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Beer Pong

by Emma Lily CarterApril 10, 2020 
Last updated: April 30, 2023

Players Needed

2 or more

Materials Needed

  • 12 Plastic Cups or more (16 oz)
  • Beer
  • Beer pong table or any long table
  • Two plastic balls
  • Small bucket (optional)
Possibly the most popular drinking game in the world, and for good reason. Show off your shooting and drinking skills while playing solos or teams to become the beer pong champion...

How to Play Beer Pong – Setting it Up

people playing beer pong indoor party

Place 6 plastic cups on each end of the table in a pyramid shape as seen in the above image with the base towards you and the tip facing the enemy player/team, you can use more cups if you want to increase the drinking factor. Fill your cups with your alcohol (normally beer) up to the line inside the cup, or about 30-35%.

If you are playing in teams of two then each player gets 3 cups out of the 6 so when your 3 cups get sunk you drink and if your partner's cups get sunk then they drink. You can decide on how to do the split, the easiest way is one person gets the diagonal line and the other player gets the mini pyramid left. Alternatively, you can both drink for each cup that gets sunk - whatever floats your boat.

Fill the bucket with water if you have it, this bucket will be used to clean the balls before players shoot – this step is optional.  

GOLDGE Beer Pong Table Mat

This beer pong table mat set comes complete with 30 plastic cups (15 red and 15 blue) and 8 ping pong balls, making it ideal for various drinking games, including Beer Pong, Flip Cup, and Quarters. Get ready for a fun-filled experience!

Beer Pong Game Rules

Deciding Who Goes First

The team to shoot first is decided by a successful shot. You must shoot at the same time as the opposite team’s player while maintaining eye contact with them, and the one to sink it gets first shot (no points are gained for this shot). If both players sink a ball then you continue to shoot until one misses or a tie is broken.

Playing Beer Pong

Your job is to sink all of the opposing team’s cups before they sink yours. Shots are taken by both players on one team before the opposing team gets a chance to shoot and the sunken cups must be picked up and drank right away. There are a few rules when playing:

  • Bouncing the ball into a cup gives you two cups instead of one – the opposing team decides which second cup they want to take away.
  • If the other team tries to bounce a ball into your cups then you are allowed to swat it away after it bounces or touches a surface – Note: if a shot is blocked before it touches a surface then the blocker loses a cup.
  • Your elbow must not pass the edge of the table when you shoot
  • When playing two players per team, if one side sinks both shots then they get to shoot again. This can continue until one of the players miss or the game ends.

Players should alternate who drinks what cup. For example, you drink the first cup that is sunk and your partner drinks the second then you drink the third and your partner drinks the fourth. If a player misses the table when shooting they lose their next turn, however if nobody calls them out before they shoot in their next turn than it counts as a real shot.

When you get down to four cups rearrange them into a diamond as such:

Four red solo cups illustration in diamond pattern

If team A sinks team B’s last cup then team B gets to shoot a redemption shot, if there are two players per team then both players get one redemption shot, and if they manage to sink the ball then the game continues normally and the last cup is left on the table for team B. If team A sinks another ball after the redemption shots then the game is over and team A wins.

Some tips:

  • Put an arc on the ball when you throw it, you are more likely to sink it if you do.
  • If you see a group of cups shoot for them instead of the edges.
  • Try throwing both overhand and underhand to get a feel of which works better for you.