Bar Games & Pub Drinking Games for Adults: 70+ Games for an Epic Night Out

There’s nothing quite like a night at the bar with your crew — cold drinks flowing, competitive trash talk heating up, and a game that turns a regular Tuesday into a legendary evening. Whether you’re a darts sharpshooter, a shuffleboard strategist, or someone who just wants to flip quarters into a cup, we’ve got you covered.

This is the ultimate guide to bar games and pub drinking games for adults. We’ve rounded up 70+ games across every category — classic bar staples, coin tricks, card games, dice rollers, trivia showdowns, arcade throwbacks, patio favorites, and even full-blown bar Olympics formats. Each game includes player counts, what you need, how to play, and why it slaps.

Ready to own your local watering hole? Let’s go. 🍻

Looking for more ways to level up your nights? Check out our guides to drinking games, game night ideas, and house party games.

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1. Classic Bar Games (The Holy Trinity & Friends)

These are the games bars were built for. If your spot has a dartboard, a pool table, or a shuffleboard, you’re already halfway to the best night of the week.

1. Darts (501 / 301)

Players: 2-4 (or teams)
What You Need: Dartboard, darts
How to Play: Each player starts at 501 (or 301) points and takes turns throwing 3 darts per round. Subtract your score each round. You must hit exactly zero to win — and the final dart must land on a double. If you go below zero, your turn is bust and the score resets to what it was.
Why It’s Great: The OG bar game. Simple math, massive pressure on that last double, and endless bragging rights. Bonus: it’s one of the few bar games where you actually get better after one beer (science pending).

2. Cricket (Darts)

Players: 2-4
What You Need: Dartboard, darts, scoreboard
How to Play: Players aim only at numbers 15-20 and the bullseye. Hit a number three times to “close” it. Once you’ve closed a number but your opponent hasn’t, every additional hit scores you points. First to close all numbers with the highest score wins.
Why It’s Great: More strategic than 501. Do you go for points or try to close out your opponent? The mind games are real.

3. Around the World (Darts)

Players: 2+
What You Need: Dartboard, darts
How to Play: Hit each number on the board in order from 1 to 20, then finish with the bullseye. Three darts per turn. First player to complete the sequence wins.
Why It’s Great: Perfect warm-up game and great for mixed skill levels. Beginners actually have a shot (pun intended).

4. Killer (Darts)

Players: 3-8
What You Need: Dartboard, darts
How to Play: Each player throws one dart with their non-dominant hand to get their assigned number. Then everyone takes turns trying to hit the doubles of other players’ numbers. Hit someone’s double three times and they’re dead. Last player standing wins.
Why It’s Great: Alliances form, betrayals happen, friendships are tested. It’s basically Game of Thrones with darts.

5. 8-Ball Pool

Players: 2
What You Need: Pool table, cue sticks, full set of balls
How to Play: One player takes solids (1-7), the other stripes (9-15). Pocket all your balls, then sink the 8-ball in a called pocket. Scratch on the 8-ball or sink it early? You lose.
Why It’s Great: The undisputed king of bar games. Nothing says “I own this bar” like running the table. Pro tip: always call your shots — nobody respects a slop artist.

6. 9-Ball Pool

Players: 2
What You Need: Pool table, cue sticks, balls 1-9
How to Play: Balls must be hit in numerical order (1 through 9). You don’t have to pocket them in order — as long as the cue ball hits the lowest-numbered ball first, any ball that drops counts. Sink the 9-ball (legally) and you win.
Why It’s Great: Faster than 8-ball, more combo potential, and those lucky 9-ball combos off the break are chef’s kiss.

7. Cutthroat Pool

Players: 3
What You Need: Pool table, full set
How to Play: Each player is assigned a group of 5 balls (1-5, 6-10, 11-15). The goal is to pocket your opponents’ balls while keeping yours on the table. Last player with balls remaining wins.
Why It’s Great: Finally — a pool game for 3 players that actually works. Strategic alliances are inevitable: “Let’s take out their 14 first.”

8. Shuffleboard

Players: 2 or 4 (teams)
What You Need: Shuffleboard table, pucks, sand/wax
How to Play: Slide your pucks down the table to land in scoring zones (1, 2, 3, or 4 points). Pucks hanging off the far edge score bonus points. Knock your opponent’s pucks off for maximum disrespect. First to 15 or 21 wins.
Why It’s Great: Deceptively strategic. The finesse required is real, and there’s nothing more satisfying than a perfect hanger. Also: shuffleboard tables are gorgeous.

9. Horse Collar Shuffleboard

Players: 2-4
What You Need: Shuffleboard table
How to Play: Players must score in zones 1, 2, 3, and 4 in order. You can only advance to the next zone once you’ve scored in the current one. First to complete all four zones and then score a hanger wins.
Why It’s Great: Adds a puzzle element to shuffleboard. You can’t just blast pucks — you need precision zone by zone.

10. Foosball

Players: 2 or 4
What You Need: Foosball table
How to Play: Spin the rods to kick the ball into your opponent’s goal. First to 5 (or 10) goals wins. House rule: spinning is for cowards.
Why It’s Great: Fast, loud, and aggressive. Foosball generates more screaming per square foot than any other bar game. Perfect for guys’ night.

11. Air Hockey

Players: 2
What You Need: Air hockey table
How to Play: Use your mallet to smack the puck into your opponent’s goal. First to 7 wins. Don’t lift the mallet or reach past the centerline.
Why It’s Great: Pure reflexes, zero thinking. Your brain takes a vacation and your wrists do the work. Incredibly satisfying bank-shot goals.

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2. Coin & Table Games

No equipment beyond what’s already on your table. Coins, cups, and good vibes — that’s the recipe.

12. Quarters

Players: 2+
What You Need: Quarter (coin), shot glass
How to Play: Bounce a quarter off the table and try to land it in a shot glass. Make it? Choose someone to drink. Miss? Next player’s turn. Make three in a row? You get to make a new rule.
Why It’s Great: The gateway bar drinking game. Everyone’s played it, everyone thinks they’re good at it, and the new rules get progressively more unhinged.

13. Chandeliers

Players: 4+
What You Need: Quarters, individual cups, one large center cup
How to Play: Each player has a cup of beer in front of them arranged in a circle around a larger cup filled with a mixed drink. Bounce a quarter — if it lands in someone’s cup, they drink. If it lands in the center cup, everyone races to chug their own cup. Last person to finish drinks the center cup.
Why It’s Great: Quarters on steroids. That center cup is the nuclear option and it creates beautiful chaos.

14. Coin Slide

Players: 2+
What You Need: Coins, table edge
How to Play: Slide a coin across the table so it hangs off the edge without falling. Closest to the edge without going over wins. Losers drink.
Why It’s Great: It’s basically bar-top shuffleboard with pocket change. Perfect for when you’re waiting for a table to open up.

15. Spin the Coin

Players: 2+
What You Need: A coin
How to Play: Spin a coin on the table. Before it falls, each player flicks it to keep it spinning. If the coin falls on your turn, you drink. If you knock it off the table entirely, double drink.
Why It’s Great: Ridiculous tension as the coin wobbles. Pure dexterity and luck in a tiny package.

16. Beer Pong (Bar Edition)

Players: 4 (2v2)
What You Need: Cups, ping pong balls, table
How to Play: Arrange 6 or 10 cups in a triangle on each end of a table. Teams take turns throwing ping pong balls into the opposing team’s cups. Make it in? They drink that cup and remove it. Clear all cups first to win.
Why It’s Great: We wrote a whole guide on beer pong because it deserves one. The most iconic drinking game on Earth. Period.

17. Flip Cup

Players: 6+ (two teams)
What You Need: Plastic cups, table
How to Play: Teams line up on opposite sides of a table. Each person chugs their cup and then places it upside down on the table edge and flips it right-side up by flicking the rim. Once flipped, the next person goes. First team to finish wins.
Why It’s Great: Team energy is unmatched. The pressure of being the last flipper with everyone watching you fumble is exquisite torture. More great team games in our party games guide.

18. Stack Cup (Rage Cage)

Players: 6+
What You Need: Lots of cups, 2 ping pong balls
How to Play: Fill cups with beer and arrange them in the center. Two starting players each grab a cup, drink it, and try to bounce a ping pong ball into the empty cup. Make it on the first try? Pass to anyone. After the first try? Pass left. If the person to your left is still trying, stack your cup onto theirs — they drink a center cup and keep going. Last cup standing is usually full of regret.
Why It’s Great: Fastest-paced drinking game ever. The stacking mechanic creates beautiful chain reactions of panic.

19. Slap Cup

Players: 6+
What You Need: Cups, 2 ping pong balls
How to Play: Similar to Stack Cup but instead of stacking, you slap the other person’s cup off the table when you make your ball first. They grab a new center cup and keep going.
Why It’s Great: The satisfying smack of slapping someone’s cup across a bar is unparalleled. Physical comedy gold.

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3. Bar Card Games

A single deck of cards opens up a world of bar games. Toss one in your pocket before heading out — you’ll thank us. For even more options, check out our full drinking card games list.

20. Kings (King’s Cup)

Players: 4+
What You Need: Deck of cards, a large cup
How to Play: Spread cards face-down around a center cup. Players draw one card at a time, each card has a rule: 2 = You (pick someone to drink), 3 = Me (you drink), 4 = Floor (last to touch the floor drinks), 5 = Guys, 6 = Chicks, 7 = Heaven (point up, last one drinks), 8 = Mate (pick a partner), 9 = Rhyme, 10 = Categories, J = Make a rule, Q = Questions, K = Pour into the King’s Cup. Fourth King drawn drinks the cup.
Why It’s Great: The Swiss Army knife of drinking games. Works everywhere, scales to any group size, and the King’s Cup gets more terrifying with every King drawn.

21. Ride the Bus

Players: 4-8
What You Need: Deck of cards
How to Play: Four rounds of guessing: Red or Black? Higher or Lower? In Between or Outside? Guess the Suit? Wrong answers = drink. Then build a pyramid of face-down cards. Flip them one by one — if you’re holding a matching card, assign drinks (more drinks for higher rows). Player with the most cards at the end “rides the bus” through a brutal gauntlet of guessing.
Why It’s Great: The bus ride finale is legendary. Watching someone fail guess after guess while the table loses it is peak entertainment.

22. F**k the Dealer

Players: 4+
What You Need: Deck of cards
How to Play: The dealer holds the deck. Player guesses a card value. Wrong? Dealer says higher or lower and gives one more chance. Wrong again? Player drinks the difference. Right? Dealer drinks. After three consecutive wrong guesses, the deal passes left.
Why It’s Great: Gets progressively easier for guessers as cards are revealed. The dealer’s suffering intensifies — hence the name.

23. Pyramid

Players: 3-8
What You Need: Deck of cards
How to Play: Build a pyramid of face-down cards (5-4-3-2-1). Deal remaining cards to players. Flip pyramid cards one at a time from the bottom row up. If you have a matching value, you can assign drinks — bottom row = 1 drink, next = 2, etc. Bluffing is allowed and encouraged.
Why It’s Great: The bluffing makes it. Call someone’s bluff and they drink double. Get caught bluffing? Same deal. Trust no one.

24. Snap / Sip Snap Snorem

Players: 3-8
What You Need: Deck of cards
How to Play: Deal all cards out. First player places a card face-up. Going around, when someone plays a matching value, everyone races to slap the pile. Last to slap drinks. If you slap on a non-match, you drink.
Why It’s Great: Reflexes + alcohol = comedy. The false slaps alone are worth the price of admission.

25. Indian Poker (Blind Man’s Bluff)

Players: 3+
What You Need: Deck of cards
How to Play: Everyone holds one card on their forehead without looking at it (so everyone else can see it). Bet drinks based on whether you think your card is the highest. Fold or call. Lowest card drinks the pot.
Why It’s Great: The poker face challenge is insane when everyone can see your card except you. People will stare at your King and tell you to fold. Savage. Perfect for card game night.

26. Asshole (President)

Players: 4-7
What You Need: Deck of cards
How to Play: Deal all cards. Players take turns playing cards equal to or higher than the last play. Clear the pile with matching sets or the highest card. First player out becomes President, last becomes Asshole. Rank carries privileges — President can make Asshole drink at will, swap cards, etc.
Why It’s Great: Social hierarchy in card form. The power dynamics are addictive, and clawing your way from Asshole to President is deeply satisfying.

27. Spoons (Drinking Version)

Players: 4-8
What You Need: Deck of cards, spoons (one fewer than players)
How to Play: Place spoons in the center. Deal 4 cards each. Pass cards around rapidly trying to collect 4 of a kind. When someone does, they grab a spoon — everyone else scrambles. Player left without a spoon drinks and is eliminated (or just drinks and keeps playing, bar rules).
Why It’s Great: Musical chairs meets poker. The scramble is chaotic, drinks go flying, and it’s absolutely hilarious.

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4. Bar Dice Games

Most bars have a cup of dice behind the counter. If they don’t, bring your own — a set of 5 dice fits in any pocket and opens up a ton of games.

28. Liar’s Dice

Players: 2-6
What You Need: 5 dice per player, cups to hide them
How to Play: Everyone rolls their dice under a cup and peeks secretly. First player makes a bid on how many of a certain value exist across ALL dice (e.g., “four 3s”). Next player can raise the bid or call “Liar!” If the bid was accurate or under-counted, the caller loses a die and drinks. If it was a lie, the bidder loses a die and drinks. Last player with dice wins.
Why It’s Great: Bluffing, probability, psychology — this is poker with dice. Captain Jack Sparrow played this game and so should you.

29. Ship, Captain, Crew

Players: 2+
What You Need: 5 dice
How to Play: Roll 5 dice. You need to set aside a 6 (ship), 5 (captain), and 4 (crew) — in that order. You get 3 rolls. Once you have all three, your remaining two dice are your “cargo” (score). Highest cargo wins. Losers drink.
Why It’s Great: Quick, easy to learn, and the sequential requirement (6 before 5 before 4) creates genuine drama on every roll.

30. Bar Dice (Boss Dice)

Players: 2+
What You Need: 5 dice, dice cup
How to Play: Everyone rolls to see who buys the next round. Roll all five dice — 1s are worth 100, 5s are worth 50, three of a kind scores the face value × 100 (three 4s = 400). Lowest score buys. Some bars play “shake for the tab” at the end of the night.
Why It’s Great: The standard “who pays?” game at bars everywhere. Simple, fast, and it settles arguments about the check better than splitting.

31. Mexico

Players: 3+
What You Need: 2 dice, cup
How to Play: Roll two dice under a cup, peek, and announce your “score” (combine digits — a 3 and 1 = 31). Doubles beat any non-double. A 2-1 is “Mexico” and beats everything. Each player must beat the previous claim or call BS. Liar drinks. If the claim was legit, caller drinks.
Why It’s Great: It’s Liar’s Dice’s scrappy little sibling. Faster, meaner, and the “Mexico!” call always gets a reaction.

32. Three Man

Players: 3+
What You Need: 2 dice
How to Play: Roll to determine the “Three Man.” On every subsequent roll: 3 = Three Man drinks. 7 = person to your left drinks. 11 = person to your right. Doubles = give out dice to two people who race to roll matching numbers. Snake eyes? Make a rule. Three Man stays Three Man until someone else rolls a 3.
Why It’s Great: Being Three Man is hilarious torture. Every roll might hurt you. The desperation to pass the title is palpable.

33. 7-14-21 (Sevens)

Players: 3+
What You Need: 1 die
How to Play: Players take turns rolling a single die and adding to a running total. Land on 7? Drink. Land on 14? Drink twice. Land on 21? You’re done — pick someone to chug. If you go over 21, you drink and the count resets.
Why It’s Great: The math gets surprisingly hard after a few rounds. Simple setup, escalating consequences.

34. Yahtzee (Drinking Rules)

Players: 2-4
What You Need: 5 dice, score sheet
How to Play: Standard Yahtzee but with drink penalties: no score in a round = drink. Someone else gets a Yahtzee = everyone drinks. Lowest score at the end chugs a full beer. Straights = give out drinks equal to the straight length.
Why It’s Great: Everyone knows Yahtzee. Adding drinks makes those zero-score rounds sting way more.

35. Chō-Han

Players: 2+
What You Need: 2 dice, cup
How to Play: One person rolls two dice under a cup. Everyone else bets on whether the total is odd (Han) or even (Chō). Reveal. Wrong guessers drink.
Why It’s Great: An ancient Japanese gambling game. Pure 50/50 odds, but the ritual of the cup shake and the reveal creates real tension. Great for date night too.

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5. Drinking Challenges & Dares

Sometimes you don’t need a game — just a challenge, a dare, and the courage (liquid or otherwise) to follow through. These are perfect mid-night energy boosters. For more dare-based fun, explore the xDares app.

36. Power Hour

Players: 2+
What You Need: Timer, shot glasses, beer
How to Play: Take a shot of beer every 60 seconds for one full hour. That’s 60 shots = roughly 7.5 beers. Use a Power Hour playlist that changes songs every minute as your timer.
Why It’s Great: Sounds easy. Isn’t. The wall hits around minute 35 and separates the legends from the lightweights.

37. Wizard Staff

Players: 2+
What You Need: Cans of beer, tape
How to Play: Every time you finish a can, tape the new one on top of the empty. Your growing tower is your “wizard staff.” At certain levels you earn titles (5 cans = Apprentice, 10 = Wizard, 15 = Grand Wizard). Two wizards can duel — smash staffs together. Whoever’s breaks first loses.
Why It’s Great: Walking around a bar with a 10-can wizard staff is an absolute power move. The duels are catastrophically funny.

38. Edward Fortyhands

Players: 2+
What You Need: Two 40oz bottles per person, tape
How to Play: Tape a 40oz malt liquor to each hand. You cannot remove them until both are empty. Need to use your phone? Too bad. Bathroom? Figure it out.
Why It’s Great: Commitment comedy at its finest. The desperation around the 60% mark is unmatched. (Drink responsibly, obviously.)

39. Drink or Dare

Players: 3+
What You Need: Nothing (or the xDares app for pre-loaded dares)
How to Play: Take turns giving someone a dare. They can either complete the dare or take a drink. Escalate the dares as the night progresses. Bar-friendly dares include: order your drink in an accent, ask a stranger for a high five, make up a toast and deliver it to the whole bar.
Why It’s Great: The social engine that powers every great bar night. Our drinking games guide has more dare-based formats.

40. Shot Roulette

Players: 4+
What You Need: Multiple shot glasses, various liquors + water
How to Play: Fill shot glasses with different liquors and water. Mix them up so nobody knows which is which. Everyone picks one and takes it simultaneously. React accordingly.
Why It’s Great: Some get water. Some get tequila. The reactions are priceless. Pure gambling with your taste buds.

41. Medusa

Players: 4+
What You Need: Shots for everyone
How to Play: Everyone looks down at the table. On the count of three, everyone looks up and stares directly at one other person. If you’re staring at someone who isn’t looking at you — safe. If two people lock eyes, both yell “MEDUSA!” and take a shot.
Why It’s Great: Eye contact has never been this terrifying. Simple, fast, and generates screaming every round.

42. Cereal Killer

Players: 2+
What You Need: A beer, a straw
How to Play: Everyone gets a straw in their beer. When the game starts, you blow bubbles. First person whose beer overflows from the foam has to chug the rest.
Why It’s Great: Childish? Absolutely. Hilarious? Without question. Works best with high-carbonation beers.

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6. Bar Trivia Formats

Trivia night is a bar institution. But you don’t need a host and a projector — these formats work with just your group, a phone for answers, and competitive spirits.

43. Classic Pub Quiz

Players: Teams of 2-6
What You Need: Questions (phone/app), pen, paper
How to Play: One person acts as quizmaster and reads questions across categories (pop culture, history, science, sports, etc.). Teams write answers. Score after each round. Lowest-scoring team buys the next round.
Why It’s Great: The gold standard. Team debates over answers are half the fun. “I’m TELLING you, the capital of Australia is Canberra, not Sydney!”

44. Music Round (Name That Tune)

Players: 2+ teams
What You Need: Phone with music, speaker
How to Play: Play the first 3-5 seconds of a song. Teams race to identify the song and artist. First correct answer gets the point. Play through different decades and genres.
Why It’s Great: The energy when an intro plays and someone INSTANTLY knows it is electric. Play songs from different eras to level the playing field.

45. Picture Round

Players: 2+ teams
What You Need: Phone, pre-collected images
How to Play: Show zoomed-in, cropped, or distorted images of celebrities, logos, or landmarks. Teams guess what they’re looking at. Reveal after each round.
Why It’s Great: Visual trivia hits different. That moment when you realize the extreme close-up is Danny DeVito’s elbow? Priceless.

46. True or False Speed Round

Players: 2+
What You Need: Questions
How to Play: Rapid-fire true/false questions. Players hold up a coaster for True and put it flat for False (or use two different hand signals). Wrong answer = drink. 20 questions per round.
Why It’s Great: Low barrier, fast pace. The split-second decisions lead to hilarious confident wrong answers.

47. Category Blitz

Players: 3+
What You Need: Nothing
How to Play: Pick a category (car brands, US states, 90s sitcoms). Go around the circle — each player has 5 seconds to name one. Repeat anything or run out of time? You drink.
Why It’s Great: Deceptively hard under pressure. Watching someone blank on “types of pasta” after their third drink is comedy gold. Great for game night.

48. Wikipedia Race

Players: 2+
What You Need: Phones
How to Play: Everyone opens Wikipedia on the same random page. Race to reach a target page (decided beforehand) only by clicking hyperlinks within articles. First to arrive wins. Losers drink. Bonus: share your absurd click paths after.
Why It’s Great: The paths people take are insane. “I went from ‘Accordion’ to ‘World War II’ in 4 clicks through ‘Italian cuisine.’”

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7. Arcade & Electronic Bar Games

Modern bars are stacked with electronic entertainment. Here’s how to turn them into drinking games.

49. Big Buck Hunter

Players: 2
What You Need: Big Buck Hunter arcade cabinet
How to Play: Take turns shooting through the trek rounds. Standard play: lowest score per round buys drinks. Hit a doe (female deer)? That’s a drink penalty AND a point deduction. Bonus round loser takes a shot.
Why It’s Great: The most popular bar arcade game in America for good reason. The combination of reflex shooting and drink penalties makes accuracy increasingly… challenging.

50. Golden Tee

Players: 2-4
What You Need: Golden Tee arcade machine
How to Play: Play a round of golf. Drink penalties: bogey or worse = drink, water hazard = drink, out of bounds = drink twice. Birdie or better = give out a drink. Lowest score at the end wins (and assigns a chugging penalty).
Why It’s Great: Golf is already frustrating sober. Add drinks and the trackball becomes your worst enemy. Classic bar arcade.

51. Skee-Ball

Players: 2+
What You Need: Skee-Ball machine or bar version
How to Play: Play head-to-head. Miss the 10-point ring? Drink. Hit the corner 40/50 pocket? Give out drinks. Lowest total score after all balls drinks.
Why It’s Great: Pure nostalgia with adult consequences. The 100-point corner hole is basically impossible after round 3.

52. Jenga (Giant Bar Jenga)

Players: 2+
What You Need: Jenga set (many bars have giant versions)
How to Play: Standard Jenga, but write drinking rules on each block: “Take 2 sips,” “Waterfall,” “Make a rule,” “Thumb master,” etc. Pull a block, follow the rule. Knock over the tower? Finish your drink.
Why It’s Great: The physical tension of pulling blocks + drinking rules = perfection. Giant Jenga towers crashing in a bar create legendary moments.

53. Pinball (Drinking Rules)

Players: 2+
What You Need: Pinball machine
How to Play: Take turns playing one ball each. Drain your ball under 30 seconds? Take a shot. Tilt? Double shot. Highest score at the end of 3 balls wins and picks someone to drink.
Why It’s Great: Pinball is already exciting — adding stakes makes every flipper save feel heroic and every drain feel tragic.

54. Jukebox Roulette

Players: 3+
What You Need: Bar jukebox, dollar bills
How to Play: Each player puts in a dollar and picks a song without showing anyone. Everyone guesses who picked each song as they play. Wrong guess = drink. Successfully trick everyone with an unexpected song = give out 3 drinks.
Why It’s Great: Learning that your buddy secretly loves Taylor Swift is worth the price of admission. The deception strategies get elaborate.

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8. Outdoor Patio Bar Games

Bar patios are outdoor playgrounds for adults. These games need a bit of space but deliver maximum fun.

55. Cornhole

Players: 4 (2v2)
What You Need: Cornhole boards, bean bags
How to Play: Teams alternate throwing 4 bags per round at the board ~27 feet away. Bag on the board = 1 point. Bag through the hole = 3 points. Cancel scoring (subtract lower from higher team each round). First to 21 wins. Drinking rule: losing team drinks the point difference each round.
Why It’s Great: The backyard-to-bar pipeline king. Easy to learn, hard to master, and absolutely perfect with a beer in your non-throwing hand.

56. Kan Jam

Players: 4 (2v2)
What You Need: Kan Jam set (2 cans, frisbee)
How to Play: Throw a frisbee at the can while your teammate stands behind it and deflects it in. Direct hit = 2 points, deflection into the can = 3 points, direct shot through the front slot = instant win. First to 21.
Why It’s Great: Frisbee meets teamwork meets trash talk. That front-slot instant win is the most hype moment in outdoor bar gaming.

57. Ladder Toss (Ladder Golf)

Players: 2-4
What You Need: Ladder toss set (bolas + ladder)
How to Play: Toss bolas (two balls connected by a string) at a 3-rung ladder. Top rung = 3 points, middle = 2, bottom = 1. First to exactly 21 wins. Go over? Your score resets to 15.
Why It’s Great: The bola physics create hilarious moments — wrapping around the wrong rung, bouncing off, or miraculously hooking the top at the last second.

58. Horseshoes

Players: 2 or 4
What You Need: Horseshoe set, stakes
How to Play: Toss horseshoes at a stake 40 feet away. Ringer (around the stake) = 3 points. Within 6 inches = 1 point. Cancellation scoring. First to 21. Drinking: missed the scoring zone entirely? Drink.
Why It’s Great: An American classic that pairs perfectly with afternoon drinking on a patio. The satisfying *clang* of a ringer never gets old.

59. Giant Connect Four

Players: 2
What You Need: Oversized Connect Four set
How to Play: Standard Connect Four rules — drop discs to get 4 in a row. Drinking version: every time you play a blocking move (defensive), take a sip. Loser finishes their drink.
Why It’s Great: The giant version is a showstopper on any patio. Strategy stays simple enough that drinks don’t ruin it, but losers definitely blame the alcohol.

60. KanBeer (Stump)

Players: 3+
What You Need: Tree stump, hammer, nails
How to Play: Each player taps a nail into a stump (just enough to stand). Take turns flipping the hammer in the air, catching it, and swinging at someone else’s nail in one motion. Drive someone’s nail flush? They drink and are out. Drop the hammer? You drink.
Why It’s Great: Sounds unhinged. Is unhinged. The hammer flip adds a circus element that gets more entertaining (and dangerous) as the night goes on. Sober supervision recommended.

61. Spikeball

Players: 4 (2v2)
What You Need: Spikeball set
How to Play: Bounce the ball off the net. Opposing team has 3 touches to return it. If they can’t, you score. Play to 21. Drinking: losing team drinks the score gap every 7 points.
Why It’s Great: Athletic, fast, and incredibly fun to watch. The dives and trick shots only get more ambitious with each drink.

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9. Bar Betting & Proposition Games

Every bar has that person who knows a trick. These are the bets, puzzles, and propositions that win free drinks — or cost you dearly.

62. Quarters Bet (Bar Trick)

Players: 2
What You Need: 2 quarters, a glass
How to Play: “I bet you a drink I can get this quarter into the glass without touching it.” Place one quarter on the table near the glass. Drop the second quarter on the first — the first quarter bounces into the glass. Collect your free drink.
Why It’s Great: A classic hustle. Practice at home, deploy at the bar. The “wait, what just happened” look is priceless.

63. Matchstick Puzzles

Players: 2+
What You Need: Matchsticks or toothpicks
How to Play: Arrange matchsticks into equations or shapes and challenge others: “Move one matchstick to make this equation correct” or “Remove 3 matchsticks to leave exactly 3 triangles.” If they can’t solve it in 60 seconds, they drink.
Why It’s Great: Brain teasers hit different after a few drinks. Build a collection of these and you’ll never buy your own beer again.

64. Guess the Bill

Players: 2+
What You Need: Your tab
How to Play: Before asking for the check, everyone secretly writes down their guess for the total bill. Closest guess wins — everyone else contributes an extra $5 (or drinks). Farthest from the real total buys a round.
Why It’s Great: Turns the most boring part of the night (the bill) into a game. Also a sneaky way to make people realize how much they’ve been drinking.

65. Odds Are (What Are the Odds)

Players: 2+
What You Need: Nothing
How to Play: Challenge someone: “What are the odds you [dare]?” They set the range (e.g., “1 in 10”). Both count to 3 and say a number within that range simultaneously. If you match? They have to do it. If not, they’re safe.
Why It’s Great: The range-setting creates perfect tension. Set it at 1 in 5 to seem tough, then panic when you realize those are actual odds. This is a girls’ night favorite.

66. Penny for Your Thoughts

Players: 2+
What You Need: A penny, a glass of water
How to Play: Fill a glass to the brim with water. Take turns placing pennies on the rim, one at a time. The person who causes it to overflow drinks. Surface tension is your friend.
Why It’s Great: The tension (both surface and emotional) is incredible. Everyone holding their breath as pennies pile up on a comically overfull glass is peak bar entertainment.

67. The Napkin Game

Players: 2+
What You Need: Napkin, coin, lit cigarette (or just burn holes, ask bar staff)
How to Play: Place a napkin over a glass with a coin on top. Players take turns burning small holes in the napkin with a cigarette. Whoever’s hole causes the coin to fall through drinks. Alternatively, use a toothpick to poke holes if no smokers around.
Why It’s Great: Vintage bar game energy. Each poke gets more tense as the napkin weakens. Strategic hole placement is a real thing.

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10. Bar Olympics & Tournament Formats

When a single game isn’t enough, go full Olympics. These formats turn an entire evening (or bar crawl) into an organized competition.

68. Bar Olympics

Players: 8+ (teams of 3-5)
What You Need: Multiple game setups, scorecards
How to Play: Set up 6-10 stations: darts, pool, flip cup, quarters, trivia, arm wrestling, etc. Teams rotate through stations on a timer (10-15 minutes each). Award gold (3 pts), silver (2), bronze (1) at each station. Tally scores at the end. Lowest-scoring team buys a round for the winners.
Why It’s Great: The ultimate bar night format. Different strengths shine at different events, so everyone contributes. The closing ceremony (victory drinks) is always epic.

69. Bar Crawl Bingo

Players: 4+
What You Need: Pre-made bingo cards, multiple bars
How to Play: Create bingo cards with bar-crawl challenges in each square: “Take a photo with a bartender,” “Try a new cocktail,” “Win a game of darts,” “Get a stranger to buy you a shot,” “Find someone wearing the same shirt color,” etc. First to bingo wins. Blackout = legend status.
Why It’s Great: Adds structure to a bar crawl without killing the spontaneity. The challenges force you out of your comfort zone and create stories. Amazing for guys’ night or girls’ night out.

70. Survivor Series

Players: 6+
What You Need: Various games
How to Play: Each round, everyone plays a head-to-head game (coin flip for matchups). Loser is eliminated. Winners advance. Continue until one person remains — they’re the Survivor and get their drinks paid for all night. Eliminated players form the “Jury” who can challenge the Survivor to a final game.
Why It’s Great: Single-elimination brackets create massive stakes. Getting knocked out early means you’re spectating (and heckling), which is its own entertainment.

71. Pub Decathlon

Players: 4+
What You Need: 10 different bar-friendly challenges
How to Play: Ten events over the course of the night: 1) Darts accuracy, 2) Speed flip cup, 3) Trivia round, 4) Quarters accuracy, 5) Arm wrestling, 6) Song lyric challenge, 7) Coin slide, 8) Pool trick shot, 9) Paper airplane distance, 10) Final boss: waterfall chug. Points for each event. Grand champion crowned at the end.
Why It’s Great: Variety ensures no one dominates. The person who crushes darts might bomb at trivia. True all-around bar athlete emerges.

72. Round Robin Tournament

Players: 4-8
What You Need: Any 1v1 bar game (darts, pool, etc.)
How to Play: Everyone plays everyone once. Record W/L. Top 2 records play a championship round. Tiebreaker: head-to-head record, then a sudden-death round. Loser of the championship buys a round. Dead-last overall buys two.
Why It’s Great: Guarantees everyone plays multiple games. No early elimination means nobody’s sitting out. The tiebreaker drama is always intense.

73. Kings of the Bar

Players: 6+
What You Need: Crown (or silly hat), various games
How to Play: One person starts as “King” and chooses the game. If someone beats the King, they take the crown and choose the next game. King gets drink perks: can make others drink at will, gets served first, etc. If the King holds the crown for 3 consecutive challenges, they’ve earned “Legend” status and their bar tab gets split among everyone else.
Why It’s Great: The power dynamics are addictive. Watching someone desperately defend their crown across darts, trivia, and flip cup is captivating entertainment.

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Bonus: Quick-Start Games (Zero Setup)

No equipment at all? These work with just the people around you and whatever drinks are already on the table.

74. Most Likely

Players: 3+
What You Need: Nothing
How to Play: Someone asks “Who is most likely to…” (e.g., “get kicked out of this bar,” “cry during a movie,” “survive a zombie apocalypse”). On the count of three, everyone points at who they think. Each person drinks once for every finger pointed at them.
Why It’s Great: Reveals what your friends really think of you. Brutally honest, hilariously revealing.

75. Never Have I Ever

Players: 3+
What You Need: Nothing
How to Play: Take turns saying “Never have I ever…” followed by something you haven’t done. Everyone who HAS done it drinks. Strategy: target specific people with your statements.
Why It’s Great: The classic icebreaker that always uncovers secrets. Perfect for date nights (careful though!) or new groups.

76. Two Truths and a Lie

Players: 3+
What You Need: Nothing
How to Play: Each person states three things about themselves — two true, one false. Everyone else guesses the lie. Wrong guesses drink. If nobody spots the lie, the liar gives out drinks to everyone.
Why It’s Great: You learn wild things about your friends. “Wait, you actually met Shaq at a Denny’s?!” Outstanding for groups that are still getting to know each other.

77. Thumb Master

Players: 3+
What You Need: Nothing
How to Play: One person is the Thumb Master. At any point during the night, they silently place their thumb on the table. Everyone who notices does the same. Last person to put their thumb down drinks. Thumb Master role passes to the loser.
Why It’s Great: Works as an overlay on top of any other activity. The stealth thumb-drops during conversations are hilarious.

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Tips for the Best Bar Game Night

• Know your bar. Check what equipment they have before you go — darts, pool, shuffleboard, giant Jenga? Plan around it.
• Bring a pocket kit. A deck of cards and 5 dice fit anywhere and unlock 20+ games from this list.
• Set the stakes early. Loser buys a round? Loser wears the silly hat? Clear stakes make every game better.
• Rotate games. Don’t play the same thing all night. Switch it up every 30-45 minutes to keep energy high.
• Pace yourselves. Drinking games are fun when everyone’s having a good time. Keep water in the rotation and know your limits.
• Download xDares for instant dares and challenges you can layer on top of any bar game.

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FAQ

What are the most popular bar games?

The most popular bar games include darts (especially 501 and Cricket), pool (8-ball), shuffleboard, foosball, beer pong, and cornhole on patios. For drinking games specifically, Kings Cup, flip cup, and quarters are the most widely played at bars across America.

What games can you play at a bar with nothing?

Several great bar games need zero equipment: Never Have I Ever, Most Likely, Two Truths and a Lie, Category Blitz, Thumb Master, Medusa, and Odds Are all work with just the people at your table and whatever drinks you already have.

What are good bar games for 2 people?

Great bar games for two include pool (any format), darts (501, Cricket, or Around the World), shuffleboard, Liar’s Dice, Chō-Han, air hockey, Big Buck Hunter, and Indian Poker. These are also perfect for date night at a bar.

What are the best bar games for large groups?

For large groups (8+), go with flip cup, stack cup (Rage Cage), Kings Cup, bar Olympics format, bar crawl bingo, Medusa, or Most Likely. These games scale well and keep everyone involved rather than waiting for turns.

What bar games can you play with cards?

With a single deck of cards you can play Kings Cup, Ride the Bus, F**k the Dealer, Pyramid, Indian Poker, Asshole (President), Spoons, and Snap. Check out our full drinking card games guide for even more options.

What dice games do people play at bars?

Popular bar dice games include Liar’s Dice, Ship Captain Crew, Bar Dice (Boss Dice) for settling who buys rounds, Mexico, Three Man, 7-14-21, and Chō-Han. Most bars have dice behind the counter — just ask!

How do you organize bar Olympics?

Form teams of 3-5 people. Set up 6-10 game stations (darts, pool, flip cup, quarters, trivia, arm wrestling, etc.). Give teams 10-15 minutes per station, then rotate. Award points at each station. Tally totals at the end for a champion team. Losing team traditionally buys winners a round.

What are fun drinking games for a pub crawl?

Try Bar Crawl Bingo (complete challenge squares across bars), Wizard Staff (tape cans into a growing tower), Power Hour on the move, or assign specific challenges per bar (e.g., “win a game at this bar, try a shot at the next one”). Check our drinking games guide for more crawl-friendly options.