How to Host a Trivia Night That Packs Your Venue
Pack the house with our bar trivia games
The ultimate trivia night hosting guide for Bars, Restaurants, and Event Hosts
Why Host a Trivia Night?
Picture this: It's Tuesday night – typically a slow evening – but your venue is buzzing with energy. Teams huddle around tables, laughing and debating answers while ordering another round of drinks. This isn't just a fantasy – it's what happens when you host a successful trivia night.
the best bar trivia subscription and games
Boost Your Revenue
Transform slow weeknights into profitable evenings with increased food and drink sales as players stay longer and order more.Build Loyalty, Promote Your Brand
Create a loyal, returning customer base who make your trivia night a regular part of their weekly routine.
Create a Fun Atmosphere
Develop a fun, memorable atmosphere that gets talked about and brings in new customers through word-of-mouth.
Do I need to be a comedian to run this game successfully?
No. We’ve built Stage Time Trivia for comedians, but it’s also for anyone with an outgoing personality that is comfortable speaking in front of an audience.
How long does each game of trivia run for?
Every game is designed to run between 1.5 and 2 hours, approximately the same length as a live comedy show.
Couldn't I just do my own trivia night and write my own questions and material?
You could, and plenty of people do, write and run their own trivia nights. However, it can take several hours of work to write and build your own trivia and not everyone has that kind of time or desire. Stage Time Trivia does all of the work for you, allowing you to just show up and host a fun night of trivia without having to worry about the content. Each week’s game is written and compiled creatively by professional comedians and all of our content is fact checked and accurate.
Do I have to subscribe to your service?
No – But You Should!
Stage Time Trivia is designed for weekly trivia nights and provides a fresh, topical trivia each and every week.
We also offer single downloads and individual themed downloads for one night events.
The Complete Trivia Night Hosting Guide
Follow these steps to host a trivia night that keeps people coming back week after week.
Start Your Trivia Membership!Plan Your Perfect Trivia Night
DescriptionChoose Your Format
The foundation of any great trivia night is the format. Will you go with traditional pen-and-paper or incorporate digital elements? While tech solutions can streamline scoring, many venues find classic paper formats create more social interaction.
Set the Schedule
Consistency is key! Choose a regular night (typically Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday works best) and stick with it. Players need to know they can count on trivia being there every week.
Establish Clear Rules
Create and communicate straightforward rules covering:
- Team size limits (usually 4-6 players)
- Phone usage policy (typically banned during play)
- How scoring works
- Procedures for submitting answers
- How disputes will be handled
The Big Question: Where Do You Get Your Questions?
This is where most trivia nights succeed or fail. You have two options:
- DIY Approach: Research and write 40-50 balanced questions each week across multiple categories, ensuring they’re not too easy or too difficult, fact-check every answer, and create variety with different question formats.
- Professional Service: Use a subscription service that delivers fresh, professionally written questions every week.
The DIY approach takes 5-10 hours weekly, while a subscription service lets you download and host in minutes.
Prepare Your Venue
Equipment Essentials
Make sure you have:
- Microphone and sound system for announcements
- Answer sheets and pens for each team
- Scoresheet for tracking results
- Optional: Projector or screen for visual rounds
Venue Setup
- Position tables so teams can hear but can’t easily see others’ answers
- Create a dedicated host area with good visibility
- Consider lighting – players need to see their sheets
Staffing
Having a charismatic host makes all the difference. Choose someone who:
- Speaks clearly and engagingly
- Can think on their feet
- Has a good sense of humor
- Maintains the right energy level throughout
Running Your Trivia Night
The Perfect Timeline (2-Hour Format)
- 15 minutes: Welcome teams, explain rules, distribute materials
- 20 minutes: Round 1 (general knowledge)
- 10 minutes: Score Round 1 (bar sales opportunity!)
- 20 minutes: Round 2 (themed category)
- 10 minutes: Scoring break
- 15 minutes: Handout/picture round
- 20 minutes: Round 3 (mixed categories)
- 10 minutes: Final scoring and winner announcement
Balancing Difficulty
Keep players engaged by balancing easy, medium, and challenging questions. Nothing kills a trivia night faster than questions that are consistently too hard or too easy. The sweet spot is where everyone can answer some questions correctly but no team gets everything right.
Keeping Energy High
- Maintain a steady pace
- Inject humor between questions
- Consider background music during thinking time
- Announce standings between rounds to build excitement
Prizes That Motivate
You don’t need massive prizes, but you do need something worth competing for:
- Bar tabs or gift cards for your venue
- Branded merchandise
- Priority seating for next week’s trivia
- Champion’s trophy that passes to each week’s winner
Pro Tip: Consider prizes for 1st, 2nd, and even last place (the “try harder next time” award) to keep everyone invested.
Promoting Your Trivia Night
Even the best trivia night needs promotion:
- In-venue signage (table tents, posters)
- Social media posts (create a Facebook event)
- Email newsletter mentions
- Website event calendar
- Encourage current players to bring friends
For maximum impact, consider running a “First Month Free” promotion or “50% OFF First Month” campaign to attract new teams
Ready to Transform Your Slow Nights Into Your Money-Maker Nights Instead?
Join hundreds of successful bars and restaurants nationwide that trust Stage Time Trivia to deliver entertainment that builds business.
100s of Happy Customers
