Dice
Dice were invented as the world's earliest form of gambling. The stakes, according to popular mythology, were very high. The Greek gods were rolling dice in order to lay claim to their possession of the universe. Dice were rolled by the Egyptian gods as a way of adding days to the calendar.
Dice today are most often used in gambling. One should not overlook, however, the hundreds of exciting games that do not involve gambling, many of which are family-oriented.
Dice games are also popular. These are games unto themselves that require no additional equipment with which to play them. There are several useful websites and books available that are dedicated to dice games and their rules and strategies. But there are also many popular board games that use dice. Some favorites include Monopoly, Risk, Trivial Pursuit, Snakes & Ladders, and of course, Yahtzee.
Cube shaped dice are relatively standard. But dice can come in a variety of sizes and colors. Other shapes, with differing number combinations, are less common.
Standard dice are available for as little as $1 for a pack of three to six; larger, more expensive packages are also available.