Super Bowl Drinking Games: How to Run Game Day (Quarter by Quarter)
The best Super Bowl drinking games run on the game clock: a beer pong bracket before kickoff, a “drink when…” card for every quarter, flip cup at halftime, and a team-vs-team showdown for the fourth quarter. It’s a long game, so this plan keeps the party going without anyone tapping out before the trophy comes out.
Jump to: The plan · Pregame pong · Drink cards · Halftime · Fourth quarter · Setup · FAQ
The plan
| When | Game | Why then |
|---|---|---|
| Pregame | Beer pong bracket | People show up early and nobody’s watching yet |
| 1st–3rd quarter | Drink cards | Everyone can play from the couch |
| Halftime | Flip cup, team vs. team | A long break with nothing to watch except the show |
| 4th quarter | Fan pong | Settle the rivalry while the game does |
Pregame: the beer pong bracket
Pregame is when people actually want to play, so run a quick bracket. Name your teams after the two squads playing, take sign-ups as people arrive, and play 6-cup games so it’s done by kickoff.
- Pick your side: every team plays for one of the two Super Bowl teams. The winning side’s fans pick the snacks for halftime.
- Got a crowd? Switch to Civil War, three per side, no turns.
- Free printable brackets are in our tournament guide.
Quarters 1–3: drink cards
Write these on index cards and hand everyone one card per quarter. When it happens on screen, you drink. Swap cards at the end of every quarter.
| Card | Drink when… |
|---|---|
| Flag on the play | a penalty is called |
| Rookie mistake | someone fumbles or throws an interception |
| Replay booth | a play goes to review |
| Broadcast booth | the announcers mention a player’s mom |
| Fourth and short | a team goes for it on fourth down |
| Ad break | a commercial has an animal in it |
| Celebrity cameo | a commercial has a celebrity in it |
| Coach cam | the camera cuts to a coach yelling |
- Touchdown rule: on every touchdown, the fans of the team that got scored on finish their drink. Small pours, it’s a long game.
- Take a sip, not a shot. That’s three quarters of football. Pace it.
Skip the index cards: print our game day drink cards (PDF), cut them out and deal.
Halftime: flip cup, team vs. team
Halftime is long, and only half the room cares about the show. Line both fan bases up across the pong table for flip cup, best of three.
- Winner’s side picks what’s on the TV for the rest of halftime.
- Not enough people? Run a boat race instead, or a quick round of Rage Cage around the snack table.
Fourth quarter: fan pong
Close game? Put one player from each fan base on the pong table and play Baseball Pong, one inning per possession. Blowout? Play regular beer pong with the losing fan base on the trophy rack.
- Two-minute warning rule: any cup made during the two-minute warning counts double.
- Overtime in the game means overtime on the table: three cups, sudden death.
Game-day setup
- Put the table where you can see the TV. Nobody wants to miss the big play.
- Rules on the wall: hang a House Rules sign so the pong table isn’t another penalty review.
- Light up the corner with an LED beer pong sign.
- Food out all game, water on every table, and rides home sorted before kickoff.
FAQ
What are good drinking games for the Super Bowl?
Drink cards for the game itself (penalties, reviews, commercials), beer pong before kickoff, and flip cup at halftime.
How do you play a Super Bowl drinking game without getting wrecked by halftime?
Take sips instead of shots, keep pours small, and only make big drinks (like the touchdown rule) for the team that got scored on.
What can you play at halftime?
Flip cup, fans vs. fans. It’s fast, anyone can play, and it’s done before the third quarter starts.
Can you play these without drinking?
Yes. Use soda or water, and turn the drink cards into a points game.
Hosting Thanksgiving first? Here’s our Thanksgiving drinking games plan. More games for game day: see all our party games.
Planning the whole year? See the beer pong party calendar.