# How to play Bank

Bank is a press-your-luck dice game: everyone shares one pot, and everyone is waiting to see who blinks first. BANKO! plays by the classic rules. Here’s everything you need, in about two minutes.

## What do you need to play Bank?

- **Two or more players.** In BANKO! you can fill seats with bots too.
- **Two six-sided dice,** or let the app roll for you.
- **A number of rounds.** BANKO! games run 10 rounds by default.

## How do you win Bank?

Finish the last round with the most banked points. Points only count once you bank them.

## How does a round of Bank work?

Each round starts with an empty pot. Players take turns rolling two dice, and each roll changes the shared pot. The round has two phases.

### Phase 1: the first three rolls (safe)

| You roll | What happens | 
|---|---|
| A 7 | +70 points to the pot | 
| Anything else, doubles included | The dice total is added to the pot | 

### Phase 2: every roll after that (danger)

| You roll | What happens | 
|---|---|
| A 7 | **Bust.** The round ends and anyone who hasn’t banked gets nothing from this pot. | 
| Doubles | The pot **doubles**. | 
| Anything else | The dice total is added to the pot. | 

### How does banking work?

Banking locks the current pot into your score and takes you out of the rest of the round. The pot keeps growing for everyone still in, so players who wait longer can bank more, if the 7 doesn’t come first. The round ends when someone rolls a 7 or everyone has banked.

**The odds:** with two dice, 6 of the 36 possible rolls make a 7. That’s a 1-in-6 chance, about 17%, on every roll after the safe phase.

[See the full Bank odds](https://bankothegame.com/bank-dice-game-odds).

## What does a round of Bank look like?

1. Roll 1: 7 → pot is 70.
2. Roll 2: 4 + 5 → pot is 79.
3. Roll 3: 3 + 3 → pot is 85. The safe phase is over.
4. Maya banks 85. Jeff and Leo keep going.
5. Roll 4: 5 + 5, doubles → pot is 170. Jeff banks 170.
6. Roll 5: 6 + 1 = 7 → bust. Leo gets nothing this round.

## What is the best Bank strategy?

- **Never bank during the safe rolls.** Nothing can go wrong yet, and a 7 is worth 70.
- **Watch the scoreboard, not just the pot.** If you’re ahead, bank early and let everyone else take the risk. If you’re behind, you need a big pot.
- **Doubles change the math.** One lucky double can make waiting worth it. It can also make everyone who banked early look silly.
- **Mind the last player.** When you’re the only one left, every roll is yours alone. Bank as soon as you’ve beaten what you needed.
- **The 7 has no memory.** A long streak without a 7 doesn’t make one “due”. It’s 1 in 6 every time.

Want the numbers behind these tips? The [Bank dice game odds guide](https://bankothegame.com/bank-dice-game-odds) shows how likely a pot is to survive and how big it gets. Playing with real dice? Print the free [Bank score sheet](https://bankothegame.com/score-sheet).

## BANKO! extras

### Ginko Mode (optional)

Turn on Ginko Mode in the lobby for occasional round twists and mid-round events that shake up tense pots:

| Twist | Effect | 
|---|---|
| Double Trouble | Every point counts double. | 
| Flipside | 7s stay lucky (+70), but doubles bust. | 
| Jackpot | The pot starts at 50. | 
| High Stakes | Doubles triple the pot. | 
| Lockdown | No banking for the first three rolls. | 
| Danger Zone | A 6 busts on the next roll too. | 
| Heist Window | The next banker skims up to 10 from each player still in. | 
| Mystery Surge | The pot is hidden until someone banks or busts. | 
| Last Call | Bank now, or banking closes until the turn comes back around. | 
| Bank Lockout | Banking is closed until each player still in survives a locked turn. | 

### Seasonal events

Limited-time events change the scoring for everyone, on by default in new games (hosts can switch them off):

- **Fall Harvest** (September–November): each of the first three rolls earns +5 extra, so a safe 7 scores 75.
- **Halloween** (October 15 – November 2): late doubles double the pot, then add a 31-point treat.
- **Fireworks** (June 28 – July 7): safe 7s score 76, and late doubles double the pot plus 25.

### Ways to play

- **Online:** everyone on their own phone or browser, joined with one link.
- **Single device:** pass one phone around. Tap to roll, or roll real dice and enter the result.
- **Mixed:** the host can run players who don’t have a device while others join on theirs.

## Ready to roll?

Start a free game in your browser and send the link to your group.

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Source: https://bankothegame.com/how-to-play · BANKO! by Bryan Adams · Updated 2026-10-01