“Let’s stay in and watch Jeopardy,” said no one ever. But combine your prowess for trivia with some drinks at a local bar and you’ve got yourself a date!
If you have never been to a pub quiz before, here’s how it works. There is typically a quizmaster, or host, who delivers questions for a number of rounds. Rounds can range from a variety of topics from general knowledge on sports, science, and history to more specific topics, like knowing the name of a B-list actor. Many trivia nights also feature name-that-tune audio rounds, as well as picture rounds.
Have you ever worried that you and your date will have nothing in common? Well, that probably makes you perfect teammates for pub trivia, because the more diverse your interests, the greater the potential that someone will know the answer to a question!
Teams usually consist of up to six players, so you can either bring other couples with you to play or join up with other players you meet at the bar. Some trivia nights have a loyal following, so the amount of teams at a particular trivia night could range from a modest number to up to 30 teams.
One of the best parts of trivia is trying to come up with a unique and clever name for your team. Some people like using quiz puns, like “The Jeopar-divas,” “My Trivia Partner Doesn’t Know This is a Date,” or “Quizteama Aguilera.”
Teams submit their answers on paper at the end of each round to the trivia host, who tallies up the points. Depending on the venue, the winners usually get some sort of prize, not to mention bragging rights. Prizes can range anywhere from cash or gift cards, to covering your entire bar tab.
If you have a particular area of knowledge that you want to show off, many bars advertise themed quiz nights. Some popular examples include: Game of Thrones, Star Wars, Friends, and Disney. Since many bars and pubs list their schedules of events online, it is easy to peruse websites to seek the quiz night that matches your interests or area of expertise. For added fun, many people will arrive dressed in costume based on that night’s theme.
The company Geeks Who Drink, which started in 2006 in Denver, has become the largest nation-wide trivia host. Its website includes schedules for quiz nights along with all of the participating bars that you can search for by state. The quizmaster for Geeks Who Drink is also in charge of posting photos and outcomes on the Facebook page if you’re competitive and want to see how other teams have fared. On some evenings, Geeks Who Drink hosts Quiz for A Cause and donates the proceeds to nationwide charities.
Get involved in this American favorite at bars, and show off your knowledge!
Featured Image by ercwttmn on Flickr
Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-ND 2.0)
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