I know what you’re thinking: bunco is old news, Mahjong is in! You’re not wrong. Mahjong is super popular right now and for good reason – it’s fun! Hear me out though, Bunco is the perfect game for tired moms who want consistent, easy community. If you’re feeling the itch to meet some new friends or an excuse to gather your old friends, this is it!
How to Play
The actual gameplay is very simple. It’s mindless and allows a lot of time for yapping. It almost feels like speed dating with friends because you change tables each round, and the rounds are very short. This video does a great job explaining the rules: https://youtube.com/shorts/MARCrpjusgo?is=aRFJFYFli1k-_g5X.
The Logistics:
My bunco group started almost two years ago. We meet on the fourth Thursday of each month from 7-9pm. There are 12 people in our group, meaning you host once a year. When it’s your month to host, you provide everything: food, drinks, decor, etc. Hosting your month can feel stressful, but you get to just show up the other 11 months. Our year starts in August. We had our 12 people commit for the full year and then we drew names to determine the month each person hosted. If you don’t like the month you draw, you can trade if someone else is willing. If you can’t make it one month, you are responsible for finding a substitute. Our group voted to have a theme each month. This is obviously optional, but it does add a bit of zest. Some of my favorite themes: Margs and Mumus, Bunco on Broadway, and What Do You Meme?
What Supplies are Needed?
It’s pretty simple. These are the basics:
- 12 people
- 3 tables with 4 chairs at each
- 3 dice per table
- Bunco score cards for each player
My group decided to chip in to buy our supplies the first year and we replenish each year, as needed. We created a kit that travels from host to host. Our kit includes:
- Scorecards – There are a lot of cute options for purchase online, or you could create your own if that’s your thing. We made enough copies for the entire year.
- Printed and Framed table labels – These say Head table, Table 2, Table 3.
- Bell – This signals the end of a round.
- 2 card tables – We assumed everyone has 1 table at home to use.
- 8 chairs – We assumed everyone has 4 chairs at home to use.
The first year, we paid $25 each for these supplies. The second year it was only $10 for replenishments.
Are there prizes for winners?
Our group decided on a $10 buy in each month. You could do more or less depending on group preference. We’re all tired millennials with no cash so we use Venmo. Our fearless leader printed and laminated a stack of our Venmo QR Codes to make it as easy as possible. We each Venmo the host $10 at the start of the night making the pot $120. The host determines the winning categories and there are usually 3-4. Typical categories include:
- Most big buncos
- Most baby buncos
- Biggest Loser
- Best Outfit (depending on theme)
At the end of the night, the host will determine the winners and Venmo their earnings! Easy peasy!
How Do I Find 12 People?
In my opinion, it’s easiest to find people that live in your neighborhood. A friend took a risk and posted in our local mom Facebook group. I was shocked at how quickly people responded; there were 12 in no time! A few of us knew each other from the start, but most of us were strangers. The first few months we played, we would make it through so many rounds because we didn’t have much to talk about. Now, two years in, we’re lucky if we make it through 2 rounds. It’s amazing how quickly friendships form!
If you need more convincing, give this podcast episode a listen: Normal Gossip on Spotify. It’s a cute, hilarious story about a longtime Bunco group.
