Bunco Dice Game

This bunco dice game is the classic party dice game, played free in your browser. You play six rounds, rolling three dice each turn and scoring points when the dice show the number of the current round. There is nothing to install and no account to create.

You can play as a team of four, with a partner, or solo against one, two or three computer opponents. The computers roll after a short pause and make no choices of their own. The game tracks round points, round wins and buncos, and it names a winner after round 6. Every roll depends on luck, so the game is quick to pick up and easy to replay.

How to play the bunco dice game online

1. Open the Players select and choose a mode: Team table of 4 (the default), or Solo vs 1, 2 or 3 computers. Changing it starts a new game at once.
2. Open the Mini bunco select and keep Mini bunco: 5 points (the default), or choose off. This also starts a new game at once.
3. Set Computer speed to normal (the default) or fast if you want the computers to roll sooner.
4. Press Roll the dice. Your roll is shown on the felt with a line that describes it in words.
5. If the roll scored, the button reads Roll again, so keep rolling.
6. If the roll scored 0, your turn passes to the next seat and the computer rolls after a short pause.
7. When a side reaches 21 points, the round ends. Press Start round N to begin the next round.
8. After round 6, the end dialog shows the winner. Press Play again to start over.

The Rules button shows or hides the scoring table. New game starts a fresh game without a confirm step. When the page is focused, Space, Enter or R rolls the dice, and clicking any of the three dice does the same. N starts a new game, F turns on fullscreen and Esc closes the end dialog. Clicking while the dice are still tumbling shows the result at once. Adding ?seed=123 to the URL makes the dice repeat the same rolls in the same order.

What are the rules of the bunco dice game?

Bunco is played over six rounds. In round r, the target number is r, so round 1 scores 1s and round 6 scores 6s. Each turn, a player rolls three dice, and every roll is scored on its own.

A player keeps rolling as long as a roll scores. When a roll scores 0, the turn passes clockwise to the next seat. There is no limit on how long a turn can last. A round ends the moment one side reaches 21 points in that round, even in the middle of a turn. That side wins the round, and all sides’ round points are added to their game totals. The next round starts when someone presses the start button.

How is a roll scored in the bunco dice game?

Each roll is checked in this order. If all three dice show the round’s number, the roll is a bunco and scores 21 points. If all three dice show the same other number, the roll is a mini bunco and scores 5 points, but only when Mini bunco is on. Any other roll scores 1 point for each die that shows the round’s number, and 0 if none do.

Here are the exact results from the game’s scoring code:

• Target 3, dice 3, 3, 5: 2 points (two hits)
• Target 3, dice 3, 3, 3: 21 points (bunco)
• Target 5, dice 2, 2, 2, mini bunco on: 5 points
• Target 5, dice 2, 2, 2, mini bunco off: 0 points

Points above 21 from the last roll are kept. For example, a side on 20 that rolls a 5-point mini bunco ends the round on 25.

Who wins a bunco dice game?

After round 6, the side with the most round wins wins the game. If round wins are equal, the side with more total points wins. Total points are the sum of all six rounds, including rounds that side lost. If both are equal, the game is a tie, and every tied side is shown as a winner.

For example, in a solo game against one computer, if each side wins three rounds and the totals are 63 and 67, the side with 67 wins by points. Buncos do not change who wins. They are counted for the player who rolled them and are shown as the classic “Most buncos” prize at the end.

Bunco dice game strategy and tips

Bunco has no decisions in this version. You cannot choose which dice to keep or when to stop, so luck decides most of the result. The tips below follow from the rules.

• Check the Target chip every round. The number changes, and the dice that match it are the only ones that score.
• Remember that a round ends at 21 even mid-turn. When your side is close to 21, a single scoring roll can finish the round.
• With Mini bunco off, a three-of-a-kind of any non-target number scores 0, and your turn ends sooner.
• In team mode, your partner’s points count toward your side, and round points from rounds you lost still count toward the total-points tie-break.

Frequently asked questions

Is this bunco dice game free?

Yes. The game is free to play in your browser, and you do not need to pay to start a game.

Do I need to sign up to play?

No. The game has no accounts, so you can start playing as soon as the page loads.

Can I play bunco on a phone?

Yes. The layout works at 375 and 320 pixels wide without sideways scrolling. The toolbar wraps to three rows, and the dice and button stay large enough to tap.

Is my game saved?

Yes. The game is saved after every roll in your browser, so reloading the page returns you to the same position. The save stays on this device only, and nothing is sent anywhere.

Does the game have undo or hints?

No. The game has no Undo and no Hint, because a roll is a matter of luck and there are no decisions to make.

How do I get the same rolls again?

Add ?seed=123 to the URL, or use the seed that the address bar shows for your current game. The same seed gives the same rolls in the same order.

Who wins if the game is tied?

If round wins and total points are both equal, the game is a tie, and each tied side is shown as a winner. A tie in a solo game counts as a win in the Games won counter.

More games

• Farkle: a six-dice game where you decide when to bank your points or risk losing them.
• Left Right Center: a different dice game for a change of pace from bunco.
• Dice Game: five dice and three rolls per turn to fill a score card of thirteen boxes.
• Snakes and Ladders: a board race game driven by dice rolls.
• Backgammon: a two-player board game that uses dice and checkers.
• Mancala: a two-player stone-sowing board game with no dice.
• Shut the Box: roll two dice and close numbered tiles that add up to the roll.