How to host a quiz night (or trivia night)
A quiz night, or trivia night as it's called in a lot of places, is teams answering rounds of questions for points, with a host reading them out. It works at home with six people or in a club hall with sixty.
Here's how to run one well, from the guest list to the tie-breaker.
Plan it, step by step
- 1
Pick the size
At home: 2 to 4 teams. At a club or fundraiser: as many tables as you have room for. Teams of 3 to 5 work best.
- 2
Choose the rounds
At home, 4 rounds of 10 questions takes about an hour. A pub-style night runs 6 to 8 rounds, with a break in the middle.
- 3
Mix the round types
General knowledge, a picture round, a music round and a themed round (Christmas, the 90s, your town) keep it interesting.
- 4
Write or choose the questions
Aim for most teams getting about two thirds right. Check every answer twice, and keep a spare question for a tie.
- 5
Decide the scoring
One point a question is simplest. A "joker" round worth double points keeps the trailing teams in it.
- 6
Set up the room
A screen everyone can see, a clear spot for the host, and the scores on show between rounds.
Hosting tips for the night
- Read every question twice, slowly, then give a set time to answer.
- Show the scores after each round. A close leaderboard keeps everyone keen.
- Have a tie-breaker ready: a "closest number wins" question, like "How many steps up the lighthouse?"
- Keep the breaks short. Ten minutes at half time is plenty.
- Have small prizes, including one for last place. It keeps it friendly.
A trivia night fundraiser
Fundraiser trivia nights add a ticket per table, a raffle or auction at half time, and sometimes "buy a clue" or "buy back a wrong answer" for a gold coin. Ask the venue what's allowed, and keep the money side separate from the quiz itself.
Game Shows ONLINE runs the quiz part: the questions on screen, the answers on phones and the scores. It doesn't sell tickets or take money.
Run it with a TV and phones
With Game Shows ONLINE, the questions go up on the TV, each team answers on their phones, and the TV marks and adds up the scores. Pick one of our ready-made quizzes, write your own (pictures and clips too), or have AI write one on any topic.
As the host, choose Quizmaster to see the answers and judge spoken ones, or Playing along to join in without seeing them.
What are the three ways to play a quiz?
Everyone guesses: every phone answers and everyone who is right scores. Buzz first: the fastest buzzer answers. Say it out loud: players answer to the room and a Quizmaster judges, so the Quizmaster does not play that quiz.
Read the video transcript
Arnold: There are three ways to play a quiz! Let's take them one at a time.
Arnold: First… Everyone guesses! Every phone picks an answer at the same time. Everyone who's right scores. The game does the marking.
Lily: Second… Buzz first! Race to hit your buzzer. The fastest player answers on their phone. The game does the marking.
Arnold: Third… Say it out loud! Shout your answer to the room. The Quizmaster sees the right answer on their phone, and taps Right or Wrong. They know the answers, so they sit that game out.
Lily: That's all three! Want to play along too? Pick Everyone guesses or Buzz first.
Your quiz night checklist
- Teams and team names sorted
- Rounds written, answers checked twice, a tie-breaker ready
- The screen on and tested, phones joined before the first round
- Scoring decided (and a double-points round, if you like)
- Prizes, including one for last place
- Need questions? Start with our Christmas quiz.
Games for quiz night
Quiz
A quiz on the TV with phones as buzzers or answer pads. Choose a ready-made quiz, write your own or build one with AI.
- 1–30 players
- Depends on the quiz
Question Quest
Pick a clue from the TV board, buzz in and answer in the form of a question. For 2 to 8 players, each playing for themself, who enjoy trivia and a little risk.
- 2–8 players
- About 20–35 minutes
Snap It Up!
Our bargain-buzzer quiz show for 2–8 players, every man for themself: buzz in to answer quick questions, crack the Who am I?, and spend your points on bargains if you dare.
- 2–8 players
- About 12–15 minutes
Questions
How long does a quiz night take?
At home, 4 rounds of 10 questions takes about an hour. A pub-style night with 6 to 8 rounds and a break takes 2 to 3 hours.
How many people should be on a team?
Three to five. Bigger teams leave people with nothing to do, and a team of one can feel lonely.
How do you host a trivia night at home?
Pick 2 to 4 teams, 4 rounds of 10 questions and a screen everyone can see. With a TV and phones, the questions, answers and scores run themselves.
What's the difference between a quiz night and a trivia night?
Nothing much: Australians and Brits tend to say quiz night, Americans trivia night.
Host your quiz night
Put the quiz on the TV, everyone answers on their phones, and the scores add themselves up.
Start your trial