Author: Matt

The football drinking game works for any NFL or college game: everyone picks a team, everyone gets drink cards for plays and broadcast moments, and a few big moments make the whole room drink. Swap cards every quarter and cap it at one sip per play, and you can play all of a Sunday without being done by the second game.

Jump to: How it works · Team rules · Drink cards · Everyone drinks · NFL, college and bowls · Halftime · Pace it · FAQ

How it works

1. Pick a side. Everyone in the room roots for one of the two teams. Split it evenly if the game doesn’t matter to anybody.
2. Deal the cards. Each player gets two drink cards: one play card and one broadcast card. Print ours or write them on index cards.
3. Sip when your card hits. One sip each time it happens on screen.
4. Swap every quarter. Pass your cards to the left at the end of each quarter so nobody is stuck with “Flag on the play” all game.
5. One sip per play, max. If a sack, a fumble and a review all happen on one play, you still take one sip. This is the rule that saves your Sunday.

Team rules

These apply to everyone, on top of their cards:

Drink cards

Each player draws one card from each list. Swap every quarter.

Play cards

Broadcast cards

Print them: our football drink cards (PDF) has every card on this page, including the college and bowl cards below, ready to cut out.

Everyone drinks

A few plays are big enough that the whole room takes a sip, cards or not:

• A pick-six or a scoop-and-score
• A safety
• A successful onside kick
• A missed extra point
• The game goes to overtime

NFL Sundays, prime time, college and bowl season

NFL Sunday

Three games in a row is a marathon. Play the full card game for one game (your team’s, or the best matchup), and only play the “everyone drinks” moments for the rest. Or switch to water cards: same cards, but each hit means a sip of water.

Thursday and Monday night

Work tomorrow? Play team rules only, no cards. Everyone still gets to complain about the refs.

College Saturday

Swap the broadcast cards for college cards:

Watching at the stadium instead? See our tailgate drinking games.

Bowl season

Bowl season brings a pile of games with sponsors in their names. Add these to the deck:

Big game coming up? Our Super Bowl drinking games plan runs the whole day, from a pregame bracket to fourth-quarter fan pong.

Halftime: get off the couch

Halftime is the only stretch without football, so use it.

• Flip cup, team vs. team: line up by the teams you picked. Losers wear the other team’s colors in the third quarter, if anyone has a jersey.
• A 6 cup beer pong game: one fan of each team per side. Short enough to finish before kickoff.
• Quarters: for when nobody wants to stand up.

Pace it

A football broadcast runs more than three hours. Even sips add up over that long, so:

• Sips, never chugs. And remember the one-sip-per-play cap.
• Water during commercials. There are a lot of them.
• Eat something by the second quarter. Wings count.
• Water cards are not lame. Every rule on this page works with water, soda or candy. Plan rides home before kickoff.

FAQ

What are the rules of the football drinking game?

Everyone picks a team and gets one play card and one broadcast card. Sip when your card happens, follow the team rules for scores and turnovers, and swap cards every quarter. Never more than one sip per play.

How do you play a drinking game during an NFL game?

Use team rules for scores and turnovers, add drink cards like “Flag on the play” and “Replay booth,” and have everyone drink for big moments like a pick-six or a safety. For a full Sunday, play cards for one game only.

Is there a college football drinking game?

Yes. Play the same game and swap the broadcast cards for college cards: the band, the mascot, the student section, Heisman talk and playoff rankings.

How do you not get wrecked during a football drinking game?

Cap it at one sip per play, drink water during commercials, and only play cards for one game on a multi-game day.

Can you play without drinking?

Yes. Use water, soda or candy, or keep score: one point per card hit, and the lowest score at the final whistle wins.

More game-day plans: Super Bowl drinking games, Thanksgiving drinking games and tailgate drinking games, or see all our party games.

Planning the whole season? See the beer pong party calendar.

Most Likely To is the drinking game that tells you what your friends really think of you. Someone asks “Who’s most likely to…?”, everyone points at once, and you drink once for every finger pointed at you. No cards, no table, no mercy.

What you need

• 4 or more players who know each other at least a little; 6 to 12 is best
• A drink for each player

How to play Most Likely To

1. Stand or sit in a circle.
2. Ask a question. The first player asks, “Who’s most likely to get lost on the way home tonight?”
3. Count to three and point. On three, everyone points at the person they pick, all at once. You can’t change your vote.
4. Drink for every finger. Each player takes one sip for every finger pointed at them.
5. Pass it on. The player with the most votes asks the next question. Tie? The asker picks.

House rules

• No pointing at yourself. Unless you’re confessing, in which case respect.
• Explain yourself: the person with the most votes can demand one voter explain their pick.
• Clean sweep: if everyone points at the same person, they finish their drink. Some houses make it just a double.
• Keep it roast-level, not mean. Funny beats cruel every time, especially with new people in the circle.

30 Most Likely To questions

1. Who’s most likely to become famous?
2. Who’s most likely to fall asleep first tonight?
3. Who’s most likely to get arrested?
4. Who’s most likely to win the lottery and lose the ticket?
5. Who’s most likely to start a fight at beer pong?
6. Who’s most likely to cry at a movie?
7. Who’s most likely to forget their own birthday?
8. Who’s most likely to survive a zombie apocalypse?
9. Who’s most likely to get lost in their own neighborhood?
10. Who’s most likely to text their ex tonight?
11. Who’s most likely to become a millionaire?
12. Who’s most likely to laugh at the wrong moment?
13. Who’s most likely to move to another country?
14. Who’s most likely to eat something off the floor?
15. Who’s most likely to be late to their own wedding?
16. Who’s most likely to talk their way out of a ticket?
17. Who’s most likely to join a cult?
18. Who’s most likely to go viral?
19. Who’s most likely to adopt ten cats?
20. Who’s most likely to lose their phone tonight?
21. Who’s most likely to sink a trick shot?
22. Who’s most likely to break something at this party?
23. Who’s most likely to run for president?
24. Who’s most likely to start dancing first?
25. Who’s most likely to fall for a prank?
26. Who’s most likely to call in sick tomorrow?
27. Who’s most likely to go skydiving?
28. Who’s most likely to forget where they parked?
29. Who’s most likely to have a secret talent?
30. Who’s most likely to win this game?

Tips

• Go fast. The fun is in the instant reactions. Don’t let anyone deliberate.
• Mix big and small. “Most likely to become famous” next to “most likely to lose their phone tonight” keeps the votes spread out.
• Sips, not gulps. One popular player can catch eight fingers in a round.

FAQ

How do you play Most Likely To?

Someone asks “Who’s most likely to…?”, everyone points at once on three, and each player drinks once for every finger pointed at them.

How many players do you need?

At least four, so the votes mean something. Six to twelve is ideal.

Can you play Most Likely To without drinking?

Yes. Keep score instead: one point per vote, and the lowest score after ten questions wins.

What’s the difference between Most Likely To and Never Have I Ever?

Never Have I Ever is about what you’ve actually done. Most Likely To is about what everyone thinks you’d do.

Pair it with Never Have I Ever or Thumper for a no-equipment party, or see all our drinking games for big groups.

More party games: Circle of Death (Kings Cup), Rage Cage, flip cup, Ride the Bus, Three Man, Pyramid, Never Have I Ever, Thumper, Waterfall, Beer Olympics, Quarters, Power Hour. Find a game by crowd: games for 2, big groups, card games and dice games, or see them all on our party games page.

Waterfall is the rule where everyone drinks at once and nobody can stop until the person before them stops. One player starts, the next joins in, and the drinking “falls” around the circle. It’s most famous as the Ace in Circle of Death (Kings Cup), but it works as a quick game on its own too.

How a waterfall works

1. The starter drinks first. In Kings Cup, that’s whoever drew the Ace.
2. Everyone joins in order. Going around the circle, each player starts drinking right after the player before them.
3. You can’t stop until they stop. You can only stop once the person who started before you (the player to your right) has stopped.
4. The starter controls it. The starter can stop whenever they want, and the stopping ripples around the circle.
5. Last in line has it worst. The final player can’t stop until everyone ahead of them has.

Waterfall in Kings Cup

In Circle of Death / Kings Cup, drawing an Ace starts a waterfall with the drawer going first. The rest of the card rules (2 is you, 3 is me, 8 is mate, and so on) are on our Circle of Death rules page.

Waterfall as a standalone game

No deck? Deal a waterfall the quick way: go around the circle, and each player takes a turn as the starter. Or use it as a penalty in other games. Lose a round of Thumper? You start the next waterfall.

Keep it a game, not a chugging contest

A waterfall is only as long as the starter decides. Don’t be the guy who goes for 30 seconds to prove a point; that’s how the party ends at 10 PM.

• Sips, not chugs. Small sips count. Nobody has to tip a full cup.
• House cap: lots of tables limit a waterfall to five seconds per starter.
• Water counts. Anyone can waterfall with water, seltzer or soda.

House rules and variations

• Reverse waterfall: the starter picks a direction, and the order runs the other way.
• Mate rule: if you’re someone’s mate (the 8 in Kings Cup), you stop when they stop.

FAQ

What does Ace mean in Kings Cup?

Waterfall. The player who drew it starts drinking, everyone joins in order, and nobody can stop until the person before them does.

Who starts a waterfall?

The player who drew the Ace (or whoever the house picks in a standalone game). They’re also the first one allowed to stop.

When can you stop drinking in a waterfall?

Only after the person who started before you (on your right) has stopped.

Is a waterfall the same as a social?

No. In a social, everyone takes one drink at the same time. In a waterfall, you keep drinking until the player before you stops.

More card games: Circle of Death, Ride the Bus, Pyramid and all our card drinking games.

More party games: Circle of Death (Kings Cup), Rage Cage, flip cup, Ride the Bus, Three Man, Pyramid, Never Have I Ever, Most Likely To, Thumper, Beer Olympics, Quarters, Power Hour. Find a game by crowd: games for 2, big groups, card games and dice games, or see them all on our party games page.

Thumper is a loud, fast table game where everyone has a hand sign and the whole group drums on the table. You pass the turn by flashing your sign and then someone else’s. Miss your sign, flash the wrong one, or hesitate, and you drink. The faster it goes, the funnier it gets.

What you need

• A table everyone can sit around and pound on
• 5 to 12 players
• A drink for each player

How to set up

1. Everyone picks a sign. A simple hand gesture you can do in one second: a salute, devil horns, a thumbs-up, a fake phone call. No two players can share one.
2. Show your sign around the circle so everyone learns them all.
3. Pick a starter, called the Thumpmaster for the round.

How to play Thumper

1. Start the chant. The Thumpmaster asks, “What’s the name of the game?” Everyone yells, “Thumper!”
2. “How do we play?” Everyone yells, “We thump!” and starts drumming on the table with both hands. The drumming never stops during the round.
3. Pass the thump. The Thumpmaster flashes their own sign, then someone else’s sign.
4. Keep it moving. The player whose sign was flashed has to immediately flash their own sign, then another player’s sign.
5. Mess up and drink. Hesitate, flash the wrong sign, miss that it was your turn, or stop thumping, and you drink.
6. Start the next round. The player who messed up becomes the new Thumpmaster and starts the chant again.

Sign ideas

• Salute · devil horns · thumbs-up · peace sign · fake phone call
• Finger guns · raise the roof · chef’s kiss · mustache · binoculars
• Rock-paper-scissors scissors · the “call me” · fist pump · moose antlers · shush

House rules and variations

• No pass-backs: you can’t send it straight back to the player who just sent it to you.
• Speed up: the Thumpmaster can yell “faster!” and everyone has to double the drumming tempo.
• Sign swap: after five rounds, everyone switches signs with the player to their left. Chaos.
• Loser’s waterfall: mess up three times and you start a waterfall.

Tips

• Pick a sign you can do without thinking, and watch the players next to you. They get passed to most often.
• Look at the person you’re passing to. Or don’t. Misdirection is half the game.
• Pour small. Good Thumper rounds last 15 seconds, so drinks pile up fast.

FAQ

How do you play Thumper?

Everyone drums the table and has a hand sign. To pass, flash your own sign and then someone else’s; they have to do the same instantly. Mess up and you drink.

What do you say at the start of Thumper?

The Thumpmaster asks “What’s the name of the game?” (“Thumper!”) and “How do we play?” (“We thump!”), and then the drumming starts.

How many people do you need for Thumper?

At least five, so there are enough signs to confuse people. It’s best with eight to twelve.

Can you play Thumper without drinking?

Yes. Three mess-ups and you’re out; last player in wins.

No equipment needed? Try Never Have I Ever or Most Likely To, or see our drinking games for big groups.

More party games: Circle of Death (Kings Cup), Rage Cage, flip cup, Ride the Bus, Three Man, Pyramid, Never Have I Ever, Most Likely To, Waterfall, Beer Olympics, Quarters, Power Hour. Find a game by crowd: games for 2, big groups, card games and dice games, or see them all on our party games page.

The best Christmas drinking games turn the night into a show: an ugly sweater contest when people walk in, the 12 Beers of Christmas tasting while the snacks are out, an Ugly Sweater Pong bracket as the main event, and Christmas movie drink cards when everyone crashes on the couch. It works for a friends’ Christmas party, the office after-party or the night your college crew is home for break. Just read the room if your aunt’s in the kitchen.

Jump to: The plan · Sweater contest · 12 Beers of Christmas · Ugly Sweater Pong · Christmas Kings · Movie drink cards · Family edition · FAQ

The plan

Christmas falls on a Friday in 2026, so most friend parties land on Saturday, December 19. Book the date before everyone’s calendar fills up with family stuff.

Arrival: the ugly sweater contest

The contest isn’t a side event. It decides who gets perks for the rest of the night.

• Vote by applause once most people have arrived. Categories: Ugliest Overall, Best DIY, and Most Lights (battery-powered sweaters count double).
• The winner gets the Ugly Sweater Mulligan in pong (below) and shoots first in the bracket’s first game.
• Nobody wore one? Keep a stack of dollar-store tinsel and bows by the door. Instant ugly sweater.

Early evening: the 12 Beers of Christmas

Forget the twelve days. The 12 Beers of Christmas is a tasting: twelve small pours that go from light to dark, one “day” at a time, with everyone scoring each one. The best beer of the night wins its bringer bragging rights until next year.

How to play

1. Everyone brings a beer. Assign a day (a style) to each guest or couple so you don’t end up with nine IPAs. With fewer than 12 guests, the host fills the gaps.
2. Pour 2-ounce tasters. Small plastic shot cups or tasting glasses. Twelve 2-ounce pours add up to about two beers over the whole tasting, which is the point.
3. Go in order, one day at a time. The bringer announces the beer, everyone tastes, and everyone scores it from 1 to 5 on the scorecard.
4. Sing the day. The bringer has to sing that line of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” with the beer swapped in (“On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: a winter warmer”). Skip the song, drink a water.
5. Crown the champion. Highest average score wins. Lowest score buys next year’s Day 12.

The 12 days

Print it: our 12 Beers scorecard and movie drink cards (PDF) has a scoring sheet and cut-out cards.

Winter beers run strong, often well above a regular lager, which is exactly why this is a tasting and not a race. Keep water and food out the whole time. Don’t be the guy who peaks on Day 6.

Main event: Ugly Sweater Pong

It’s beer pong in your worst sweater, with a tree-shaped rack and a few holiday rules on top of our standard house rules.

Setup

• The tree rack: rack 10 cups in the usual 4-3-2-1 triangle, then add one cup centered behind the back row: the trunk. That’s 11 cups per side.
• The star: the front cup is the star. Use a red or green cup for it if you have one.
• Sweaters on. No sweater, no shooting. Tinsel counts in a pinch.

Holiday rules

1. Ugliest sweater shoots first. In the first game, the contest winner’s team shoots first. After that, the team holding the table shoots first like normal.
2. The Ugly Sweater Mulligan. The contest winner gets one do-over per game: miss a shot, call “mulligan,” and shoot it again. It can’t be used in redemption.
3. Light the tree. Sink the star cup and the trunk cup on the same turn and the other team pulls one extra cup of your choice. It doesn’t count during redemption.
4. Losers swap sweaters. The losing team trades sweaters with the winners for the next game. Nobody wants the one with the battery pack.

Everything else follows our house rules, from island to redemption. Argument mid-game? Check the quick rulings. More than four teams? Set up a bracket in 30 seconds with our bracket generator, and play 6 cup in the early rounds so the final happens before midnight.

Between games: Christmas Kings

Play Circle of Death (Kings Cup) with four holiday swaps:

Waiting for the pong table with a smaller group? Ride the Bus or Never Have I Ever work great too. Try “Never have I ever regifted a present.”

Late night: Christmas movie drink cards

Put on any Christmas movie. Hand out one card per person and take a sip when yours happens on screen. Swap cards halfway through.

The cards are in the same printable PDF. Sips only: a holiday movie can hit “Merry Christmas” 30 times.

Family edition: read the room

• Swap the drinks. Every game here works with soda, hot cider or water. Ugly Sweater Pong with root beer is still Ugly Sweater Pong.
• Keep the sweater contest. Grandma’s sweater might win it outright.
• Use the movie cards with candy. One chocolate per card. Kids love it.
• Save the 12 Beers for after the kids are in bed.

Set up the house

• One long table handles pong all night and the tasting before it. No table? See our best beer pong tables.
• Post the house rules on a House Rules sign so the holiday rules don’t start a family feud.
• Still shopping? Our gifts for beer pong lovers has stocking stuffers and white-elephant picks.

FAQ

What are good Christmas drinking games?

Ugly Sweater Pong, the 12 Beers of Christmas tasting, Christmas Kings and Christmas movie drink cards. Run them in that order and the night plans itself.

What is the 12 Beers of Christmas?

A tasting game: twelve 2-ounce pours of different beers from light to dark, one per “day,” scored by everyone. It adds up to about two beers total, so it’s a tasting, not a race.

How do you play ugly sweater beer pong?

Play regular beer pong in ugly sweaters with an 11-cup Christmas tree rack. The best sweater shoots first and gets one mulligan per game, and the losers swap sweaters with the winners.

Can the whole family play?

Yes. Use soda or cider in the cups, keep the sweater contest, and play the movie cards with candy.

When is Christmas in 2026?

Friday, December 25, 2026. Most friend parties land on the Saturday before, December 19.

More party plans: Thanksgiving drinking games and New Year’s Eve drinking games, or see all our party games.

Planning the whole year? See the beer pong party calendar.

Beer Olympics is a backyard tournament: teams of two to four pick a country, rotate through drinking-game events, and collect medals until one team is crowned champion. It’s the biggest party you can throw with a folding table and a pack of cups, and the planning takes about an hour.

We’ve run these in garages, at the lake and in a dorm lounge that was definitely too small. Here’s the plan that works.

What you need

• 8 to 32 players, in teams of 2 (or 4 for a big crowd)
• Two folding tables (one for pong, one for flip cup and Rage Cage)
• A sleeve of 50 to 100 plastic cups, 6 ping pong balls, a deck of cards and a quarter
• Drinks for every event, plus a water cooler that never runs dry
• A whiteboard or poster for the scoreboard, and medals (dollar-store gold, silver and bronze)
• Food. Seriously: an Olympics without food ends at 4 PM.

Step 1: Build the teams

1. Pick team size. Pairs if you have up to 16 people; teams of four above that so every event fits.
2. Assign countries. Draw them out of a hat. Matching shirts, flags or face paint are half the fun, and a team that commits to a theme always gets cheered.
3. Name a commissioner. One person (usually the host) runs the scoreboard and settles disputes. The house always gets the final word.

Step 2: Choose your events

Pick 4 to 6 events. Mix skill games with team relays so every team has a shot at a medal.

Beer pong is the marquee event, so save it for last. Use our free beer pong bracket generator to seed the teams, and play 6 cup rules so the bracket finishes before dark.

Step 3: Score it

• Gold: 3 points. Silver: 2. Bronze: 1. Every other team gets 0.
• Beer pong counts double (6, 4 and 2) because it’s the main event.
• Tiebreaker: one sudden-death flip cup race between the tied teams.
• Spirit award: one bonus point for the best costume, chant or opening-ceremony entrance. It keeps the teams that are losing invested.

Step 4: Run the day

1. Opening ceremony (15 min). Teams march in with their flag. Someone “lights” a torch (a flashlight in a red cup works).
2. Quick events first. Boat race, flip cup, Quarters, Rage Cage. They’re fast, loud and get everyone warmed up.
3. Food break. Put it before the pong bracket, not after.
4. Beer pong bracket. The finals get the good table and an audience.
5. Medal ceremony. Podium (three coolers), medals, anthem from somebody’s phone.

Keep it a party, not a hospital trip

Six events in an afternoon adds up fast. Pour small (a third of a cup is plenty for relays), let anyone play with water, and make the water cooler part of the scoreboard table so nobody forgets it. Plan rides home before the opening ceremony. Don’t be the team that peaks at the boat race.

FAQ

How many people do you need for Beer Olympics?

At least 8, for four teams of two. It’s best with 12 to 24, and it scales to 32 or more with teams of four.

How long does Beer Olympics take?

Plan on 3 to 4 hours for five events plus a beer pong bracket, including a food break.

What are the best Beer Olympics games?

Beer pong, flip cup, Rage Cage, Quarters and a boat race are the classic five. Add Beer Ball or Dizzy Bat if you have a yard.

How do you score Beer Olympics?

Give 3 points for gold, 2 for silver and 1 for bronze in each event, and double it for beer pong. The team with the most points wins.

Can you do Beer Olympics without alcohol?

Yes. Every event works with water, soda or seltzer, and mixed teams where some players drink and some don’t work fine.

Make it official. Settle the rules before the opening ceremony with our house rules builder, and see how to host a beer pong tournament for printable brackets.

More party games: Circle of Death (Kings Cup), Rage Cage, flip cup, Ride the Bus, Three Man, Pyramid, Never Have I Ever, Most Likely To, Thumper, Waterfall, Quarters, Power Hour. Find a game by crowd: games for 2, big groups, card games and dice games, or see them all on our party games page.

Ride the Bus is a three-round card drinking game. First everyone guesses their way to four cards, then the pyramid lets you hand out drinks for every match, and whoever is left holding the most cards has to ride the bus: guess four cards in a row without missing. It’s simple, it’s mean, and the last round always draws a crowd.

What you need

• A standard 52-card deck (grab a second deck for big groups)
• 2 to 8 players; 3 to 6 is ideal
• A drink for each player. Sips, not shots: this game hands out a lot of drinks.

Round 1: The four questions

The dealer goes around the table one question at a time, dealing each player a card face up after they guess. Guess wrong and you drink; guess right and you give the drinks to someone else. The number of sips goes up each question.

Aces are high. If the card ties (same rank as the card you’re comparing to), you got it wrong. Everybody keeps their four cards face up.

Round 2: The pyramid

1. Build it. The dealer lays 10 cards face down in a pyramid: 4 on the bottom row, then 3, 2 and 1.
2. Flip from the bottom. Turn the cards over one at a time, bottom row first, left to right.
3. Match and give. If you hold a card of the same rank, lay it on the pyramid card and give out sips: 1 for the bottom row, 2 for the second, 3 for the third and 4 for the top. Two matches, two sets of sips.
4. Count up. When the top card is flipped, everyone counts the cards still in their hand.

Round 3: Ride the bus

1. Find the rider. Whoever has the most cards left rides the bus. Tie? The tied player with the highest total card value rides.
2. The four questions again. The dealer flips cards one at a time and the rider answers red or black, higher or lower, inside or outside, and suit, in order.
3. Miss and start over. A wrong answer means a sip and back to question one with fresh cards.
4. Get off the bus. Four right in a row and you’re free. Reshuffle the discards if the deck runs out.

House rules and variations

• Drink-or-give pyramid: alternate rows, so odd rows make you drink and even rows let you give.
• Face-down pyramid: keep your four cards face down after round 1 and play the pyramid from memory. Bluffing allowed, like in Pyramid.
• The short bus: skip round 2 and the player with the most wrong guesses in round 1 rides.
• Cap the ride. Lots of houses let the rider off after 10 misses. Mercy is a house rule too.

Tips

• Play the odds on question 3. If your first two cards are close together (a 6 and an 8), say outside. Far apart (a 3 and a Queen), say inside.
• Count suits on question 4. Already holding two hearts? Hearts are now less likely.
• Keep sips small. A bad bus ride can run 20 misses. Water works for every rule.

FAQ

How many people can play Ride the Bus?

Two to eight with one deck. Add a second deck for bigger groups so the pyramid doesn’t run dry.

Are aces high or low in Ride the Bus?

High, at most tables. Agree on it before the first card, because it decides a lot of higher-or-lower guesses.

What happens on a tie in higher or lower?

A tie counts as wrong. You drink.

Is Ride the Bus the same as Pyramid?

No. Pyramid is a standalone bluffing game. Ride the Bus uses a smaller pyramid as its middle round.

Who rides the bus if there’s a tie?

The tied player whose leftover cards add up to the highest value rides. Still tied? Both ride, one after the other.

More card games: Circle of Death, Pyramid and the rest of our card drinking games.

More party games: Circle of Death (Kings Cup), Rage Cage, flip cup, Three Man, Pyramid, Never Have I Ever, Most Likely To, Thumper, Waterfall, Beer Olympics, Quarters, Power Hour. Find a game by crowd: games for 2, big groups, card games and dice games, or see them all on our party games page.

Pyramid is a card drinking game where bluffing beats luck. Everyone memorizes four face-down cards, the dealer flips a pyramid of cards one at a time, and you can claim a match (real or not) to hand out drinks. Get called on a bluff and you pay double. At the end, you have to remember your own cards.

What you need

• A standard 52-card deck
• 3 to 7 players
• A drink for each player (sips, not shots)

How to set up

1. Deal four cards face down to every player.
2. Peek once. Everyone looks at their four cards for 30 seconds, memorizes them, and puts them back face down. No second looks.
3. Build the pyramid. Lay 15 cards face down in five rows: 5 on the bottom, then 4, 3, 2 and 1 on top.

How to play Pyramid

1. Flip from the bottom. The dealer turns over the pyramid cards one at a time, starting with the bottom row.
2. Claim a match. When a card is flipped, anyone can say they hold a card of the same rank. You don’t have to be telling the truth.
3. Give the drinks. A claim lets you give sips to any player: 1 sip on the bottom row, 2 on the second, up to 5 for the top card.
4. Accept or call bluff. The target can drink, or call “bluff.”
   • If you really had it, show the card. The challenger drinks double.
   • If you were bluffing, you drink double.
5. Replace shown cards. Any card you flip to prove a claim goes to the bottom of the deck, and you take a new face-down card without looking at it. Now you have a card you don’t know.
6. The memory test. When the top card is done, each player names their cards one at a time before flipping them. Drink for every one you get wrong.

House rules and variations

• Drink rows and give rows: some houses make every other row a “drink” row, where a match means you drink instead of giving.
• Bigger pyramid: 21 cards in six rows for long games.
• Multiple claims: if two players claim the same card, both give. Call bluffs carefully.
• Ride the Bus: Ride the Bus uses a smaller pyramid as its middle round, then sends the loser on the bus.

Tips

• Bluff early, small and often. A 1-sip bluff on the bottom row costs you 2 if it’s called. A top-row bluff costs 10.
• Watch who hesitates before claiming. Real matches get called fast.
• Say your cards in your head every time a card flips. The memory test is where most drinks happen.

FAQ

How many cards are in the Pyramid drinking game?

Fifteen in the pyramid (rows of 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1), plus four in each player’s hand.

Can you lie in Pyramid?

Yes. Bluffing is the whole game. Just know a called bluff costs you double.

What happens if someone calls your bluff and you have the card?

Show it, and the player who called it drinks double. Then swap the shown card for a new face-down one.

Is Pyramid the same as Beeramid?

Yes. Beeramid is just another name for the same game.

More card games: Circle of Death, Ride the Bus and our full list of card drinking games.

More party games: Circle of Death (Kings Cup), Rage Cage, flip cup, Ride the Bus, Three Man, Never Have I Ever, Most Likely To, Thumper, Waterfall, Beer Olympics, Quarters, Power Hour. Find a game by crowd: games for 2, big groups, card games and dice games, or see them all on our party games page.

Never Have I Ever is the drinking game where you learn way too much about your friends. Go around the circle, and each player says something they’ve never done. Anyone who has done it drinks. That’s the whole game, and somehow it always runs an hour.

What you need

• 3 or more players; it’s best with 5 to 12
• A drink for each player
• Nothing else. No cards, no table, no setup.

How to play Never Have I Ever

1. Sit in a circle. Pick someone to go first.
2. Say “Never have I ever…” and finish it with something you’ve never done. “Never have I ever been to Canada.”
3. Anyone who has, drinks. One sip. Being honest is the only rule that matters.
4. Pass it left. The next player says their own. Keep going until the stories take over.

The fingers version

Everyone holds up five fingers (or ten for a long game). Instead of drinking, you put a finger down when you’ve done it. When your last finger goes down, you drink, and you’re out of the round. Last player with a finger up wins. It works great for mixed groups where not everyone is drinking.

House rules

• Story tax: if you’re the only one who drinks, you owe the table the story.
• No targeting: you can’t say something just because one specific person has done it. Some houses love this rule; some houses love breaking it.
• Bounce back: if nobody drinks, the asker drinks for a boring question.
• Keep it friendly. The point is funny stories, not putting someone on the spot in front of people they just met. Read the room.

30 Never Have I Ever questions

1. Never have I ever fallen asleep at a party.
2. Never have I ever lied about my age.
3. Never have I ever missed a flight.
4. Never have I ever sung karaoke sober.
5. Never have I ever been kicked out of a bar.
6. Never have I ever eaten food off the floor.
7. Never have I ever pretended to know a song.
8. Never have I ever cried at a commercial.
9. Never have I ever ghosted someone.
10. Never have I ever lost a beer pong game without hitting a cup.
11. Never have I ever called a teacher “Mom” or “Dad.”
12. Never have I ever walked into a glass door.
13. Never have I ever been on TV.
14. Never have I ever gotten a tattoo I regret.
15. Never have I ever texted the wrong person about them.
16. Never have I ever broken a bone.
17. Never have I ever stalked an ex online.
18. Never have I ever faked being sick to skip something.
19. Never have I ever gone a whole day without my phone.
20. Never have I ever locked myself out of my car.
21. Never have I ever been to Vegas.
22. Never have I ever eaten a whole pizza by myself.
23. Never have I ever regifted a present.
24. Never have I ever laughed so hard I cried in public.
25. Never have I ever been on a cruise.
26. Never have I ever sent a drunk text.
27. Never have I ever fallen down stairs in front of people.
28. Never have I ever cheated on a test.
29. Never have I ever used someone else’s toothbrush.
30. Never have I ever stayed up all night.

FAQ

How many people do you need for Never Have I Ever?

Three at minimum. It’s best with five to twelve, because more players means more confessions.

What if nobody has done it?

Nobody drinks, and at a lot of houses the asker drinks for wasting everyone’s time.

Can you play Never Have I Ever without drinking?

Yes. Play the fingers version: put a finger down instead of drinking, and the last player with a finger up wins.

Can you play it with two people?

You can, and it’s a good way to get to know someone, but it’s much more fun with a group. See our drinking games for 2 for better two-player options.

Pair it with Most Likely To for a no-equipment party, or see all our drinking games for big groups.

More party games: Circle of Death (Kings Cup), Rage Cage, flip cup, Ride the Bus, Three Man, Pyramid, Most Likely To, Thumper, Waterfall, Beer Olympics, Quarters, Power Hour. Find a game by crowd: games for 2, big groups, card games and dice games, or see them all on our party games page.

Three Man is a dice drinking game you can carry in your pocket. Two dice go around the table, and every roll tells somebody to drink. Whenever a 3 shows up, the Three Man drinks, and nobody wants that hat.

What you need

• Two dice
• 3 to 10 players around a table; 5 or 6 is the sweet spot
• A drink for each player
• A ridiculous hat for the Three Man (optional, but mandatory)

How to pick the Three Man

Pass one die around the table and have everyone roll it. The first player to roll a 3 is the Three Man and puts on the hat.

How to play Three Man

Pass both dice to the player on the Three Man’s left. Roll both. If the roll does something, it happens and you roll again. If it does nothing, pass the dice to the left.

Rolls stack. A 3 and a 4 makes 7, so the Three Man and the player on your left both drink. A 3 and a 6 makes 9, so the Three Man drinks with everyone else (twice, if you’re the Three Man).

How to get rid of the hat

At our house, the Three Man escapes by rolling a 3 on their own turn. They drink one last time, take off the hat, and the next player to roll a 3 becomes the new Three Man.

House rules and variations

Three Man is one of the most house-ruled games out there. Agree on your numbers before the first roll.

• 7 and 11 flipped: plenty of houses play 7 to the right and 11 to the left.
• 9 to the right: some tables make 9 a single drink for the player on your right instead of a social.
• Doubles battle: hand one die each to two players. They roll, and the low roller drinks.
• 1 and 4: thumbs on the table. Last player to put a thumb down drinks.
• Dice off the table: the roller drinks.

Tips

• Keep the sips small. About a third of all rolls show a 3. The Three Man gets hit a lot, so let them switch to water whenever they want.
• Roll in a tray or a box lid so the dice stay on the table.
• Rotate the hat if one person gets stuck with it for too long. Some houses cap it at nine drinks.

FAQ

How do you become the Three Man?

Be the first player to roll a 3 when the single die goes around at the start of the game.

What does a 7 mean in Three Man?

At our house, the player on the roller’s left drinks. Some houses play it to the right, so agree first.

What happens on doubles in Three Man?

You give out sips equal to the number on one die (double 5s means five sips), then roll again.

How many people do you need to play Three Man?

At least three. It’s best with five or six.

More dice games: Beer Die, Quarters and the rest of our dice drinking games.

More party games: Circle of Death (Kings Cup), Rage Cage, flip cup, Ride the Bus, Pyramid, Never Have I Ever, Most Likely To, Thumper, Waterfall, Beer Olympics, Quarters, Power Hour. Find a game by crowd: games for 2, big groups, card games and dice games, or see them all on our party games page.