The ultimate guide to hosting a Bunco ladies' night
Bunco is so much fun and you'll have even more fun with your go-to Bunco group alongside well-decorated, well-stocked, and exciting party plans. Here's how to get started:
The Bunco ladies' night to-do list
- Find a date and time
- Send invites
- Get prizes
- Prep supplies
- Print score cards
- Gather 12 dice (three dice per table), a bell, and pens/pencils
- Prep or print table cards
- Plan food and drinks
- Get little bottles of hand sanitizer
- Print the rules
- Decorate
- Setup the tables
- Set the Bunco game rules
- Play some music
- Take lots of photos
- Clean up
- Have fun
Step 1: Choose the best date and time for your Bunco group
Consider everyone's work schedules and childcare, and pick a date in the next few weeks that might work for everyone you intend to invite to play Bunco. You don't have to stick to it, but it'll cut down on the back-and-forth of proposals and people unwilling to set a date. As host, you pick the night, and it's up to everyone else to confirm or decline. (Birthdays are a great excuse to host a Bunco night celebration, too.)
If you run into trouble, you can use an online tool like Doodle to let people pick dates that work for them. Or, set up a poll. Just recognize that getting a dozen people into a room simultaneously can be challenging, so feel free to invite one or two more people to play as others need to step out, decline, or just take a break or get a drink. You can also invite non-Bunco players who need to learn the rules to join a social gathering and learn how to play.
Step 2: Send out the invites for your Bunco party
Gather the names of twelve of your best friends and send out homemade or store-bought invitations. Email invites are an option, but mailed invites feel much more personal and fun.
You can also set up a Facebook event group or a service like VolunteerSpot.com to ask people to pitch in food, supplies, or drinks.
Step 3: Gather up ideas and items for prizes
Gift cards, novelty gifts, electronics, and good old-fashioned money are great options for prizes. There are several ways you can spread this task around:
- You can ask everyone to bring a gift up to a particular or approximate dollar value. $100 is a nice round number, but $20-$50 works, too.
- You, as host, can purchase one or two high-value items to serve as the ultimate prizes for the night.
- Or, have everyone contribute a set dollar amount to serve as a cash prize pot for the person with the most wins (or losses, or Buncos) of the night.
Step 4: Prep supplies for the games
You'll need:
- 12 dice (3 for each table)
- A bell
- Scorecards
- Table signs
- Pens or pencils
Step 5: Plan food and the menu
As everyone plays Bunco, you'll need good food, drinks, and the requisite napkins, plates, and cups. People may want more appetizers between rounds, or you can play Bunco for a while, pause for dinner, and restart. But know that most people may not be up for more gameplay after eating dinner as people tire.
Since everyone's sharing dice, it's a good idea to separate the Bunco gameplay from eating or provide food and appetizers people can eat without making contact with their food and the dice. Having hand sanitizer handy nearby is good, too.
That's why messy things like chicken wings don't make for great Bunco snacks. Instead, try dried nuts, candies, and fruit. Or ask people to bring dishes that can be served on plates so everyone has a fork and can carry food around as they play Bunco.
If it's a birthday Bunco party, consider a theme or cuisine the special guest likes most, like Mexican or Chinese. We have some other great ideas for what to bring to a Bunco party worth checking out.
Step 6: Have the rules printed and handy
Most of your ladies might know the ins and outs of every dice game, but questions can come up. Have the Bunco rules bookmarked or printed out.
Step 7: Decorate the space
All your girlfriends will love playing in a space decked out with tasteful decorations. They make for better selfies and photos, they set the mood, and if you have kids or teens involved can be a way to involve them in the party planning process. Consider:
- Balloons
- Streamers
- Table cloths
- Flowers
- Holiday themes
- Holiday decor
- Candles
- Lighting setups
- Placemats
- Napkins
- And themed desserts, cake, or foods
Step 8: Set up three tables
You'll need three tables: one as the head table and two others for teams to rotate around in. Winners from each table move to the head table, which is a bit of an honored position in a Bunco night. So consider having special perks at the head table, like better drinks or the best desserts. The head table also rings the ending bell to declare the end of each game.
Playing Bunco with slightly fewer players is also possible using a "Ghost" seat. Tradition dictates that you put a teddy bear or other stuffed animal there to serve as a player.
Step 9: Briefly explain the rules to guests
Everyone has their version of Bunco, and house rules can vary. Get ahead of questions by establishing the house rules upfront. For convenience, we've included the most popular Bunco rules here:
- The game is played in six rounds, each with a different number on the dice (from 1 to 6).
- The players are divided into four teams of three, each sitting at a table.
- One player at each table is the head table, and they ring the bell to start and end each round.
- The players take turns rolling three dice, trying to get as many of the same number as the round number. For example, in round 1, they try to get as many 1s as possible.
- Each matching number is worth one point, and three of a kind of the round number is worth 21 points. This is a Bunco.
- The player keeps rolling until they get no points, then they pass the dice to the next player.
- The round ends when the head table gets 21 points or a Bunco.
- The players at each table compare their scores, and the winners move to the next table, while the losers stay. The players also switch partners at each table.
- The player who gets a Bunco gets to hold a special item, such as a necklace, a hat, or a stuffed animal, until someone else gets a Bunco.
- The game ends after six rounds, and the players tally up their scores. The player with the most wins, the most Buncos, the most baby Buncos (three of a kind of any number other than the round number), and the most losses get the prizes.
Step 10: Set up a great Bunco playlist
Remember that music is the best way to set a mood in any room. Consider your audience and take requests, or let the four players at the head table or whoever holds the most Buncos or points decide what kind of music plays.
Step 11: Take lots of pictures and videos
It might seem second nature to younger ladies, but an older group can have a lot of fun taking pictures. You’ll all cherish the memories with friends someday, so preserve the night with photos, even if you don't share them anywhere online.
Step 12: Clean up (and maybe the biggest loser does the dishes!)
Maybe the two teams with the lowest wins, or whichever lucky player rolls the least Buncos for the night ends up doing the dishes or helping clean up. Or ask everyone to pitch in for light work among friends.
Step 13: Remember to have fun!
Set a time for people to have fun between rounds. After the first round it's easy for people to get focused on the game. No matter how you play Bunco, everyone will appreciate your work as host. And remember to set the next Bunco night before everyone leaves.