Organizing a Pub Quiz in 8 Steps

Always wanted to organize your own pub quiz? Then read on! Organising a fun quiz will turn out great if you follow these eight steps.

Go directly to:

• Step 1: Choose a suitable venue
• Step 2: Make or buy the quiz
• Step 3: Create a scoring system
• Step 4: Provide fun prizes
• Step 5: Plan snacks and drinks
• Step 6: Invite participants to your quiz
• Step 7: Prepare the site
• Step 8: Quiz time!

Step 1: Choose a suitable venue for your pub quiz

The first step in organizing your own pub quiz is choosing a suitable venue. You can host the quiz at your home, or find a venue, such as a cafe or restaurant.

Are you organizing a pub quiz as a company outing and prefer to outsource it? Then check out our page pub quiz on location.

Since participants must write down answers (don’t forget the pens and answer sheets!), it is helpful to have plenty of tables and chairs at the location.

If you plan to use visual aids and sound in your quiz, make sure the venue has a TV screen, projector and/or sound system.

Step 2: Make or buy the pub quiz

You can purchase a ready-made pub quiz, but making your own can also be fun. If you make your own quiz, think about the following:

• The format and structure: decide how many pub quiz rounds you want to have, what themes or topics you want to cover and how long each round will be. Most pub quizzes involve 5 to 8 rounds of 8 to 10 questions each. That will take you about 1.5 – 2 hours. If you are pouring the quiz into a presentation, check out our free pub quiz templates (Powerpoint & Slides) to get some inspiration.
• Quiz questions: you can come up with the questions yourself, find them on the Internet, or take them from a ready-made pub quiz. However you gather the questions, try to make a mix of easy and difficult questions to keep the quiz interesting for everyone. (Tip: You can get inspiration from our free pub quiz questions. There you will find more than 1,500 free questions including answers).

Read more about making your own quiz in our make a pub quiz article.

Step 3: Create a scoring system

Next, decide how you want to score the quiz and create a scoring system that you explain to participants prior to the quiz.

You can give points for each correct answer, half points for a half answer (for example, first name only and no last name listed), or, for example, give bonus points for difficult questions.

You might also consider awarding participants double points on a round of their own choosing.

Consider whether you are going to keep the scores yourself (this will also cost you time during the rounds throughout), or have someone else do it for you.

Step 4: Provide fun prizes for the winning quiz team

Make your pub quiz more fun by offering a prize for the winning team.

As the quiz organizer, your job is to decide which prize is appropriate for the participants. This can range from something simple, like a book or gift certificate, to something more elaborate, like a weekend getaway, depending on your budget.

In many pubs, pub quiz winners receive a discount on the bill, or a beer package.

Step 5: Plan snacks and drinks

You can easily spend several hours on a pub quiz. Therefore, consider offering refreshments to your participants between rounds, such as snacks and drinks.

Offering refreshments adds to the atmosphere and makes the quiz more fun for everyone. Many pubs that host pub quizzes, for example, offer participants a round of free bitterballs or other snacks.

If you do the quiz at home, make sure you have plenty of tasty snacks and drinks in the house.

Step 6: Invite participants to your pub quiz

Okay, by now you have made the necessary preparations. Good job! Now it’s time to invite participants to join your pub quiz.

How do you tackle this? You can use email, social media like Facebook Instagram and TikTok or old-fashioned invitations through the mail to spread the word about your pub quiz.

Clearly state in the invitation what participants can expect and whether you charge a fee for participation.

You can charge a small fee to cover costs or to make the quiz more competitive and offer fun prizes.

You can also decide to offer the quiz for free, for example, if you are organizing a pub quiz for friends, family or colleagues.

Communicate further in your invitation:

• • Where the quiz will take place;
  • What time the quiz begins and ends;
  • How large quiz teams may be
  • How participants can register.

Looking for some examples? Check out our pub quiz invitation page.

Step 7: Prepare the site

You’re almost ready! On the day of the pub quiz, arrive in time to get the venue ready for the event.

Make sure the sound works if you use a microphone and sound clips. Test the TV or projector if you are going to give a presentation with visual aids.

Also, put pen and paper on the tables in advance for the participants, and make any preparations for snacks and drinks you plan to serve during the quiz.

Step 8: Quiz time!

You’re all set and your self-organized pub quiz can begin!

As quizmaster, your job now is to read the questions aloud, give participants time to write down their answers and keep track of the scores.

Make sure you have enough time to ask all the questions. Consider providing intermediate scores between rounds so teams know where they stand.

End the quiz by announcing the winner(s) and present prizes to the highest scoring teams.

Nice going, you’ve organized your own quiz!