Buzz
Rules and variations for the dice-based game
If you're looking for a fast-paced and simple drinking game to kick off a night with friends, 3 Man is the perfect choice—and all you need are a couple of dice. We'll take you through the rules and different variations you can try for maximum fun.
3 Man Dice Game Overview
- At the start of the game, choose one player to be the “3 Man.”
- Players take turns rolling two dice and follow these rules based on the outcome:
- Rolling a 3 on any die or a total of 3: The 3 Man must take a drink. If the 3 Man rolls a 3 or a sum of 3, they don’t drink and instead pick a new 3 Man.
- Total of 7: The player to the right of the roller drinks.
- Total of 9: The player across from the roller drinks.
- Total of 10: Everyone drinks (known as a “social”).
- Total of 11: The player to the left of the roller drinks.
- Doubles: Pass both dice to another player, who must roll and take drinks based on the numbers shown.
Game Steps
Rules for the 3 Man Drinking Game
Pick the first '3 Man.' 3 Man is most fun with at least three players, but there’s no upper limit. To select the first 3 Man, either choose randomly or take turns rolling a die until someone rolls a 3.
- To make the role more noticeable, give the 3 Man a special hat, piece of jewelry, or other unique item to wear.
Roll 2 dice and follow the outcome rules. The player to the left of the 3 Man starts by rolling. Check the roll to see if it activates any special rules. If not, the dice pass to the next player on the left.
- Rolling a 3 on any die or a total of 3: The 3 Man drinks. If the 3 Man rolls a 3 or a sum of 3, they skip drinking and can choose a new 3 Man.
- Sum of 7:
The player to the right of the roller drinks.
- Sum of 9: The player opposite the roller drinks.
- Sum of 10: Everyone drinks (a “social”).
- Sum of 11: The player to the left of the roller drinks.
- Doubles: Hand both dice to one player, or split them between two. The roller drinks the number of sips shown on the dice. If doubles occur again, the original roller drinks instead.
End the game when you like. There’s no set rule for ending the game. You can stop when everyone’s drinks are finished or after a certain number of rounds. Keep playing as long as you’re having fun.
- If the same person has been the 3 Man for a long time, switch it up after they’ve drunk 9 times to avoid overdoing it.
Game Variations
Drink if the dice fall off the table. If you accidentally roll the dice off the table, it's a “party foul,” and the penalty is a drink.
- If someone yells, “Sloppy jalopy!” after the dice hit the floor, the player who dropped them becomes the new 3 Man.
Appoint a 'Thumb Master' for a roll of 1 and 4. Whenever someone rolls a 1 and 4, they become the new Thumb Master. At any point, the Thumb Master can place their thumb on the table. Everyone else must follow, and the last person to do so takes a drink.
Create custom rules for different dice rolls. With this variation, whenever doubles are rolled, players can set new rules based on specific outcomes. For more common rolls like 6 or 7, create easy rules, but for rarer rolls like 2 or 12, impose harsher penalties. Here are some fun ideas:
- Finish your drink if you roll a 2.
- Take a sip and roll again if you roll a 6.
- Pick a player to drink when you roll an even number.
- Say a rhyming sentence every time you roll a 9. If you miss a rhyme, you drink.
- Pick a category and name items when you roll a 10. If anyone can't think of something or names something wrong, they drink.
Penalty for leaving the table or using the bathroom. If someone leaves to use the bathroom during their turn to roll, start timing how long they take to return. For every 5 seconds, they must take 1 sip of their drink.
Dice Roll Probabilities
7s are the most likely result when rolling 2 dice. Out of 36 possible outcomes when rolling two dice, the chances of rolling a 7 are the highest due to its multiple combinations (1,6; 2,5; 3,4). The rarest outcomes are rolling 2s and 12s. The probabilities of each result are as follows:
- 2: 1/36 or 2.778%
- 3: 2/36 or 5.556%
- 4: 3/36 or 8.333%
- 5: 4/36 or 11.111%
- 6: 5/36 or 13.889%
- 7: 6/36 or 16.667%
- 8: 5/36 or 13.889%
- 9: 4/36 or 11.111%
- 10: 3/36 or 8.333%
- 11: 2/36 or 5.556%
- 12: 1/36 or 2.778%
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The general recommendation is to limit yourself to 1-2 drinks per day. A standard drink includes 12 fluid ounces (350 ml) of beer, 8 fluid ounces (240 ml) of malt liquor, 5 fluid ounces (150 ml) of wine, or 11⁄2 fluid ounces (44 ml) of liquor.
Important Warnings
- Only consume alcohol if you're of legal drinking age in your location.
- Drink responsibly. Always plan your transportation, pace yourself, and drink water between alcoholic beverages.
