When we hear the word “Vikings,” our imagination paints fierce longships cutting through icy seas, raids on distant shores, and the clash of weapons in furious battle. But behind this warrior image lies a less obvious side of their lives — gambling. For the Norse, games were not just entertainment during idle hours but a test of fate, one that could end up far more serious than the loss of a silver bracelet. A single roll of the dice could decide not only the fate of a weapon or a plot of land, but sometimes the future of an entire clan.
How They Passed the Time Between Raids
Winter in the North was long and harsh, and in earlier times these months of darkness forced life to center around the hearth in great halls. Firelight, drinking, the comfort of furs — and games.
While the longships waited for spring in their harbors, bored warriors passed the time with dice or hnefatafl. Excavations in Trondheim uncovered gaming boards and pieces in the homes of ordinary craftsmen, so we know with certainty that gambling was not only a pastime for the elite but also for common folk.
What the Bones Reveal
Archaeological finds show beyond doubt that gambling was woven into everyday Viking life. In Birka, a major trading hub of the 9th–10th centuries, dozens of dice carved from reindeer antler and animal bone have been unearthed. In Jorvik, the Viking settlement that later became York, excavations in the 1980s uncovered more than thirty dice and gaming pieces from the 10th century.
On Gotland, dice cut from stone with neatly drilled dots were found, evidence of skilled craftsmanship. The heavy wear marks on these objects prove they were used often and with great enthusiasm.
But dice weren’t only for play. They were also thrown for divination, known in Old Norse as hlutir (“lots”), with the result trusted not as chance but as the will of the gods. A single toss could decide who would go raiding and who would face the grim fate of being sacrificed. For the Norse, dice stood at the border between the everyday and the sacred.
Hnefatafl and Other Strategy Games
If dice represented the game of chance, hnefatafl — “the king’s table” — was the battlefield of the mind. Boards have been found all over Scandinavia: one of the best-known was discovered at Baldruin in Norway, dating to the 10th century, with clear markings for pieces. In Birka, glass and amber playing pieces were recovered — proof that the wealthy played too. In Jorvik, archaeologists found a square board with bone pieces, most likely for tafl.
Were these games played for amusement alone? Hardly. As the Saga of Hrolf the Walker puts it:
“Their games were not for play, but for gold, weapons, and land, and often after a long match one man left with nothing.”
For a Viking, tafl was no mere pastime but a test of patience, wit, and the courage to take risks. Winning brought both wealth and respect. Losing could mark a man with shame.
Losing an Axe is Like Losing Honor
What did Vikings stake? Almost everything they valued. Silver arm rings and bracelets are the most common finds, often deliberately broken into pieces to serve as “chips” in wagers. But it didn’t stop at jewelry. The sagas tell of men staking swords and axes, and losing one’s weapon was considered nearly as ruinous as losing honor itself.
And sometimes it went further still. Land, houses, entire estates could be wagered. Archaeological evidence from Iceland suggests that the transfer of farmsteads was in some cases linked directly to gambling. For a Viking, losing might mean not only forfeiting property but also the ability to feed a family or support a warband. Warriors whose reputations rested on strength and luck risked just as much in the game as on the battlefield. A mistake could cost too much — from a blade to a life.
Gambling and Divination: A Fine Line
Among the Norse, gambling and divination were intertwined. The same dice tossed in a hall for fun could be used in a ritual the next morning to learn the gods’ will. The Ynglinga saga tells us:
“Such was the custom, that they cast lots, and by the lot it was determined who should be given in sacrifice, who should inherit land, and who should go to war.”
For the Vikings, casting dice was never just a casual gesture but an act of trust in fate. At the heart of this belief were the Norns — Urðr (Past), Verðandi (Present), and Skuld (Future) — mythical beings who spun the threads of human life. Their decisions could not be changed, and dice throws were seen only as glimpses of what had already been set.
Lot-casting and divination were part of daily psychology. Dice could divide plunder, select a leader for a dangerous task, or decide who would stay behind. Sometimes they were used alongside runes (rúnar), with both methods seen as ways of uncovering the “right path.”
This is why the line between pastime and sacred ritual blurred. Games were never “just games.” Every throw carried the weight of belief that man simply followed the course woven by the gods, and dice merely revealed what was already fated.
And What About Today?
Centuries have passed, yet the thrill of risk has not left us. In Viking times, a throw of the dice or a game of hnefatafl could decide whether you lived or died. Today the stakes are less fatal, but the impulse has shifted into the digital age. Online casinos are now the arenas where luck is tested, only instead of carved bone dice and amber pieces, we use virtual coins and glowing screens.
What’s striking is how Norse mythology still inspires modern gaming. Popular titles like Vikings Go Berzerk by Yggdrasil, Hall of Gods by NetEnt, or Age of the Gods: Norse by Playtech bring the Aesir, mythic beasts, and legendary heroes into the mechanics of slots and table games. These designs echo the old atmosphere where every wager felt like a trial of fate.
On some platforms like Luckster sister sites and many others such Viking-themed games appear right alongside classic poker, blackjack, or roulette. This blend shows that the myths of Thor, Mjolnir, and Jormungandr have not faded but found a natural place within today’s gaming culture.
Of course, losing in the 10th century could mean the loss of a weapon, land, or even freedom, while today it shows up only as numbers on a balance sheet. Yet the feeling is the same: that heartbeat pause while the outcome hangs in the air. From the dice unearthed in Birka to modern games filled with Norse gods, one thread connects it all — the timeless human desire to cast lots and discover whether fortune favors us… or not.
Featured image courtesy of the Viking Herald
