How To Play The 7-14-21 Drinking Game

For many Americans, drinking games bring back memories of college parties and cheap beers. Yet playful imbibing can take on many contexts: from diving into Korean culture with the trendy APT drinking game to getting a buzz going during the halftime show at the Super Bowl. And if you're heading to a Wisconsin dive bar for a round or two, you'll want to brush up on the rules of the 7-14-21 dice game.

This contest comes down to designating the purchase and consumption of drinks — typically a shot of liquor. The game's intended for groups; you'll need at least three people to play, but you can incorporate more. As for the gear, all that's necessary is a cup with five dice and a surface to roll them on, ideally a bar.

The essence of the game boils down to rolling a one (an ace). To start, every person throws a single die, and the highest number begins. Then players go from right to left, shaking and releasing all five dice using the cup, and counting the accumulated aces across the entire group. Whenever someone hits the namesake sums of 7, 14, or 21, an action is assigned: for example, select a drink when the total is 7, buy it at 14, and drink at 21. The precise ordering can change, but the premise is consistent: Someone is expected to take liquor straight up at multiples of 7, all to the cheers of fellow participants.

Wisconsin's drinking culture runs proud, so when a lively bar scene meets popular dice drinking games, you can expect plenty of bar-specific renditions. Concerning 7-14-21, house rules modify not only each number-associated action, but also the way numbers are counted. Some bars might remove a die or two once reaching a certain tally, shifting the rhythm of the game. Other house rules could allow players to sneakily transfer the dice whenever the sum is 20. So before engaging in a dice-drinking battle, check in regarding local protocol.

Furthermore, you'll want to come prepared knowing that 7-14-21 is only one of many dice drinking game options. For instance, there's also a popular version called Shake of the Day. With this one, players take their turn either rolling one round of dice that adds up to a specific number, or attempting to achieve a maximum sum using three rolls. Often played against a bartender, the reward is a free drink or cash to pay for a drink. Just remain wary: nomenclature, the manner of counting, and even dice-handling etiquette differ from bar to bar. Ultimately, the real goal is to revel among fellow participants, so observe the rules carefully and you'll be included in the fun.