A dice tattoo is a very common tattoo and the dice tattoo meaning varies for each person. Dice are often associated with other luck symbols within the tattoo, but can they also be associated with other symbols that aren’t so lucky.
Dice are primarily seen as symbols of luck, gambling, taking risks, “rolling the dice,” or entering a new phase of life where you are taking a chance on something. A dice tattoo with a skull symbol for example will send a very different message than a dice tattoo with a rainbow symbol.
Learn more about the different dice tattoo meanings here.
Different Dice Tattoo Meanings
There isn’t just one meaning behind a dice tattoo. While the themes of luck, risk, gambling, and fortune are behind some of the meanings, there are other ideas a dice tattoo expresses.
Luck
The most obvious dice tattoo meaning is that of luck. Dice represent good luck and good fortune. A dice tattoo image combined with phrases such as “Good Luck” may be a good luck charm for the wearer.
Chance
At first glance, a dice tattoo meaning may seem to be only about luck. But it actually goes deeper than that when it symbolizes the concept of chance — the possibility of something happening. In this context, a dice tattoo is about taking risks, of taking a gamble on something (not necessarily “gambling” in terms of games), of wishing for luck in one’s efforts.
There’s a sense of “roll the dice,” where someone takes a chance to see what happens and hopes for a positive outcome.
Winning Or Success
A dice tattoo also suggests the person wearing it is a little bold and uninhibited by conventions. They may be a roll-with-the-punches type of individual, or have experienced success in their life by playing a spontaneous game at some point. They might be a go-getter that likes to take a chance, or has to take a chance every day. You might even see a stock broker or investor with a dice tattoo for that reason.
Uncertainty
Someone wearing a dice tattoo may also be expressing a personal belief that life is random and uncertain. The message may even be along the lines of a pessimistic “I don’t care” outlook since nothing in life is certain.
Or the person may have a more optimistic view of the randomness of life — a dice tattoo may mean that unexpected surprises are just around the corner.
Dice Tattoo Variations
There are many different variations of the dice tattoo, and that means that there are many different symbols or elements that can be included in the tattoo. These additional elements give the dice tattoo meaning a personal aspect for the wearer.
Symbols that are connected to gambling and casinos are common with dice tattoo. You might see it with playing cards, money, suits of a deck of a cards, and poker chips.
Luck symbols are commonly associated with dice tattoo. These symbols would bear a positive message with the tattoo and could include money, horseshoes, pot of gold, and lady luck.
If someone gets a dice tattoo to symbolize a darker or more unlucky time in their life, or someone else’s, the tattoo could include flames, skulls, and even black cats. Sometimes the eight ball from a pool table is shown with a dice tattoo. An eight ball is the last ball shot at the end of a pool game, that could be an end game signal, or it could signify the end of a chapter for the person with that tattoo.
Dice tattoo could have some or all of these symbols. The symbols and variations aren’t the only things telling the story of the dice tattoo. The styles of the dice tattoo will also tell the story of why this tattoo was selected.
Dice Tattoo Styles
There are many different kinds of dice tattoo styles, all of which can be done in any of the mainstream styles of tattoo. The most common styles of tattoo include realism, blackwork, neo traditional, tribalism, new school, traditional, and watercolor designs.
For dice tattoos, the most common tattoos you are going to see are traditional, realism, watercolor, and tribalism. There is nothing that says you can’t get your own tattoo in a different style.
Perhaps the most fascinating kind of tattoo style for dice is the realism style. This is a style of tattoo that everybody covets, as it looks as if the art is jumping off the skin. You need a specialized designer and artist to get the right effect. In realism tattoos with dice, the art is layered and the tattoo is performed in multiple layers in order to achieve the desired effect of a 3D tattoo.
Watercolor tattoos are some of the most fun tattoos, as they look like an actual painting on the skin. Often done in bright colors, these tattoos have a more celebratory tone than realism or black work tattoos.
Dice tattoos can also be done as tribal tattoos. A tribal tattoo is a tattoo with many intricate designs that convey a specific culture. They express the heritage of an individual, and also sometimes are designed to convey a sense of power and strength.
Dice Tattoo Considerations
In general, there aren’t any strong negative messages that a dice tattoo represents for the wearer. There is one variation of the tattoo to be aware of — a pair of die where the side with two (2) dots is most prominently featured on each die. This is a tattoo that some members of the Vagos Motorcycle club wear. It’s a very unique tattoo, so the odds of you inadvertently getting it are extremely low.
Overall, the dice tattoo says that the individual is a risk taker or likes to roll the dice and take chances. If that feels like your personality, then a dice tattoo could be for you.
Dice Tattoo Placement
There is no wrong placement when it comes to dice tattoo and how to convey its meaning. The most common placements for dice tattoo are on the arms, where they will be seen the most. They are most commonly seen on the forearms of the wearer.
However, you can get dice tattoo wherever you wish. If your dice tattoo meaning is on the darker side and you don’t want too many people to see it, you might want to have it on your back, on your ankle above your sock line.
If you do want it to be seen, regardless of what shirt you are wearing, you might have it placed on the back of your neck, your hands even, and it’s not uncommon to see smaller dice tattoo around the front of the neck and even the face.
Dice Tattoo Image Examples
There are countless forms a dice tattoo can take and the dice themselves can be done in different shapes. Below are some images that could potentially be used as templates for tattoos. Browse them for inspiration about how you’d like your own dice tattoo to look.
Classic 6-Sided Dice
This image of a pair of die could make for a striking tattoo done in blackwork with a retro art feel to it.
The same image can also be used with some subtle color added for a slightly different look that still has the feel of retro art.
Whimsical
This dice image has multiple types of game dice painted with different colors. This is an excellent template for a watercolor style dice tattoo — the colors lend a sense of cheerfulness to the meaning.
This image would make an interesting and unique dice tattoo. The shape of the die are not drawn in their entirety, but are suggested with a more abstract art style.
Luck Symbolism
In this image, dice appear with other symbols of luck. This image has lots of possibility for various color schemes.
This image includes the word “Hope” in addition to “Luck” to give a dice tattoo meaning an optimistic tone.
In this comic book-style image, the dice serve as the eyes of a woman — possibly a representation of Lady Luck.
Chance Or Risk
The flames shown with the dice give the image a sense of volatility and danger. This could be a template for a tattoo with very detailed and colorful flames.
This image sends a strong message of taking chances and risks in life.
This is another image with a die in it that expresses the belief that life is about taking risks and chances.
In this image, dice are just one of many symbols that represent the gangster/outlaw lifestyle.
There are a number of symbols representing risk, along with the somber message of “Game Over” in this image. If used for a tattoo, it would express a darker dice tattoo meaning.
Dice and the Number 7
An additional feature you can use in a dice tattoo is the number seven, which is considered a lucky number. You can have your dice tattoo made so that the dice add up to the number seven, and this brings a spiritual or supernatural aspect to your dice tattoo.
In fact, if you go back to take a second look at the earlier images, you’ll notice that quite a few of them show sides that add up to the number 7 (one image even shows three different ways to combine the dots to equal 7).
Are You Ready to Get a Dice Tattoo?
The traditional dice tattoo meaning is about taking a gamble with life to see where it goes. It’s not always a bad ending when you take a chance in life. In fact, great successes have come about from taking big risks, so a dice tattoo meaning can be optimistic and hopeful.
To some, a dice tattoo meaning may be about taking another chance at life, despite past losses or negative outcomes. Or there is a sense of “might as well risk it, since life is random anyway” — this could be a message implying recklessness or embracing life’s uncertainty.
Finally, dice tattoos with darker symbolic imagery send strong messages about risky lifestyles where the possibility is high for negative outcomes. Or they represent past experiences where luck was not with the person.
So now that we’ve explored some of the concepts that a dice tattoo meaning can stand for, it’s up to you to decide if a dice tattoo says something meaningful about your personality and outlook on life. If any of these ideas resonate with you, then a dice image might be a good choice of tattoo for you to get.
To explore the meanings behind other tattoo images, click here for other articles in our Tattoo Meaning series.
