Yahtzee scoring: categories, the 63-point bonus and extra Yahtzees
June 28, 2026 · 4 min read
Quick answer
Yahtzee is scored across 13 category boxes: the upper section sums each die number and pays a 35-point bonus if it reaches 63, while the lower section covers combos — full house 25, small straight 30, large straight 40, Yahtzee 50. Every extra Yahtzee is worth a 100-point bonus.
How does the Yahtzee score sheet work?
Each of the 13 turns ends with exactly one box being filled — with a score or with a zero. The upper section has one box per die face (Aces through Sixes) and scores the sum of matching dice; reaching 63 or more up there (the equivalent of three of each number) earns the 35-point bonus.
The lower section scores the combos:
- Three of a kind — sum of all five dice
- Four of a kind — sum of all five dice
- Full house — 25 points
- Small straight (four in a row) — 30 points
- Large straight (five in a row) — 40 points
- Yahtzee (five of a kind) — 50 points
- Chance — sum of all five dice, any roll
How do extra Yahtzees and jokers work?
If you roll a Yahtzee after already scoring 50 in the Yahtzee box, you earn a 100-point bonus — then place the roll using the joker rules: fill the matching upper section box if it is open, otherwise any lower section box at its normal value.
If your Yahtzee box holds a zero, later Yahtzees earn no bonus, but the joker placement rules still apply.
Common scoring mistakes in Yahtzee
- Giving up on the upper section bonus too early — those 35 points decide close games.
- Claiming the 100-point bonus when the Yahtzee box was zeroed — the bonus requires a scored 50 first.
- Misapplying joker rules and cherry-picking a lower box while the matching upper box is still open.
- Simple addition errors on the pad — the grand total spans three subtotals and is rarely re-checked.
What's the easiest way to track Yahtzee scores?
Yahtzee is the original score-pad game — and the pads run out. Logging just the final totals gives your family the all-time leaderboard the pad never could.
RivalBoard is a free score tracker for exactly this: log each Yahtzee match in seconds and your group gets a shared leaderboard with win percentages, streaks and head-to-head records. Still weighing your options? See our comparison of paper, spreadsheets and apps for tracking board game scores.
Frequently asked questions
What is the bonus in Yahtzee?
If your upper section (Aces through Sixes) totals 63 or more — the equivalent of three dice of each number — you add a 35-point bonus. It is the most commonly forgotten entry on the sheet.
How much is a second Yahtzee worth?
Each Yahtzee rolled after you have already scored 50 in the Yahtzee box adds a 100-point bonus, and the roll is then placed in another box following the joker rules.
What is a good Yahtzee score?
Around 250 is a solid game, and anything over 300 usually means the upper bonus plus a Yahtzee. Multiple Yahtzee bonuses push scores far beyond that.
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