Beer Ball Rules: How to Play the Can-Knocking Drinking Game

Beer Ball is the game for when you’ve got cans and a crowd. Every player sets a full, open can on their end of the table. Teams take turns throwing a ping pong ball at the other side’s cans. Knock one over and your whole team starts drinking, and keeps going until the other team chases down the ball and gets set. First team to empty every can wins. It’s a sprint, so pace yourself.

What you need

  • A long table, like an 8 ft beer pong table, or a patch of flat ground
  • One unopened can per player (light beer, seltzer, or soda for non-drinkers)
  • One ping pong ball (some groups use a tennis ball outdoors)
  • 2 teams of 2 to 4 players

How to set up

  1. Each team stands at one end of the table.
  2. Every player opens their can and sets it on the table edge in front of them, spaced a few inches apart.
  3. Agree on a throw line. On a table, that’s your own table edge; outdoors, mark a line about 10 to 15 feet from the other team’s cans.

How to play Beer Ball

  1. Throw. Teams alternate throws, one player at a time. Throw the ball at the other team’s cans.
  2. Hit a can. If your throw knocks a can over, everyone on your team picks up their own can and starts drinking.
  3. Stop the clock. The team that got hit has to stand the can back up, chase down the ball, and get back behind their line. The moment they’re set and shout “stop,” your team puts its cans down.
  4. Miss. A miss passes the throw to the other team. Nobody drinks.
  5. Finish. When you think your can is empty, turn it upside down over your head. If anything drips out, you keep drinking. The first team with every can empty wins.

Beer Ball house rules

  • Hit vs. knock over: some houses only count a can that falls over; others count any hit. Decide before the first throw.
  • No defense: you can’t block or catch a ball headed for your own cans.
  • Bounce shots: on a table, a bounce that knocks over a can counts the same as a direct hit.
  • Spilled can: if a can tips and spills, its owner keeps playing with whatever is left. Nobody gets a refill.
  • Beersbee: the outdoor cousin, played with poles, bottles and a frisbee.

Tips

  • Aim at the middle can. A near miss can still clip the one next to it.
  • Send your fastest runner after the ball and leave everyone else at the table. That’s strategy.
  • Go small or go light. Beer Ball is a chugging game and it moves fast. Smaller cans keep it a game instead of a dare.

FAQ

How many people do you need for Beer Ball?

Four, two per team. It’s best with three or four per side.

Do you have to finish the whole can?

Yes. A team wins only when every player’s can is empty, checked by turning it upside down.

Can you play Beer Ball without alcohol?

Yes. Use soda or sparkling water; the race to finish works the same.

More party games: Circle of Death (Kings Cup), Power Hour, Rage Cage, Slap Cup, Chandeliers, Quarters, flip cup, Boat Race, Beer Die, Dizzy Bat. See them all on our party games page, or play the classic with the full rules of beer pong.