Yahtzee has been a beloved game for generations, bringing friends and family together for some good old-fashioned fun. We’ve played it with our parents and now we’re doing it with our kids. That’s why we think it’s high time this classic got its own day of celebration. So, we’re proposing April 19th as National Yahtzee Day! We hope everyone will use the hashtag #NationalYahtzeeDay and #YahtzeeDay when posting on social media on that day.
We’re suggesting April 19th since that’s the day Edwin S. Lowe filed the game as a trademark with the U.S. Patent Office in 1956, officially marking its introduction to the world. Since then, millions of people have enjoyed the thrill of rolling five dice, hoping to score big with a Yahtzee. What better day to honor this fantastic game than on its “birthday”?
On April 19th, set aside some time to play, and maybe even try to beat your high score. It’s a perfect excuse to gather around the table and enjoy some quality time with friends and/or family. Share your favorite Yahtzee memories using the hashtag #NationalYahtzeeDay, maybe host a Yahtzee tournament, or even play it online. The goal is to have fun and keep the spirit of Yahtzee alive and well.
When is National Yahtzee Day?
National Yahtzee Day is celebrated on April 19th each year. April 19th is chosen as National Yahtzee Day because it’s the date when Edwin S. Lowe filed the game as a trademark with the U.S. Patent Office in 1956, officially marking Yahtzee’s introduction to the world.
Here’s a quick list of the National Yahtzee Day dates. Make sure you know what day of the week April 19th falls on so you can plan your epic game night!
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2025 | April 19, Saturday |
| 2026 | April 19, Sunday |
| 2027 | April 19, Monday |
| 2028 | April 19, Wednesday |
| 2029 | April 19, Thursday |
| 2030 | April 19, Friday |
Fun Facts About Yahtzee
To get you even more excited about National Yahtzee Day, here are a few fun facts about the game:
- The Name “Yahtzee”: The game was originally called “The Yacht Game” because it was first played on a yacht by a wealthy Canadian couple. They loved it so much they asked Edwin S. Lowe to produce sets for their friends. Lowe liked it so much, he bought the rights and renamed it Yahtzee.
- Chance of a Yahtzee: Ever wonder how often you can actually roll a Yahtzee? On average, you’ll roll a Yahtzee once every 1,296 rolls if you try to get it in a single roll. If you take two rolls, you’ll typically see a Yahtzee about once in every 81 tries. If you use all three rolls, you can expect to hit a Yahtzee roughly once in every 29 attempts.
- High Score Glory: The maximum score you can achieve without any Yahtzee bonuses is 351. If you manage to hit that, you’ve truly mastered the game.
- It’s More Than Luck: While rolling the dice might seem all about luck, there’s a good bit of strategy involved too. Knowing when to keep your current score and when to take a risk is key to becoming a Yahtzee champion.
Before You Go:
We have many more national days lists for you to explore.
- Food-related national days: complete list of national food days, pasta & noodles days, vegan & vegetarian days, mushroom days, ice-cream days, pizza days, coffee days, chocolate days, wine days, alcohol & drinking days.
- Non-food national days: National Days Calendars 2024-2025 (check out the printable calendars in my Etsy shop), National Days for Teachers, and a wide array of special lists such as cat days, dog days, animal days, cleaning & organizing days, book days, music days, family & relationships days, national days for women, stationery days and even Harry Potter days.
- Country-specific national days: Australian national days, more coming soon.
