Boat Race Drinking Game: Rules for the Classic Team Relay

Boat Race is the original team drinking relay, and the game flip cup grew out of. Two teams line up across from each other. The first player drinks, puts the empty cup upside down on their head, and only then can the next teammate go. First team down the line wins. Zero skill required, maximum trash talk.

What you need

  • A table, or just two lines of players
  • One cup per player, filled with the same small amount (a few ounces)
  • 2 teams with the same number of players (4 to 8 each is ideal)
  • A referee or a neutral friend to call “go” and watch for cheating

How to set up

  1. Teams line up on opposite sides of a table, each player facing an opponent.
  2. Pour every cup to the same level. Uneven cups are the number one Boat Race argument.
  3. Pick an order. The first and last players (the “stroke” and the “cox” in the original rowing slang) are usually the fastest drinkers.

How to play Boat Race

  1. The referee says “go.” The first player on each team picks up their cup and drinks it.
  2. When they’re done, they put the empty cup upside down on their head. That’s the signal for the next teammate to start.
  3. The next player can’t touch their cup until the player before them has the cup on their head.
  4. Repeat down the line. The first team to have every cup empty and on a head wins.

Boat Race rules disputes

  • False start: picking up your cup early means you start over with a full cup.
  • Drips: if liquid drips from a cup on your head, you weren’t done. Refill a splash and drink again.
  • Uneven teams: the shorter team picks a player to go twice.

Boat Race vs. flip cup

Same lineup, same relay. In Boat Race you’re done when the cup is on your head; in flip cup you have to flip the empty cup from the table edge so it lands upside down, which slows things down and adds skill. If your group has a slow drinker, flip cup evens the field.

FAQ

Why is it called a boat race?

The game comes from British university rowing clubs, where teams of eight raced like a rowing crew.

How much do you pour in each cup?

A few ounces is plenty. Keep every cup the same so the race is fair.

Can you play without alcohol?

Yes. Water or soda works, and the relay is just as competitive.

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