To capture the inherent fun in playing the game, he began organizing Yahtzee parties where people could learn and play the game. Initial advertising campaigns promoted the game’s educational attributes and “fun for the entire family” but resulted in lackluster sales, leading the entrepreneurial Lowe to try something different. Lowe changed the name of the Yacht Game to Yahtzee and began marketing it. The name of the couple has never been revealed and, despite the success of the game, no one has ever come forward to take credit for its invention. They readily agreed with the sole stipulation that he give 1,000 units to them. Seeing potential in the Yacht Game, he offered to buy the rights to it from the couple. Lowe’s company had previously introduced the game of Bingo to U.S. Loosely based on other historical dice games, the ‘Yacht Game’ became a hit with their friends, leading the couple to contact New York-based toy maker Edwin Lowe to produce copies of the game that they could give as gifts. Historical accounts give credit for the game’s invention to an anonymous (and wealthy) Canadian couple who created it as a form of entertainment while at sea on their yacht. Lowe company, the ‘shake and score’ dice game of luck and probability has a quirky story of origin. Lowe Company | Release date: 1956 | Where to purchase: eBay
