Bank vs Pig vs Farkle
Bank, Pig, and Farkle are all press-your-luck dice games: keep rolling to build points, and stop before an unlucky roll wipes them out. The big difference is who takes the risk. In Pig and Farkle you push your luck alone on your turn; in Bank the whole table shares one pot and every player decides for themselves when to get out.
How do Bank, Pig, and Farkle compare?
| Bank | Pig | Farkle | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dice | 2 | 1 (2 in some variants) | 6 |
| Who rolls | Players take turns rolling into one shared pot | One player per turn | One player per turn |
| Bust roll | A 7, after the first three rolls | A 1 | A roll with no scoring dice |
| Bust chance | 1 in 6 per roll | 1 in 6 per roll | 2.3% with six dice, up to 66.7% with one die left |
| How you lock in points | Bank at any moment, even on someone else’s roll | Hold to end your turn | Stop and keep your turn total |
| Game length | A set number of rounds (often 10) | First to 100 | First to 10,000 (common house rule) |
| Waiting between turns | None: everyone is in every roll | Yes | Yes |
How do you play Pig?
Pig is the simplest of the three. On your turn, roll one die as many times as you like, adding each roll to your turn total. Roll a 1 and you lose the whole turn total and pass the die. Choose to hold instead and the turn total goes into your score. The first player to reach 100 wins. A common rule of thumb is to hold once your turn total reaches 20.
How do you play Farkle?
Farkle uses six dice. After each roll you must set aside at least one scoring die, such as a 1 (100 points), a 5 (50 points), or three of a kind, and you may reroll the rest. If a roll contains no scoring dice, that is a farkle and you lose everything from that turn. Score all six dice and you get “hot dice”: pick them all up and keep going. Scoring tables vary a lot between families, so agree on house rules before you start.
What makes Bank different?
- Everyone shares one pot. Every roll changes the pot for the whole table, so nobody is sitting out waiting for their turn.
- You choose your own exit. Any player can bank at any moment. The tension is watching the pot grow while others cash out around you.
- Doubles can double the pot. After the first three rolls, doubles multiply the pot instead of adding to it, so pots can grow from 100 to 400 in two rolls.
- The first three rolls are safe. A 7 early in the round is worth 70 points instead of a bust, so every round starts with something worth fighting over.
That shared pot is why Bank works so well for big groups and loud game nights. Pig suits two players with one die, and Farkle rewards players who like weighing several scoring options on every roll.
Which game should you play?
| If you want… | Play |
|---|---|
| The easiest rules for young kids | Pig |
| Lots of decisions on every roll | Farkle |
| A big group with nobody waiting for their turn | Bank |
| To play with friends on different phones | Bank, with BANKO! |
Ready to try Bank? Read how to play Bank, check the Bank odds, or print a score sheet for real dice.
Ready to roll?
Start a free game in your browser and send the link to your group.