Can you make money from pub quizzes? How to turn your passion for trivia into cash - and tips for winning

• Pub quizzes are a popular way for trivia enthusiasts to showcase their knowledge and bond with teammates
• With increasing prize pools, consistent winners can potentially turn quiz nights into a profitable side hustle
• Regular quiz winnings can range from small rewards like drinks and meals to significant cash prizes in tournaments
• Building a strong team with diverse knowledge is crucial for success in pub quizzes
• Preparation is key, with focus on common quiz categories and staying updated on current events
• Consistency in team members and roles enhances communication and improves overall performance during quizzes

For trivia enthusiasts, pub quizzes aren’t just a casual pastime; they’re a chance to show off knowledge, bond with teammates, and, increasingly, make some extra cash.

While most people attend pub quizzes for fun, the rise in popularity of these events means prize pools are growing, too.

With everything from gift cards and cash prizes to sometimes even larger jackpots on offer, could a consistent trivia winner, with the right strategy, turn pub quizzes into a profitable side-hustle? Here’s everything you need to know.

Can you make money from pub quizzes?

The short answer is yes — it’s possible to make a bit of extra money from regular pub quiz winnings.

But far from just a case of sinking a few pints and nailing the intros round, turning one of Britain’s favourite pub pastimes into a revenue stream requires dedication, practice and some level of strategic thinking.

Quiz winnings typically range from small rewards like free drinks or meals to larger prizes like cash, merchandise, or even significant cash prizes if you’re competing in quiz tournaments or trivia leagues.

While these rewards might not provide a full-time income, those who excel at trivia can cover part of their monthly expenses or supplement other income sources.

Consistency is key here; winning sporadically won’t yield much, but teams who consistently win or place highly can expect regular rewards.

Over time, especially if you become known in your local area, this side hustle can add up to a nice, steady stream of extra cash.

What does the perfect pub quiz team look like?

A great pub quiz team isn’t just about rounding up a group of knowledgeable people; it’s about balancing strengths.

A mix of people who are strong in specific categories — like sports, history, pop culture, science, and geography — can cover more ground, and it’s also good to have someone who’s savvy in current events and someone who knows random trivia like "famous adverts" or “music lyrics."

Familiarity with each other’s strengths and personalities creates better team synergy, so try to arrange for the same members to turn up to each quiz. If the team changes every week, it can be harder to anticipate each other’s thought processes and delegate questions accordingly.

Just like a finely tuned Premier League squad, in a trivia team, roles matter. Assign someone to be the final decision-maker if there’s disagreement, another to keep track of topics covered, and a third person to track scoring and tally points. This organisation can help the team stay focused and confident. Most quizzes limit the number of team members, often to 4–6. Larger teams can help increase coverage of topics, but smaller teams that know each other well often have better communication and teamwork, which is crucial during rapid-fire rounds.

How to prepare for a pub quiz

While pub quizzes are meant to be fun, preparing for them as you would for a competitive sport can yield results.

Certain categories - like geography, history, pop culture, movies, sports, music, and science - appear frequently, so build up your foundational knowledge by reading books, watching documentaries and using trivia apps.

But many quizzes also include questions on recent events, so develop a habit of skimming the day’s headlines, especially sports news, celebrity events and major global happenings.

After each quiz, review the questions your team missed - you’ll identify recurring topics and notice gaps in your team’s knowledge, a feedback loop which will improve your odds over time.

Tips for quizzing your best

Once you’re seated and ready for the quiz to begin, there are a number of strategies you should keep in mind to stay competitive.

If you’re stuck on a question, don’t waste time. Often the simplest answer is correct, so go with the most logical guess and avoid overthinking; pub quiz questions are typically designed for general knowledge and don’t demand overly obscure answers.

But if some questions are worth more points than others, ensure these receive extra attention. Assign your strongest team members to tackle high-point or high-stakes questions, increasing your chance of scoring big.

Communication is key, so listen to each other’s reasoning, especially if someone feels strongly about a particular answer. Avoid the “louder voice wins” phenomenon; defer to the team member most likely to know the answer based on expertise.

And if your team starts to lose momentum or morale after missing a question or two, keep your cool. Panic leads to mistakes and arguments, so it’s important to keep a positive outlook regardless of any minor setbacks.

Ready to turn your trivia passion into cash? Whether you’re a seasoned quizzer or just starting out, we’d love to hear about your experiences and strategies! Share your thoughts, tips or even your favourite quiz stories in the comments section.