11 Best Betting Board Games for Top Wagering Fun
When piecing together our top list of the 11 best Betting/Wagering board games, we’re taking a seat at the table and laying out our experience on the chips. We focus on diversity in gameplay, the excitement of the risk-vs-reward mechanic, and the sheer fun each game brings. From bluffing your way to victory, to building an empire on a winning bet, our selection has it all. Each game we’ve played has been picked because it not only offers a thrill with every wager but also because it guarantees a memorable night for everyone involved – no poker faces needed.
Games on this list:
11 Camel Up
Camel Up is a delightful, family-friendly racing and betting game that always has us laughing whenever we bust it out. What sets it apart is its unpredictability as camels stack on top of each other and move as one unit, often upsetting the odds in dramatic fashion. It’s a perfect game for those who love a blend of strategy and luck, and the whimsical artwork adds to the fun.
10 Wits & Wagers
Wits & Wagers has an exceptional place in our gaming group for how seamlessly it combines trivia with betting. None of us need to be trivia buffs to win; it’s all about betting on the best guess. We’ve had many game nights where Wits & Wagers brings everyone from hardcore gamers to casual players to the table for some bet-placement fun.
9 Lords of Vegas
Every time we set up Lords of Vegas, the room becomes a hub of booming casinos and high stakes. In our experiences, the game brilliantly captures the spirit of Las Vegas development and gambling. Players like us, aiming to take control of casinos and edge out opponents, find depth and excitement in its strategic myriad of investment options.
8 Skull
Skull is the essence of bluffing distilled into a simple and aesthetically pleasing game. We’ve always enjoyed trying to outwit each other at game nights, revealing coasters to see if bets were genius or folly. Skull has a quickfire nature that’s easy to love and a depth that emerges from player interactions, making each round unpredictable and thrilling.
7 The Great Dalmuti
In the card game The Great Dalmuti, life isn’t fair—and that’s the point. We get a kick out of its social hierarchy, as we rush to shed cards and avoid becoming the lesser nobility. The quick, strategic gameplay tied with the levity of each round’s social theyexterity creates a dynamic betting atmosphere, a delight during casual nights.
6 BANG! The Dice Game
The showdown between outlaws and the sheriff is where BANG! The Dice Game shines. We adore the player interaction as dice are rolled, allegiances are guessed, and shots are fired. It’s about playing the odds and surviving the wild thrill; betting here happens between players in reads and bluffs, and it never gets old at any of our gatherings.
5 Vegas Showdown
For any of us with a dream of running our own high-end casino, Vegas Showdown makes that a hilarious and competitive possibility. It requires balancing bids for both building swanky venues and attracting visitors. We enjoy watching each other’s empires developing, with that delicious suspense of bidding rounds offering something much deeper than luck alone.
4 Sheriff of Nottingham
At the heart of Sheriff of Nottingham is the art of negotiation, persuasion, and the occasional bribe—core aspects of betting. We’ve spent countless evenings trying to sneak goods by each other or bluffing as the Sheriff, opening bags. It’s this social interaction that brings us back to the Sheriff’s table. Every round is rife with tension, laughter, and theatrics.
3 For Sale
For Sale’s quick and jocular approach to auction and bidding has brought out the mogul in each of us. This game provides an easy to follow, yet strategic, experience that works as both an intense battle of bids among enthusiasts and an accessible game that woos new players with its charm at any social gathering. As properties trade hands rapidly amidst laughter, For Sale proves itself repeatedly in our circle.
2 Manila
Manila is a spellbinding harbormaster’s dodge where we race boats and gamble on their success across treacherous waters. Our investment in these racing vessels’ fortunes drives heartfelt delight and despair in equal measure. It beautifully consolidates risk management with dice-driven race elements—weaving a tale of opportunistic pirates and daring bets that never fails to enthrall its players.
1 Ra
From all the times we’ve huddled around the Ra auction board, we deduct that it’s the epitome of tense, strategic bidding. Ra seamlessly entwines Ancient Egyptian lore within a competitive set collection mechanism. As epochs pass and fortunes are claimed or crumbled by the turn of a tile, Ra enchants us every time with its balance of strategy, timing, and of course—betting.
