Dice Ski Jumping Game: Rules, Scoring Charts and Odds
Dice ski jumping is a winter sports contest for two to six players. Each jump takes two rolls: two dice decide how far you fly, and one die decides how well you land. Every jumper gets two jumps, and the highest total wins. You need two dice and a pencil, and a contest takes about ten minutes. Below are the rules, both charts and the exact chance of each score.
What you need
- Two six-sided dice, or a dice roller.
- A score sheet with a row for each jumper and columns for jump 1, jump 2 and the total.
- Two to six players.
- A random name picker to set the start order.
Who jumps first?
Put every jumper’s name into a random name picker and draw them one by one. That is the start order for the first round. In the second round, jump in reverse order of the scores, so the leader jumps last, as in real ski jumping. Every jump is rolled the same way, so the order does not change anyone’s chances. It just adds suspense.
How to play
- Distance: roll two dice, add them up and look at the distance chart below.
- Style: unless you fell, roll one die and look at the style chart. Add the style points to the distance points. That is the score for the jump.
- Every jumper makes two jumps. Add both jumps together for the final score.
- The highest total wins. If two jumpers are level, the one with the better single jump wins. If that is equal too, they each jump once more.
Real ski jumping is also scored on distance and style, and judges give extra style marks for a telemark landing, with one foot in front of the other. The charts here are a simple home version, not an official scoring system, so agree on them before the first jump.
The distance chart
In the table, “Distance roll” is the total of the two dice, “The jump” is what happens and how many points it gives, and “Chance” is the exact probability out of the 36 ways two dice can land.
| Distance roll | The jump | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Fall: 20 points and no style roll | 1 in 36 |
| 3 or 4 | Short jump: 40 points | 5 in 36 |
| 5 to 9 | Good jump: 60 points | 24 in 36 |
| 10 or 11 | Long jump: 80 points | 5 in 36 |
| 12 | Hill record: 100 points | 1 in 36 |
Two jumps in three are good jumps, because the middle totals are the most common, as explained in our guide to dice probability. Short jumps and long jumps are equally likely, 5 in 36 each.
The style chart
In the next table, “Style roll” is the number on one die, “The landing” is how it looks and how many points it adds, and “Chance” is the exact probability.
| Style roll | The landing | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wobbly landing: 10 points | 1 in 6 |
| 2, 3, 4 or 5 | Clean landing: 15 points | 4 in 6 |
| 6 | Perfect telemark: 20 points | 1 in 6 |
The most common single jump is 75 points, a good jump with a clean landing, which comes 4 times in 9. The best possible jump is 120 points, a hill record with a perfect telemark, which comes 1 time in 216. On average one jump is worth about 75 points, and two jumps about 149.
What score wins?
The more jumpers there are, the higher the winning score tends to be. In the next table, “Jumpers” is the number of players, “Average winning score” is the typical total of the winner over two jumps, and the last column is how often the winner reaches 170 points or more.
| Jumpers | Average winning score | Winner scores 170 or more |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | about 161 | about 38% |
| 4 | about 170 | about 61% |
| 6 | about 176 | about 76% |
A perfect contest of two 120-point jumps comes 1 time in 46,656. With two jumpers, the totals are level about 11% of the time, so the “better single jump” rule is needed quite often. These numbers are worked out exactly from the rules, not simulated.
Tips
- Draw a ski jump on the score sheet and mark each jump with a little skier.
- Let one player be the judge who calls out the style roll, like a real panel of judges.
- For a longer contest, give everyone three jumps.
- Hold a team event: add up the scores of each team’s jumpers.
Classroom ideas
- Adding: pupils add the distance and style points for each jump and then the two jumps together.
- Probability: why is a clean landing four times as likely as a perfect telemark? Count the faces of one die.
- Multiplying chances: work out the chance of the best jump: 1 in 36 for the hill record times 1 in 6 for the telemark is 1 in 216.
- Data: collect the winning scores of several contests and compare them with the table.
Variations
- Wind: before each round, roll one die. On a 6 there is a tailwind and every jump in that round gets 10 extra points.
- Big hill: on a double 6, roll two dice again and add 10 points for every 6, as the jumper keeps flying.
- Three jumps, best two count: everyone jumps three times and drops their worst jump.
- Team event: teams of two or three jumpers, and the team total wins.
If you like sports played with dice, try dice darts or the dice cycling race next.
For another winter sport, try dice curling, with the hammer, takeouts and steals.
FAQ
How do you play ski jumping with dice?
Roll two dice for the distance: a 2 is a fall, 3 or 4 is 40 points, 5 to 9 is 60, 10 or 11 is 80 and a 12 is 100. Then roll one die for the landing: 10, 15 or 20 style points. Two jumps each, and the highest total wins.
What is the best possible jump?
A hill record with a perfect telemark, 120 points. It comes 1 time in 216.
What score usually wins?
With four jumpers the winning total is about 170 on average. With two jumpers it is about 161.
What happens when you fall?
A fall, a roll of 2, scores 20 points and you skip the style roll. It happens 1 time in 36.
How do you break a tie?
The jumper with the better single jump wins. If that is equal too, both jump once more.
Does the start order matter?
No. Every jump is rolled the same way, so the order only adds suspense.