast and fun.

But ask any number of women in the traveling Bunco games that go door-to-door in many neighborhoods across America, and they’ll tell you that’s an excuse for a girls’ night out, for a party. The women talk about everything — work, the kids, each other, you name it, said Janice Davis, a Danbury resident, at a bunco night at her sister’s Bethel. Crab dip, taco pizza, mini quiche, artichoke dip were on Rita Harrison’s menu that night, along with beef stir-fries for starters and lots of sweets, mostly chocolates in small bowls on tables set in the dining and living room of her Bethel house were set up. “We all love chocolate,” she said. Bunco night wanders from house to house. The players live in Bethel, Brookfield, Danbury and New Fairfield. Dawn Cioffi suggested women start a bunco night about four years ago. The Brookfield mom and part-time admissions secretary looks forward to a “girls night out” every month, she said. The first time she played the game was while visiting her in-laws in Georgia. She was asked to sit as a “sub” with her sister-in-law and friends. “They were young mothers, an evening for them. people were friends. If someone had a baby, the others made a meal. It seemed nice, nice group of women,” she said. After the trip, she pitched the idea to people she knew. “I told about 20 people, and the second month we had 12 people.” Davis liked the idea and wanted to be a part of it. “I knew Janice growing up. She used to be Aunt Jan to me,” Cioffi said. New Fairfield’s Barbara Loughlin also knew Cioffi through work. The two women used to work in the same law firm. “I wanted out. I (started out) as a sub and understood why the younger girls like it and stayed. i love these girls I like people with the friends. I like the excitement of reaching for those dice.” At 60, she’s one of the ‘older’ members of the Bunco game. “It’s any age,” she insisted. New mom Chrissy Engelbrecht, who briefly sat at the boss’s table until she had to switch after a losing round, said bunco night was “a great way” for a lot of women to meet friends. “I put it on. I don’t want to miss a night. Dawn (Cioffi) and I have known each other our entire lives. She brought me along,” she said. Cathy Dauphin, 37, a mother of three boys and a part-time medical biller, practices martial arts to keeping fit. And for entertainment, she plays Bunco. “The food, the social life, that’s everything,” she said, recalling that her mother-in-law, Judy Dauphin, 65, was the person who suggested she join the group at a game.” I’ve made a lot of new friends. We have good food and we always have a good time. Younger people talk about their kids and older people talk about their kids when they were little. Sometimes we are older We talk about a lot of things “To play Bunco you need nine dice for each person, some notepads and a score sheet, a bell, some folding tables and 12 friends who enjoy drinking wine, chatting and socializing get snacks. Players take turns rolling the dice and collecting as many points as possible to win each round. The game is played at tables of four in competing teams of two. Players score points by rolling three dice and trying to hit the numbers they are supposed to roll for that round. You get one point for each die that rolls the number, and if all three roll the number, you get 21 points. They also get 5 points if they roll a triplet of any other number. They keep rolling as long as they score one or more points with each roll. If they don’t score, they pass the dice to their left and the opposing team gets a chance to score. In each round, the teams at the main table try to score 21 points. The first team to score 21 points wins the round and the game ends. At all other tables, the game ends when play at the main table ends and the highest-scoring team at each lower table wins the round. At the end of the round, the players swap places. The winners at each of the tables move up a table and the losers at the main table move down to the lowest table. Players also change partners at the end of the round, so you never play with the same partner twice in a row. During play, players track the number of rounds they win and lose as a team, as well as the number of buncos scored individually, on their personal scorecard. At the end of the night wins/losses and buncos are counted and prizes awarded. “Basically it’s a women’s game and years ago it was played during the day before women worked; a socialization thing to build relationships with neighbors… I have a 97 year old grandmother and she played Bunco in Chicago in the 1930’s. It’s absolutely so much fun, easy to play and you don’t have to think. It’s a social interaction to meet friends, away from them the family, the kids. Some drink. Some don’t. Some eat and try to outdo each other with a gourmet dinner and bringing out the crystal. They all play for prizes,” said Leslie Crouch. She is the founder of the World Bunco Association, a sanctioning organization for Bunco that was founded in Newport Beach, California, in 1996. In February, the organization held its championships in Las Vegas. One Thousand Bunco Players, some from across the country, competed in the dice game for a $50,000 grand prize.The tournament was televised and raised money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Crouch said.

This month was dedicated to spending time with friends – nurturing old friendships, spending time with current friends, and appreciating all the great people in my life.

Spending more time with my spouse and more meaningful, quality time with my children.

One of the things I did with friends this month was start a new Bunco group for my girlfriends.

Bunco is the ultimate girls night out activity because it’s easy, quick, and essentially pretty mindless. You can play and chat without worrying about using your brain too much.

It was a bunco month. We didn’t stop with our girls night out bunco; We even played some family bunco.

I highly recommend it.

Here’s the thin one. . .

How to Play Bunco (A Super Fun GNO Girls Night Out):

The important things first. You need a group.

I was fortunate that we already had a Bunco group a few years ago, so I started this list. Then I reached out to friends from my neighborhood, elementary school, preschool, summer pool, and book club to keep the group diverse and fun.

I sent this first email:

I was chatting with a few people and we were talking about how much we would love to get on the bunco swing in 2015! If you are interested, we would like to get started in February. We will try to schedule a game every first Friday of the month where one person will host and provide drinks and table snacks. Three more people can bring appetizers so that nobody is really burdened too heavily. Really – there is NO pressure here if it’s not a good time or you’re not interested; maybe just reply back to let us know if you’re interested in being on the playlist or sublist and we’ll get a group started for February. If you would like to include someone else as well, reply and let us know their name and email address so we can reach them. The more the better! Sounds good? Let’s make 2015 the year we take care of ourselves!! Girl time is SO important!!

If people answered, great! If not, I took it as a hint.

I created a Google contact group called “Bunco 2015” to make it easier to send emails.

And then I used VolunteerSpot as our login. On VolunteerSpot I made Bunco a group page in 2015 with a monthly event from February to June. I signed up for appetizers three times a month; a login for the host; and unlimited for players.

The cool thing about VolunteerSpot is that hosts can add a comment for each month with their address, no one has to send invites or multiple emails, and we can all share the link to invite other friends.

After we had our group, I started gathering supplies.

To play Bunco you need:

Dice (you will need about twelve dice in total)

a bell

score sheets

table

pens or pencils

Sometimes groups will have players wear wacky hats or funny necklaces or hold silly stuffed things when they get a bunco

Get our score sheets and place cards here and make sure you print enough!

You need the scorecards, which are printed twice per sheet.

You can download the score sheets here: bunco printables | lehrmama.com

And if you decide to share – we hope so! – please link to this post and not to the attachment page! Thanks very much!

And you need place cards.

The printouts have enough for six tables, but that means you’ll have a really big group. You may only need three or four tables.

You can download the place cards here: bunco place cards _teachmama.com

And if you decide to share – we hope so! – please link to this post and not to the attachment page! Thanks very much!

How to play Bunco:

12 players are divided into 3 tables with 4 players each. tables are numbered; Table 1 is the “header table”; Table 2 is in the middle; Table 3 is last. Players sit across from their “temporary team” member at each table. A player at the head table rings the bell to indicate the start of the game. Players at each table take turns rolling 3 dice, trying to roll the same number as the round (e.g.: roll 1 in 1st round = accumulated points; 2 in 2nd round, etc.). Players continue to roll the dice until they run out of points, after which they pass the dice to the next player. A desk clerk counts points for both teams. When the main table scores 21 points, the bell is rung and the round is over. Points are added. At each table there is a winning team and a losing team. The players write their score on their personal score sheet and indicate victory (W) or defeat (L). Players either stay at the table or move around depending on whether they won or lost the round. Instructions are on the place cards. The members of the “temporary team” MUST rotate after each game.

BUNCO = 3 identical numbers rolled correspond to the round number (e.g.: three 2s during the 2nd round = BUNCO! → BUNCO = 21 points

Baby Bunco = 3 with the same number rolled does not match the round number (eg: three 2s during the 4th round) = Baby Bunco → Baby Bunco = 5 points

You can download our Bunco rule sheet here:

You can download the bunco rule sheet here: bunco RULES _ family teachmama.com

And if you decide to share – we hope so! – please link to this post and not to the attachment page! Thanks very much!

Remember, the fun part of Bunco is the pricing!

Everyone pays $5 to play! And then, after all the games have been played, you count the pot.

50% of the total pot goes to the player with the most buncos

30% of the total pot goes to the player with the highest score

20% of the total pot goes to the player with the most wins

$5 goes to the player with the lowest score

$5 goes to the player with the most losses

But don’t forget the bunco snacks! Check out how we make snacks for our games: Best Bunco Snacks

The great thing about Bunco is that it’s insanely simple and you need very little brain power to make it work. It is the ideal game to chat with friends, exchange ideas and try to solve world problems.

This post is part of our #livefocused in 2015 series; February is our month to focus on friendship. It was a great time.

Learn more here:

FYI: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links”. This means if you click the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Forever, I only recommend products or services that I personally use and that I believe add value to my readers. I am making this disclosure in accordance with Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” For more information, visit teachmama media, llc. confidentiality policy.

dice game

“Bonko” redirects here. For the Canadian politician, see Bill Bonko

For other uses, see Bunko

Bunco Genres Roll Dice Players 2 or more, usually in teams of two Set-up Time 1-5 minutes Game Time 30 minutes to several hours Random Probability High Age 4+ Required Skills Counting and basic math

Bunco (also spelled Bunko or Bonko) is a dice game generally played with twelve or more players divided into groups of four trying to score points while taking turns rolling three dice in a series of six rounds. A bunco is achieved when a person rolls three of a kind and all three numbers match the round number.

history [edit]

Bunco was originally a confidence game similar to three-card Monte.[1][2] It originated in 19th-century England, where it was known as the “Eight Dice Cloth”.[3] It was imported to San Francisco in 1855 as a gambling activity, where it gave its name to gambling parlors or “bunco parlors” and generally to every scam. After the Civil War, the game developed into a popular parlor game. During the 1920s and Prohibition, bunco became popular again as a game of chance, often in conjunction with speakeasies. Law enforcement groups who raided these saloons became known as “bunco squads”. Bunco experienced a resurgence in popularity as a family game in the 1980s.

According to the World Bunco Association, the game experienced a resurgence in popularity in the United States in the early 21st century; In 2006 it was claimed that in the past year “over 59 million women have played Bunco and over 27 million play regularly.”[5] Bunco club members often take turns hosting, providing snacks, refreshments, and the tables to set up the games. Even small amounts of money can be involved. Bunco is sometimes referred to as “the housewife’s drinking game.”[6]

Rules [edit]

Each game consists of six rounds, numbered from one to six in the order played. Players take turns rolling three dice. One point is awarded for each die rolled that matches the current round number, 5 points are awarded if all three dice match but do not match the current round number, and 21 points if all three dice match the current round number ( a “bunco”). If points are scored, the player is allowed to re-roll and further increase their score. If no points are awarded, the player’s turn ends and the dice are passed to the next player at the table. Each round ends when a player has scored 21 points, making rolling a bunco an instant win. The game ends when all six rounds are completed. The player with the most rounds won is the overall winner of the game, with ties usually being broken by comparing the total scores achieved.[7]

In larger tournaments, the game is usually played in teams of two, and multiple tables are played simultaneously, with the highest ranked table being known as the “Head Table” or “Queen’s Table”. After each round, the winning team at a table moves to the next higher table, while the losing team at the main table is relegated to the lowest ranked table.

World Cup[edit]

The first Bunco World Championship was held in 2006; It aired on the Oxygen Network and was sponsored by Procter & Gamble’s (P&G) anti-heartburn drug Prilosec OTC to benefit the National Breast Cancer Foundation.[5] In October 2008, P&G ended its association with the championship after three years.[8]

Bunco prices

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our full disclosure policy.

Bunco games mean Bunco prizes!

A prize can be anything and depends on what the group decides when organizing a Bunco group.

As the game progresses, everyone must track their status on a bunco score sheet. (Download our free Bunco score sheet here)

A good game sheet includes a place to keep track of your total wins and losses.

Bunco Award Winner

Common categories for prizes in a Bunco game are:

Most wins (most rounds won)

Most Losses (Most Rounds Lost)

Most Buncos (reels of 3 of a type of target number)

Last Bunco (the last person to roll a 3 of some kind of target number, often referred to as the “travel prize” since the travel item is held by the last person to roll a bunco) Learn more about Travel

Some groups stipulate that one person can only win one prize. How could anyone be entitled to more than one prize? An example is a person who just rolled the last bunco and also has the most buncos. Should they be allowed to keep both prizes?

Some groups say yes, others no. If no, you must determine what price they will receive. One way is for the winner to choose which category to win and then have another player win the other category.

Groups should plan what to do if more than one person is eligible for the prize. Suppose two people get the most wins. What are you going to do? Many groups have a “roll-off” where the winner gets all. Another option is to split the prize between the two players.

Money Bunco Prizes

Many groups collect an amount of money from each player at the beginning of the game and distribute it to the winners at the end. Most groups that play for cash prizes ask Bunco players to contribute between $5 and $15 to the prize pot on any Gunco craps game. Typically, awards are given to players with:

Most wins

Most buncos

Last bunco

Most lose

Most wins usually get the largest prize, and most losses get the smaller prize. You can split the prices however you like, but it’s important to be consistent from month to month. You can also add additional prices, e.g. B. A pity prize for those who don’t win money. A group of twelve players collects $10 each game and awards $50 for most wins, $30 for most buncos, $20 for last bunco and $12 for most losses and $1 each to the remaining 8 players than pity price.

I was told about another group where every player has to bring quarters to every bunco game. Before each round, each player starts with a quarter. At the end of the round, the winners at the table take the quarters and split them up. When someone rolls a bunco, they take all the quarters at their table. This way, players win prizes every round instead of at the end of the night.

Bunco prices

Some groups collect money and give out prizes at the end of the evening.

Having a bunco party theme lends itself to themed bunco prizes!

If you’re having a western night, seek out rates with western flair. A beach blanket bunco party? Then prices that come with a beach theme.

Other Bunco game prize ideas:

gift cards

Wine

pampering products

home decor

seasonal items

You can also give out Bunco-themed gifts…

Popular Bunco-themed prizes available through our Amazon affiliate links:

In some groups, the hostess collects money from each player and buys the gifts. In other groups, each player brings a gift. These can be given out as a white elephant gift exchange at the end of the evening, with winners getting to choose their Bunco gifts first. Maybe you can find something with dice on it that would work.

This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program that allows websites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Let’s connect!

Helpful Bunco links

How I play Bunco

Bunco party theme ideas

Show off your Bunco group

I lied when I said the best thing about Bunco is that it’s an easy game while hanging out with friends.

For real.

I lied.

It’s not 100% true.

The best thing about Bunco are the snacks.

There. I said it.

Bunco snacks are fantastic.

But if Bunco is not your game and something else – Scrabble? Stage 10? Pokemon? Yahtzee? – Whatever it is, snacks are a fun part of game night.

And while I’m joking, I’m kind of not joking either. We all need good snacks to round off a fun night out with friends.

Here’s the thin one. . .

Best Bunco Game Night Snack Ideas:

The great thing about game night snacks is that the possibilities are endless.

We like to go for a few prepared appetizers, brought by 3-4 people:

Hummus and pita

vegetables and dip

Cheese platter: mix of hard and soft cheeses, some apple and pear slices and some fruit jams

a warm dip and fries, such as a crab and artichoke dip, a buffalo chicken dip, a Reuben dip, or a pizza dip.

portable mini tacos, taquitos or dumplings

Cookies, brownie bites

Fruit pizza or tarts

And each bunco table usually has two bowls of snacks—something sweet and something salty:

pretzels

Chocolate covered pretzels

M&M

licorice pieces

candy hearts

nuts

chocolate covered nuts

bugles

trail mix

Bunco drinks should be varied:

Wine

Beer

Soda: diet and regular

Icetea

water

coffee, hot tea

fun mixed drink that is quick and easy to make

Remember to find everything you need to know for a Rockstar Bunco Girls’ Night Out here:

Story of Jessica Gray

Twelve friends, dinner, snacks, dice and prizes – it’s Bunco night.

Bunco is a 12 player dice game that requires only luck to win. There’s no strategy, no talent needed, and it moves fast.

The game is played on three tables, with four players at a table. It consists of six rounds, with each round ending when the leaderboard reaches 21 points. In the first round, the object is to roll three 1s, in the second round two, in the third round three, etc. If a player rolls three 1s at the same time in round one, that is a bunco.

“It’s a simple game that doesn’t require a lot of concentration, so you can visit quite a bit,” said Pati Himmelberg, a member of the group for over 10 years. Of course there are some people who say don’t visit me while it’s my turn.

Connie Ferda has been playing Bunco regularly for over 20 years. She founded the group she plays with now.

“I was hosting another group and needed six people to back up because so many of the ladies couldn’t make it,” said Ferda. “I called six of my friends as subs, and we had so much fun together that we decided to start our own bunco group.”

Each member of the group signs up as a host for a month and decides the game date. The hostess will provide dinner, snacks and prizes for the winners. If someone fails, the hostess will call a sub to replace them. The list of subs is almost twice the size of the 12.

Although the aim of the game is to win, prizes are awarded for the most buncos, most wins, most losses, the player who ends up even (Even Steven), and the player who ends up with the “Traveller”. , forgive. The Traveler is a fuzzy die that is passed around and dealt when someone rolls all twos. Everyone puts in $10 to play and the money is used to pay for next month’s prizes. Prizes are left up to the host, with cash being the most common.

However, the prices are not what keeps the ladies coming every month.

“The beauty of Bunco is that you move around so much that by the time you leave, you’ve visited everyone at least a little bit,” said Jenise Browne.

Kim Jones is one of the original members of the group. She makes time for Bunco in her busy schedule and looks forward to the night as an opportunity to catch up with good friends.

“We’re all at different stages in our lives, some of us are grandparents and some of us are moms with young children,” Jones said. “As your station moves from table to table, it’s nice to see the conversation change.”

How to play Bunco:

Players pair up with the person across from them. You roll three dice to score points. Points are awarded in the following way:

• 1 point for rolling a number equal to the round number, for example if you roll a 1 on round 1 or a 2 on round 2, etc.

• 5 points for rolling a Three of a Kind with any number that is not the same number as the current round. For example, if a player rolls three 2s in turn 1, they score 5 points.

• When a player rolls all the same number and it matches the round number, this is called a bunco. A bunco is worth 21 points.

When a player and their partner at the high table reach 21 points, the round is over. The game ends after six rounds.

I’ll start by saying if you’ve read the title and thought, “Are you hosting a bunco night? Are you 100?” you are not alone. That was my first reaction when my friend Melissa said she wanted to start a Bunco group. But I have to say it’s a lot more fun than I ever expected!

For those who don’t know, Bunco is a dice game. I’m sure there are many variations on how to play, but we’re playing with 12 people with a $10 buy-in and everyone takes turns hosting.

Rules:

There are three tables with four players each. The head table starts the rounds. Each table has two teams of two players – us and them. Your teammate is the person sitting across from you. We play four games and each round has six rounds. In the first round you try to roll 1, in the second round you roll 2, etc. One person at the table counts. Each time you roll the number, you get a point. When the main table reaches 25 points or someone at the main table rolls a bunco (see below) they ring the bell and the round is over. The other two tables continue to play and accumulate points until the main table rings. Special scoring: Three of a kind are worth 5 points. The host chooses a trip number (between 1-6). If you roll three of that number, you get a trip and get to hold the fuzzy die until the next person rolls a trip. That’s worth 5 points. If you roll three of a kind of the number you are standing on, you get a bunco. For example, if you’re on 3 and you roll three 3s, that’s a bunco. That’s worth 25 points. When the round is over, the main table winners remain. The losers go to table 3. The winners from table 3 go to table 2 and the winners from table 2 move up to the main table. Winners walk, losers sit (except at the head table). The people remaining at the tables have to rearrange themselves so that they are not again on the same team for the next round. Brittany made these super cute point cards you need to keep track of all this madness. At the end, prizes are awarded to the most Buncos – $45

Most wins – $35

Travel – $20

Most losses – $10

50/50 (or closest to an even number of wins and losses) – $10

For our group, hosting means providing everyone with food and setting the tables. When it was my turn I had a nacho bar as it was close to Cinco de Mayo. You could have a potluck every time your group meets, or not have dinner at all! And, you guessed it, there’s always wine, beer or cocktails! This could easily be a one off event and not a recurring event as is the case for our group.

Bunco was a great way to get all of our girlfriends together once a month! It was also a great way to meet new people as we almost always need a surrogate because we are all moms and something always comes up.

If you think this looks like fun and you want to start your own Bunco group, we have printable scorecards and table signs to make everything easier!

What do you and your girlfriends usually do on girls’ nights out? Have you ever played Bunco?

Basic playing/keeping points

Bunco is played by rolling the dice, counting points and moving from table to table. There are six rounds per game set. Each set consists of a round of 1-6.

The bell is always on the head table (determined by the hostess). When everyone is ready to play, the bell will ring to signal the start of a round. All tables roll simultaneously. You are always the partner of the person sitting across from you. For example, player 1 and player 3 are partners, as are player 2 and player 4 for each round (see image above); There are two teams per table.

The game is played with all three dice at the same time. One player at each table begins rolling the dice. In Round 1, the goal is to roll ones (Round 2 – roll twos, etc.).

JUDGING: At each table, one person will be assigned the Points Administrator. On the spreadsheet, the scorer and her teammate are “We” and the other team is “You.” Each time a player rolls the correct number for the round, their team gets a point. When a player stops rolling the round’s number (Round 1 – Ones, Round 2 – Twos, etc.), the dice move clockwise to the next player.

BUNCOs: A BUNCO is when a player rolls all 3 dice in that turn’s number (rolling 3 1s in turn 1, etc.). Each time a player rolls a BUNCO, it yells “BUNCO” and is passed to the traveler until someone else yells “BUNCO” and they pass it to that player. The player who rolled a BUNCO records a count on their BUNCO score sheet under “BUNCOs.” Each player must keep track of the number of BUNCOs rolled. The person holding the traveler at the end of the game wins the travel prize.

VARIATION: BUNCOs worth 21 points when the round is over at the head table.

Baby BUNCO (optional): Each time a player rolls any three numbers, they get a Baby BUNCO. The player marks their BUNCO score sheet in the blank space below the BUNCOs. Each player must keep track of the number of Baby BUNCOs rolled. Baby BUNCOs are not worth points, but are rewarded at the end.

VARIATION: A Baby Bunco, also known as a Funko, is worth 5 points.

The first team at the head table to reach a score of 21 wins the round and the bell is rung to indicate the end of the round. The other two tables may have higher scores (depending on the roll).

When the bell rings, play stops and the winning team marks their BUNCO scorecard with a “W” and the losing team marks their BUNCO scorecard with an “L” in the appropriate round.

Bunco is played by individuals, not teams, so partners change after each round. The winning teams move to a new table and rotate in one direction. For example, the main table winners are moved to table 2, the table 2 winners are moved to table 3, and the table 3 winners are moved to the main table.

The losing teams from each table remain at that table. However, one person from each losing team remaining at the table changes places, so new teams are formed for the next round (player 1 stays seated and player 3 changes to player 2’s seat…see image above).

GHOST: A ghost is used when a person is unable to attend and was unable to find a sub. The player partnered with the Ghost rolls for the Ghost and ONLY scores points for their team, no BUNCOs or Baby BUNCOs, etc. Ghost players do not have a score card.

Play continues in rounds 1-6 and repeats for a total of 4 sets. At the end of the 4th set, all players calculate their points and prizes are awarded.

Prices

This range can be anything. Some groups provide prizes that match their theme (check out all the great prize ideas I have under each themed bunco set!). Others like it easy and use cash.

If you’re traveling with cash, here’s a suggested breakdown. Before the game begins, the hostess collects cash from each player (ie $5/player). Prizes are awarded at the end of the game.

Each player adds up their total wins, losses, BUNCOs, and baby BUNCOs and then marks them on their BUNCO Score Sheet. The hostess announces the winners and divides the money according to the defined prize categories. Players can only win in one cash prize category. All ties result in a roll-off, highest number wins except Big Loser; in this case, the lowest number wins.

Suggested cash prize categories:

• $30 ~ Most wins

• $15 ~ Most BUNCOs

• $10 ~ Most baby BUNCOs

• $5 ~ Big Loser

• Tour Prize ~ $5 gift certificate provided by the hostess

In our group, BUNCO Night is “Ladies Night” ~ no husbands or children allowed! If you can’t get a babysitter, you need a sub! This is just another rule to keep in mind…especially if you’re making a couples group…lol!

Disclaimer: These are not the “official” rules (if there is such a thing…lol). They are a custom set of rules that we came up with for use in our group. We like these rules for many reasons, one being that we would have to move every time someone yelled “BUNCO!” We would change places much more often than we are! Take what you like from these rules or make up your own… but whatever you do, write them down and pass them out so everyone knows what the rules are and there are no hurt feelings or bad decisions. The main goal here is to get together and have fun!

Bunco prices

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our full disclosure policy.

Bunco games mean Bunco prizes!

A prize can be anything and depends on what the group decides when organizing a Bunco group.

As the game progresses, everyone must track their status on a bunco score sheet. (Download our free Bunco score sheet here)

A good game sheet includes a place to keep track of your total wins and losses.

Bunco Award Winner

Common categories for prizes in a Bunco game are:

Most wins (most rounds won)

Most Losses (Most Rounds Lost)

Most Buncos (reels of 3 of a type of target number)

Last Bunco (the last person to roll a 3 of some kind of target number, often referred to as the “travel prize” since the travel item is held by the last person to roll a bunco) Learn more about Travel

Some groups stipulate that one person can only win one prize. How could anyone be entitled to more than one prize? An example is a person who just rolled the last bunco and also has the most buncos. Should they be allowed to keep both prizes?

Some groups say yes, others no. If no, you must determine what price they will receive. One way is for the winner to choose which category to win and then have another player win the other category.

Groups should plan what to do if more than one person is eligible for the prize. Suppose two people get the most wins. What are you going to do? Many groups have a “roll-off” where the winner gets all. Another option is to split the prize between the two players.

Money Bunco Prizes

Many groups collect an amount of money from each player at the beginning of the game and distribute it to the winners at the end. Most groups that play for cash prizes ask Bunco players to contribute between $5 and $15 to the prize pot on any Gunco craps game. Typically, awards are given to players with:

Most wins

Most buncos

Last bunco

Most lose

Most wins usually get the largest prize, and most losses get the smaller prize. You can split the prices however you like, but it’s important to be consistent from month to month. You can also add additional prices, e.g. B. A pity prize for those who don’t win money. A group of twelve players collects $10 each game and awards $50 for most wins, $30 for most buncos, $20 for last bunco and $12 for most losses and $1 each to the remaining 8 players than pity price.

I was told about another group where every player has to bring quarters to every bunco game. Before each round, each player starts with a quarter. At the end of the round, the winners at the table take the quarters and split them up. When someone rolls a bunco, they take all the quarters at their table. This way, players win prizes every round instead of at the end of the night.

Bunco prices

Some groups collect money and give out prizes at the end of the evening.

Having a bunco party theme lends itself to themed bunco prizes!

If you’re having a western night, seek out rates with western flair. A beach blanket bunco party? Then prices that come with a beach theme.

Other Bunco game prize ideas:

gift cards

Wine

pampering products

home decor

seasonal items

You can also give out Bunco-themed gifts…

Popular Bunco-themed prizes available through our Amazon affiliate links:

In some groups, the hostess collects money from each player and buys the gifts. In other groups, each player brings a gift. These can be given out as a white elephant gift exchange at the end of the evening, with winners getting to choose their Bunco gifts first. Maybe you can find something with dice on it that would work.

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Bunco is a really fun game that requires no strategy, very little game knowledge and a lot of luck.

Playing Bunco with a crowd is so much fun! It’s a fast-paced game that requires absolutely no strategy, so everyone has an equal chance of winning as everyone else. This makes it a great game for a mixed crowd as a 10 year old has the same odds of winning as a 50 year old.

Materials needed:

1 table for 4 players each

3 dice per table

1 bell or other noisemaker

Bunco Cards For All Players (Download Your Free Printable Cards)

pencils or pens

Prices!

Bunco is best played with groups of 4 people, with the ideal number being 12 or 16 people. However, it can be played with any number of people, see the bottom of this post for how to play with an odd number of people.

Set up a table for every 4 players. There are 3 dice on each table. Each player needs a Bunco card and a pen.

The tables are numbered 1, 2, 3, etc., with table #1 being the “main table”. The main table begins and ends each game round.

Players work in teams, with players facing each other at the table forming a team.

When everyone is ready, the main table will ring and play will begin on all tables (simultaneously).

One player per table rolls all three dice at the same time. In round 1, they try to roll a one. If they get one or more ones, they roll again, and each one rolled counts as a point. So if they roll two 1’s, they get 2 points and roll again until they don’t roll any more 1’s. Then they pass the dice to the next person. The second player now rolls 1s until he gets no more.

If at any point a player rolls three ones at once, they yell “Bunco!” and mark the bunco spot on their card. A bunco is worth 21 points for the round.

Each team will keep track of their score and try to score as many points as possible during the round. The main table ends the round when a team reaches 21 points. At this point the bell will ring again and play at all other tables will cease. If a person is rolling, they can keep rolling until they run out of 1s to end the round.

Once the round ends, players will add up their points and the winning team will advance to the next higher table, while the losing team will be relegated a table. You circle either W (win) or L (loss) for that round on your bunco map.

For example, at table 2, winners at table 1 advance while losers at table 3 fall. Each “team” will also split up and take a different spot than before, so the teams will be completely different each time.

The only exception to this is at the head table and the last table. The main table winners both stay at the main table, but one of them will switch seats so they are not on the same team again. The losers at the last table also remain at their table, and one also switches places.

On the second round, roll to get the most 2’s. For the third round 3’s and so on.

Prizes are usually awarded for most buncos, fewest buncos, most wins, and most losses.

If you don’t have a number of players that is divisible by 4, you can still play. Seat the odd number of players at the last table. If there are 3 players here, 2 will play as a team and the other will play with a “ghost” partner. The partner rolls for both their turn and their ghost partner’s turn.

If you only have 2 players at the bottom table, you only play against each other, but both people move up at the end of the round.

If you only have 1 extra player, he can switch rounds with another player.

Overall Bunco is a great time. You’ll be able to play with almost anyone that’s there and play as your teammate and also as your opponent, so make it a fun time.

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Frequently asked questions about Bunco

Q. What exactly is Bunco?

Bunco is a game that has been around for a long time and has been played in America since at least the 19th century. It focuses on three dice and usually three groups of four players, making a standard group of 12. It’s a gamble; No real skill is required other than rolling the dice. However, the game is played in a happy and sociable environment with lots of eating, drinking and talking, so there’s always plenty to do! It’s meant to be a dice game that provides a good reason for a group of people to gather and socialize.

There are many people playing this game in different groups every month. Many belong to multiple groups, meaning they play bunco on a weekly basis. It’s amazing that this rather simple game of pure luck is so popular and has such an audience. But once you’ve become a “bunco player” it becomes easy to understand that it’s the atmosphere, friendships, and chance for genuine fun that make it an enjoyable pastime that demands an encore!

Q. I want to start a Bunco group that meets regularly. How do I do it?

You will need:

Twelve people willing and generally available to play monthly and able to “host” one month a year. (Remember, if you can’t find twelve people, just start your group with eight). Groups of four work best in this game, so feel free to start a group and then if you find four more people who want to join you can just add them as you get established.

Some people willing to fill in the times when one (or more) of the regular members is unable to attend. It’s good to have at least three to four substitutes, but more can help. Additionally, if opportunities for substitutes arise, it’s a good idea to call in several substitutes so they can all play at some point during the year.

A copy of the Bunco game rules, dice, some score sheets, chalkboards or paper, pencils (one for each player), and a bell or chime.

Get them all in our Bunco Game Kit!

In addition, if you use money or surprise “travel prizes”, you will need a soft cube or a bag or pouch. A box, bag, or container to store your items is also helpful.

In addition, if you use money or surprise “travel prizes”, you will need a soft cube or a bag or pouch. A box, bag, or container to store your items is also helpful. Someone in the group who creates, distributes and maintains a list containing the names and contact information of all players and substitutes.

Defined match days and times and who will host each month. Many groups meet on a specific day of the month (e.g. the second Thursday of the month). If possible, schedule all play dates for the coming month (set up as many in advance as is comfortable for your group). This information can be added to your roster list so all game information is together.

Q. How do you play Bunco?

This is a simplified overview to give you an idea of ​​how to play:

First, you can find some current rules on the Rules page. Once you get a feel for the rules (and don’t wait until you feel like an expert, it really isn’t difficult) you’re ready to play!

for some actual rules. Once you get a feel for the rules (and don’t wait until you feel like an expert, it really isn’t difficult) you’re ready to play! Generally, you’ll have at least three tables of four people forming groups of two. At a table, the two players facing each other form a team pair. The goal is to roll for certain combinations of dice and earn points.

To begin, the main table rings the bell and you start the first round by rolling for one. A player has a chance to roll the dice once; If their roll contains a “1”, they score 1 point for each “1” rolled. Then they roll again and only keep rolling as long as they roll a “1” or keep collecting points. If they roll and don’t collect points, the next player gets the dice and rolls, and so on.

. A player has a chance to roll the dice once; If their roll contains a “1”, they score 1 point for each “1” rolled. Then they roll again and only keep rolling as long as they roll a “1” or keep collecting points. If they roll and don’t collect points, the next player gets the dice and rolls, and so on. During the round, points can be earned in a few additional ways. If you roll a set of any other number, let’s say “four”, you score 5 points and get to roll again. If you roll three numbers that match the number of the current round, you get even more points!

, you collect 5 points and can continue to roll the dice. If you roll three numbers that match the number of the current round, you get even more points! At the end of a round, each table totals the points according to the paired teams and the pair with the most points stays at the table. The team with the lowest points at each table gets up and moves on to the next table (sometimes referred to as a ‘loser leave’ rotation).

Q. Does Bunco have prizes or prizes?

Many versions are used. Some groups play with prizes and others with money.

A prize version of bunco can have the hostess collecting a series of silly prizes or nice items and then winning levels of: most buncos, most wins, most losses, most mini buncos, 50% wins and 50% losses and sometimes a consolation prize for one or more other species. The “trip” prize can be a special dope prize or something nice. Some groups even have a symbolic stuffed animal that the winner takes home for the month. If the hostess is using a specific theme for the party (e.g., Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, etc.), the award can be something that represents that theme.

A money version may consist of $5.00 for each of the 12 people for the game pool plus $1.00 for the travel pool. If all the money is pooled, the larger profit fund should be $5.00 x $12 = $60.00 and the travel fund should be $1.00 x $12 = $12.00. Once game time is up for the evening, wins are paid out something like this: $20.00 for most buncos, $15.00 for most wins, $12.00 for most losses, $8.00 for 50% Wins and 50% losses, $5.00 from a name drawn by the links who otherwise won nothing. The remaining travel fund of $12.00 goes to the traveling winner.

Q. What is travel?

The travel fund or prize is often considered a separate prize won at the end of the game. Some groups set aside $1.00 each for a total of $12.00, or the hostess buys a small silly or nice (cheap) prize and puts it in the “travel bag”. To win this bag, a player must roll three “Two” (or other trio of numbers that is not a bunco) and yell “TRAVELLING!”. The pouch is transferred (usually as a throw through the air!) to the player with that throw. The next player to roll three twos repeats the shout and the person who had the bag must toss (or transfer) the bag to the new winner. The process continues until the last round is played and the game time/evening comes to an end. The last person to hold the bag gets to keep the winnings or prize. (Note: remember that the pouch is not part of the prize; it must remain with the game paraphernalia!)

Alternatively, a soft object such as a fuzzy cube or a stuffed animal is used as the runner. Whoever holds it last at the end of the evening wins the travel prize.

Q. What do these Bunco terms mean?

Bunco – (1) Term for the fun game of dice enjoyed by groups around the world. (2) Term for the occurrence of a rolled three of a kind of a specific number in a round. (3) see also Bunko.

Bunko – Means the same as “bunco” and both terms are used interchangeably. It is believed that this is the true spelling of the game.

Bunco Baby – Another name for a ghost. Usually, a stuffed animal or doll – the “baby” – is placed in the absent player’s chair.

Ghost – If you are missing a player, this is the name given to the absent player. Since there are four people to play at a table and you are missing one, “pretend a ‘ghost’ is playing as a substitute”. The ghost’s teammate on the other side of the table rolls for their team and can usually get credit for one of the ghost’s buncos or winning rolls during the round. (Having a ghost as a partner can be very rewarding!)

Mini Bunco – When a player rolls three of a kind with a different number than the current spin’s number. (For example, rolling three 6s in round 4.)

Round – When players start rolling for a specific number, they say “One” and keep rolling until someone wins. A new round is said to begin after players are reset and begin rolling for a new number, such as B. “Two”.

Set – A set is when players play six rounds in which they have played for ones, twos, threes, fours, fives and sixes. It is common to play two to four sets on a game night.

Travel – Term used to roll three “twos” (or other trio of non-bunco numbers) regardless of which number you roll for in a round. (See “What is travel?” above.)

Q. Should my bunco party be themed?

While not necessary, Bunco games can revolve around a variety of themes: Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco De Mayo, Oktoberfest, Christmas, and so on, or they can just have a fun and festive dice theme. If you decide to add that extra “spice” to your party, simply give yourself a little extra time to prepare. Just remember that you don’t have to overdo it. Having a theme can certainly add to your gathering, but the goal is to have fun, and that can still be achieved without any theming at all!

Here are some ideas for different Bunco party themes: