Ever cheer for a plastic pony? You will. I did. I’ve played this horse racing dice game at a Derby party, at my mom’s kitchen table, and even on a quiet Tuesday date night. Same two dice. Same little horses. Whole different mood each time.
You know what? It surprised me. It’s simple. It’s loud. It’s silly. And it works.
What’s Actually in the Set I Used
I own a felt “Derby Day” style set with:
- A green mat marked 2 through 12
- Two chunky dice
- Tiny plastic horses
- A basic odds chart printed on the mat
- A handful of plastic chips
I’ve also played the fancy wooden “Across the Board” version at my neighbor’s place. That one has a wood track and metal horses. Looks great on a coffee table. Costs a lot more. I’ll explain the difference later.
How We Play (Real Easy Rules)
- Each horse is a number from 2 to 12.
- Before the race, we place bets with chips (or candy, or coins).
- Roll two dice. Add them up. Move that horse one space.
- First horse to the finish line wins.
- The bank pays out using the odds on the mat. Long shots (like 2 or 12) pay more.
That’s it. We sometimes add house rules so 7 isn’t too strong. For one game, we made 7 move only on doubles. Another night, we let 12 move two spaces. It kept things spicy without making folks grumpy.
Real Nights, Real Races
Derby Party Chaos (8 adults, $5 buy-in)
We had big hats, mint juleps, and way too much cheese dip. We used quarters to bet. One race lasted about 12 minutes, with lots of yelling. The 7 kept showing up early. People groaned. I hit an 11 for a “long shot” and won $8 from a $2 bet. Felt like a TV call for a second. My friend Dani missed a 3 four times in a row and started calling the dice “liars.” We played five races. The little 2 horse won once, and the room actually went quiet first, then boom—screams.
True story: my dog, Olive, tried to steal the 10 horse. She thought it was a snack. We saved it. Barely.
Family Sunday (kids, candy bets)
We swapped cash for Skittles so the kids could play. My niece Lucy, who’s nine, yelled “snake eyes!” each roll. When the 2 hit, she clapped so hard she dropped her candy. We kept the odds simple: 2 paid five candies, 3 paid four, and so on. They did the math fast, which made my teacher brain happy. Only downside? The plastic horses tip easy. One bumped elbow and you’re re-setting the whole line.
Date Night (2 players, low stakes)
It’s fine with two people, but it shines with more. We made it fun by each “drafting” three horses and splitting the rest. Loser washed dishes. I lost. The 5 took off like it had wings. Quick games, lots of teasing, then we watched highlights from old Derbies. Cozy and light.
If competition sometimes comes with a flirty, no-strings twist among your crew, you’ll probably enjoy this candid breakdown on friends with benefits—it covers boundary-setting and keeping things fun, lessons that translate surprisingly well to making any game night stay drama-free. And if you’re local to Oxford and curious about meeting other playful adults in an open-minded setting, swing over to this Oxford swingers guide—you’ll find event calendars, venue reviews, and etiquette tips that can help you decide whether adding a social spin after the dice roll could be your next adventure.
What I Love (and Why)
- Easy to learn in one minute
- Fast rounds; you can fit a race between pizza slices
- Great table talk; cheering feels natural
- Works for kids with candy or tickets
- Teaches a bit of odds without a lecture
- Packs small; toss it in a tote
And the dice sound nice on wood. That little clack? It’s part of the magic.
What Bugged Me (But Didn’t Break It)
- Some sets have flimsy horses that tip
- The felt mat can curl at the edges
- If you don’t balance the 7, it can run away with it
- Chips are cheap and light; we swapped in poker chips
- Storage is meh; I use a zip bag
- If folks bet cash, set limits so it stays friendly
Curious how the buzz of dice compares to the whirl of a historical horse-racing machine? I tried one in Louisiana and wrote about the whole scene right here.
Tiny pieces are a thing. If you’ve got toddlers, keep an eye out. We all know how that goes.
Felt Set vs. Fancy Wood
I own the felt set. It’s budget friendly and easy to pack. It’s great for parties, game night, and classrooms.
The wooden “Across the Board” set I tried at my neighbor’s house is lovely. The horses are metal. The board feels heirloom. Rolls feel smoother. It’s pricey, but it’s a showpiece. If you host often, it’s a flex. If you just want laughs, the felt set is enough.
Board-game historians might point you toward vintage classics like Totopoly, but that one takes a couple of hours and far more rules—this dice race is the speedy cousin.
For even more horse-racing inspiration (and some gorgeous real-track photos), take a quick spin through PDV Racing before your next game.
Who Will Like This
- Families with kids 7 and up
- Party hosts (Derby day is perfect)
- Bars or tailgates with a big table
- Teachers who want a quick probability lesson
- People who enjoy Yahtzee, LCR, or Farkle
Need a cheat-sheet for how often each dice total shows up? This quick two-page probability chart breaks down the odds.
If you want deep strategy, this isn’t that. It’s luck and laughs, with little bursts of math.
Little Moments That Stuck With Me
- My uncle whispered to the 9 horse like it could hear him. It won. He swears it worked.
- The “$2 on 12!” call turned into a chant. It hit once. The room exploded.
- We used my phone to play a starting bell. Did it help? No. Did we grin? Yup.
- Mint syrup made the mat sticky. Wiped clean with a damp cloth. Still, note to self: coasters.
Following real owners and their stables can add fresh context to the tabletop thrills—like the season I spent shadowing John Stewart, which you can read about in this diary.
Quick Tips That Help
- Put a cloth under the mat so it doesn’t slide
- Use real poker chips; feel matters
- Keep a small whiteboard for bets and wins
- House rule ideas:
- 7 moves only on doubles
- 12 moves two spaces
- Roll doubles, roll again
- Keep the bank small. It stays fun and friendly.
Final Call
This game is simple joy. It brings noise and smiles fast. It can teach kids odds without a worksheet. It turns grown-ups into race callers. And it fits in a tote bag.
My score:
- As a party game: 4.5 out of 5
- As a two-player night: 3 out of 5
- As a family pick with candy bets: solid 4 out of 5
Would I bring it to the next Derby party? Oh yes. I’m already picking a lucky horse. And I’m hiding the 10 from Olive this time.