Chances are that if you’re a military wife, most places you get stationed, you’ll be able to find a Bunco group.
I don’t have the perspective of being a civilian wife, so I’m not sure if this a purely military phenomenon or not. Are there many Bunco groups on the civilian world? When I told my mom I was playing she was a little surprised. She remembered her mom being in a Bunco group in the 50′s or 60′s.
All I know is that the two times that I’ve been a part of a Bunco group, I’ve had an absolute blast. I’ve made great friends and had so much fun!
I know it sounds like kind of a boring game. Rolling dice. Over and over again. My husband has often wondered what the big deal is.
But it’s not about the dice. It’s about the conversations, the food, the relationships, and the good times. (The prizes are nice too!)
I had the great privilege of being a part of a Bunco group this past year with a bunch of ladies from my neighborhood. Most of us barely knew each other when we started. We were all new to the area and looking to meet people. We’ve all become great friends over the months.
Each month, a different woman would open her house up and put on a spread of delicious food. We’d each pay in $15, eat dinner, and play 4 rounds. We switched it up each month – from playing simply for the pot of money (with prizes for different categories) to winning prizes that the hostess bought (with the money everyone paid in). We’ve had themed months – Death by Chocolate, St. Patrick’s Day, etc. We throw in a game of Left, Right, Center at the very end (for $3 a piece).
We just had our very last Bunco night this past week.
This month’s theme was 80′s night and it was like totally rad! If someone would have lit a match in that room, it would have exploded from all of the Aqua Net. 
There were shoulder pads, neon leggings, and big earrings galore. We were rocking out to the Cars and Madonna. It was a blast!
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Our husbands will soon be graduating from the Academy and everyone is going their separate ways – ready to start new adventures all over the world. I, however, am not moving. We got orders to stay here at Ft. Bliss. I guess that means I’ll have to start up a new Bunco group this coming fall, won’t I?
Have you ever played Bunco before?
Hi there!! There were several groups in WA that played but the groups were already formed when I arrived. With just having a baby and then starting college myself, I just didn’t have time to join a group. I haven’t heard about one here, but its a little strange because our command isn’t that tight and we don’t live in housing.
Have a wonderful week!
My daughter plays bunco with a neighborhood group in Owasso, OK – very non-military.
Yay Bunco! I’ve been playing Bunco at every assignment since Korea, ha ha! To answer your question about the civilian world playing Bunco, the answer is definitely YES. I was in a fabulous Bunco group in North Carolina, where my husband was “assigned” to a university for his PhD. The ladies on my street took turns hosting and we played for money.
In Nebraska, we had Bunco — in my non-housing neighborhood although most of the ladies who played happened to be AF wives. I opted for Pokeno though…just for a change.
Here in Florida, I’m on the “substitute” list for my neighborhood’s “Drunko Bunco” which is Bunco with lots of alcohol. Ha ha! I can’t commit to that group monthly, so to be a sub has been great. There’s also Pokeno and “non-Drunko Bunco” opportunities for me here. I also took part in a Mah Jongg group for the first time here.
I had never even HEARD of Bunco until I moved on post, and we played it one night at an FRG meeting. It was fun, but yeah, it is hard to explain why…it *is* just rolling dice. Haha I had a hard time believing it would be fun until I played it too!
Themed Bunco nights are a great idea!
As a 20 year old who has played with my grandmothers group twice I just don’t get it. Maybe if they were people I could see being friends with it might be more fun but its so ackward for me. On the upside I did win my 2nd time. It isn’t just a military thing but it is beyond boring to me perhaps if there was some kind of thinking involved I could get behind the game itself. Anyways what ever you all find fun enjoy it.
If you look at it from the standpoint of the game, then yes it’s boring. It doesn’t involve any thinking whatsoever. But (for me at least) it’s not about the game. It’s just a few hours you can spend talking and socializing with friends. And since you don’t have to think, you can talk while you’re rolling the dice. The two groups I’ve been in have always had theme nights, wonderful dinners and often drinks, and great prizes. If I was playing with my grandma, then I probably wouldn’t enjoy it at all.
Like I said if there were people my age or a little bit older I could enjoy it more but just as the way they play Im bored to tears and usually falling asleep by the end though I like some of the people there who I have known for a while and I enjoy talking with them its the new people I’m just not comfortable with.
I miss our Bunco group, we had so much fun…
USASMA 62 ladies rocked in Bunco.
Never played it!
I know. I miss mine but do love both my new ones as well..
Della Thompson-Canady the Spouses Club is in process of building a group, as soon as I receive an email I forward you the information. We had a lot of fun playing in El Paso.
You guys gonna start playing left, right and center? If so tell @[1753168116:2048:Sandy French Clayborn] cause she would probably fly to New York for a chance to win 4obucks
I am looking forward to that!!!