bunco

Bunco (also Bunko and Bonko) is a parlour game played in teams with three dice. A winning throw in Bunco is to throw three of a kind of a specified number.

According to the World Bunco Association, Bunco began as a progressive dice game in England, later being imported to the American West as a gambling activity. It was not until after the Civil War that it evolved to a popular parlor game. The Association states that during Prohibition, Bunco as a gambling game was re-popularized and the term "Bunco-Squad" was born, referring to law-enforcement groups that busted up Bunco Gaming. Bunco as a family game saw a resurgence in popularity in the 1980s.

In recent years, the game has seen a resurgence in popularity in America, particularly among suburban women. As it is played today, Bunco is a social dice game involving 100% luck and no skill (there are no decisions to be made), scoring and a simple set of rules. Women who are part of a Bunco club take turns as the Bunco hostess, providing snacks, refreshments and the tables to set up the games. The hostess may also provide a door prize. Small amounts of money can be involved as well. The object of the game is to accumulate points and to roll certain combinations. The winners get prizes provided by the hostess or pooled from the club resources. Prizes frequently center on themes associated with the game such as fancy dice, dice embedded in soap, t-shirts featuring illustrations of dice, etc.

The game is played in six rounds. In each round you have to get the dice to match the number of the round. For example, if it is round one and you roll a one, you get one point. If you get two ones, you get two points, etc. If you get three one's on a single roll in round one you get a bunco worth 21 points. If you get three of a kind in any other number in round one you get trips and earn 5 points.

External links

• World Bunco Association
• Bunco Rules - game instruction and printable materials
• Bunco Space - Find local Bunco players
• Bunko Rules
• Bunco Casino Game
• Online Bunco Game Built by Blockdot Games

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