1Object of the game
Win as many rounds as you can. Your partner changes almost every round, so Bunco is scored on individual tally sheets: each round you record a win or a loss, plus any Buncos you rolled. At the end of the night, prizes usually go to the most wins, most Buncos, and most losses.
2Setup
- Set up three tables with four chairs each for 12 players. Name one the head table (Table 1), then Table 2 and Table 3. Put three dice, a scorepad, and pencils on each table, and a bell at the head table.
- Hand out tally sheets. A common way to seat people is to mark some tally sheets with table numbers and let players draw them. Partners are the two players sitting across from each other.
- At each table, choose a scorekeeper for each team or one for the table. The scorekeeper tracks team points for the round.
- Round 1 targets 1s, round 2 targets 2s, and so on up to 6s. Six rounds make one set. The World Bunco Association's format plays four sets in an evening.
3The play
- When the head table rings the bell, one player at each table starts rolling all three dice at the same time as every other table.
- Score 1 point for each die that shows the round number. In round 4, a roll of 4-4-2 scores 2 points.
- If you roll three of a kind that isn't the round number (a mini Bunco or baby Bunco), your team scores 5 points.
- If you roll three of the round number, shout "Bunco!" Your team scores 21 points and you mark a Bunco on your tally sheet.
- As long as your roll scores anything, keep rolling. When a roll scores nothing, pass the dice to the player on your left, who is on the other team.
4End of a hand
The round ends when a team at the head table reaches 21 points, which a Bunco does in one roll. The head table rings the bell, and players at the other tables finish the turn in progress. At each table, the team with more points wins the round; each player marks a W or L on their tally sheet. The winners at the head table stay and split up so they have new partners. Winning teams at the other tables move up one table. The losing team at the head table moves to the lowest table, and losers at the other tables stay. At every table, players then change seats so they sit across from a new partner.
5Scoring
Team points only decide who wins each round; they reset to zero every round. What counts over the evening is each player's tally of wins, losses, and Buncos.
| For | Points |
|---|---|
| Each die matching the round number | 1 point |
| Two dice matching the round number | 2 points |
| Three of a kind, not the round number (mini Bunco) | 5 points |
| Three of the round number (Bunco) | 21 points |
| Round target at the head table | 21 points |
| Round won | Mark W on your tally sheet |
| Round lost | Mark L on your tally sheet |
These values follow the World Bunco Association rules and Wikipedia. Some groups score a mini Bunco as 0 points and just count it for a separate prize. Only the player who rolled a Bunco marks it on their personal tally, even though the 21 points go to the team.
The bunco tally sheet will do the adding up at the table.
6Winning
After the last round, everyone totals their wins, losses, and Buncos. The player with the most wins is usually the overall winner; Wikipedia notes that ties are often broken by total points. Most groups award several prizes, such as most Buncos, most wins, most losses, and the traveling prize, which is held by whoever rolled the most recent Bunco when the night ends. Hosts often decide ties with a roll-off.
7A worked hand
It's round 3, so 3s are the target. You're at Table 2, and your team has 0 points. You roll 3, 3, 5. That's two 3s for 2 points, so you roll again: 3, 1, 6 scores 1 more point, and your team has 3. You roll again and get 2, 4, 5. Nothing scores, so you pass the dice to your left. Your opponent rolls 6, 6, 6. That's three of a kind but not 3s, a mini Bunco worth 5 points, and she keeps rolling. Her next roll is 3, 2, 2, which scores 1 point, giving her team 6. Her third roll is 4, 5, 1, and the dice come back around to your partner. He rolls 3, 3, 3: Bunco! Your team scores 21 and has 3 + 21 = 24. He marks a Bunco on his tally sheet. A moment later the head table rings the bell. You finish the turn in progress, and your team wins 24 to 6. You and your partner each mark a W, and you both move up to the head table for round 4.
8House rules
The rules above are the version most US players use. These are the variations you are most likely to run into; settle them before the first deal.
- Mini Bunco for 0 points
- Buncoprintables.com's rules give no points for three of a non-round number and track it only for a baby Bunco prize. The World Bunco Association and Wikipedia score it 5 points.
- Tied tables roll off
- If a table is tied when the bell rings, many groups have each team roll once more, with the higher score winning the round.
- Six rounds only
- Wikipedia describes a game as six rounds, one for each number. Shorter parties play a single set of six; the World Bunco Association plays four sets.
- Loser prize
- Many groups give a small prize for most losses, sometimes called the booby prize, so every player has something to root for.
- Traveling prize
- The World Bunco Association uses a fuzzy die that passes to each new player who rolls a Bunco. Whoever holds it at the end of the night wins the traveling prize.
9Mistakes people make
- Only the head table ends the round. The other tables keep rolling past 21 until they hear the bell.
- You keep rolling as long as each roll scores at least one point; one scoring roll doesn't end your turn.
- A Bunco is three of the round number. Three of any other number is a mini Bunco, worth 5 points, not 21.
- Partners change nearly every round, so wins and losses are tracked for each player, not for teams.
10Playing better
- There's no real strategy in the rolling, so focus on keeping the game moving. Roll right away, call out your points, and let the scorekeeper keep up.
- Watch for the bell. When the head table rings, finish your current turn and stop; late rolls cause arguments.
- Keep your tally sheet honest and current. Mark each round as soon as it ends, and note Buncos immediately so the traveling prize goes to the right person.
- As host, set the prize list before the first roll, and say how ties will be broken so nobody argues over it at the end of the night.
- Keep a spare tally sheet and extra dice at each table. With three tables rolling at once, dice often end up on the floor.
Bunco: questions people ask
- How many people do you need for Bunco?
- Bunco is built for 12 players at three tables of four, playing in teams of two. You can play with any multiple of four, such as 8 or 16, by adding or removing tables. With a player or two missing, many groups seat a "ghost" who rolls whenever their turn comes up.
- How do you score in Bunco?
- Score 1 point for each die that matches the round number, so two matching dice score 2. Three of the round number is a Bunco worth 21 points. Three of any other number is a mini Bunco worth 5 points under the World Bunco Association rules. Keep rolling as long as you score.
- What is a Bunco?
- A Bunco is rolling all three dice showing the round number, such as three 5s in round 5. It scores 21 points for your team, and you mark it on your personal tally sheet. At the head table, a Bunco reaches 21 on its own, so it ends the round immediately.
- How does a round of Bunco end?
- When a team at the head table reaches 21 points, the head table rings the bell. Everyone else finishes the turn in progress, and each table's higher-scoring team wins the round. Players record a win or a loss, then move tables and switch partners for the next round.
- How do you move tables in Bunco?
- Winners at the head table stay and switch partners. Winning teams at the lower tables move up one table. The losing team at the head table moves down to the last table, and losers at the other tables stay. Everyone then sits across from a new partner.
- How do you win Bunco?
- Bunco is usually won by the player with the most round wins on their tally sheet. Most groups also give prizes for the most Buncos, the most losses, and the traveling prize for the last Bunco of the night. Ties are often broken by total points or a quick roll-off.
- How many rounds are in Bunco?
- Each set is six rounds, one for each number from 1 to 6. The World Bunco Association's format plays four sets, which is 24 rounds, while many casual groups play one or two sets depending on how long the party runs.
Sources
Checked by Morgan Hale against the sources below. Last reviewed September 28, 2026.
- Bunco Rules, World Bunco Association. Read September 28, 2026.
- Bunco, Wikipedia. Read September 28, 2026.
- Bunco Rules, Bunco Printables. Read September 28, 2026.
- How to Play Bunco, GroupGames101. Read September 28, 2026.