Are you looking for a fun activity for you and eleven friends? Bunco may be the solution to your search.  Bunco is a dice game played with 12 people divided into groups of four.  There are six rounds involving points, wins or losses, and rotations of players.  This light hearted family friendly game has roots in 18th century England and is often associated with the speakeasies of the 1920s here in the United States. The “Bunco Squad” was created to raid these illegal establishments during prohibition. 

In this day and age, it is mostly played by groups of women but there are also groups created for couples, kids, and teens.  One fun aspect of the game is getting to enjoy an evening of food, conversation, and friendly competition once a month.  Most groups rotate hosts each month and the host is responsible for the food, drinks, and prizes.  There is usually an agreed upon fee for the evening which is used to buy prizes. These prizes can be won for the highest score, the last bunco rolled, and even the most zeroes.  You don’t always have to be the best roller to get a prize out of the evening. 

There is a boxed version of the game that can be purchased but all you really need is 9 dice, a self made score sheet, and agreed upon house rules for your group.  It is also interesting to note, rules can vary as much as the members of the groups.

Recently, I subbed for a Bunco group and lucky for me was asked to be a permanent member.  The members in my group cover single ladies, mommas and empty nesters.  We come from different backgrounds, different religions, different cultures, and different professions but we love the laughter and fun of coming together.

If you don’t already have a bunco group and you want to create one, reach out to your friends, family, or coworkers. The rules and variations can easily be found online and you can build a group for some good old fashion fun.  If you and your group are a little more serious you can even join the World Bunco Association.

Get out there and take a chance at making some new friends and discovering a great game.