Beer pong guide · 12 ways to play
Beer pong variations: giant, pool, prosecco and more
The same game, a dozen ways: with buckets on the lawn, a floating table in the pool, coupes of prosecco at a hen party, shot-size cups on the coffee table or water only. Here are the rules for each beer pong variation, and a cup tracker that works for all of them.
- 👥 2–4 players per game
- 🎒 Depends on the version: buckets, a pool, glasses or cups
Beer pong variations: play online
Beer pong cup tracker
Track both racks cup by cup, call re-racks with the right formation, handle redemption and overtime, and run a knockout bracket for a tournament.
The tracker works for every variation: choose 10 or 6 cups, tap each cup as it’s hit, and use the bracket tab for a tournament.
Beer pong variations: quick rules
Every variation keeps the core of beer pong: two teams, a rack of targets at each end, take turns throwing, and a hit means the defenders drink (or do a forfeit). What changes is the size, the place and the cups. The most popular are giant beer pong on the lawn, pool beer pong on a floating table and prosecco pong at hen and bachelorette parties.
Beer pong variations at a glance
| Variation | Targets | Ball | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giant (yard) beer pong | Buckets or bins | Volleyball or playground ball | Gardens, beaches, tailgates |
| Pool (floating) beer pong | Cups on an inflatable table | Ping-pong ball | Pool parties |
| Prosecco pong | 6 plastic coupes or flutes | Ping-pong ball | Hen and bachelorette parties |
| Mini beer pong | Shot-size cups | Ping-pong ball | Coffee tables, small rooms |
| Water pong | Cups of water | Ping-pong ball | Mixed groups, hygiene |
| Paddle pong | 6 cups | Ping-pong ball + paddles | The original college version |
Giant beer pong (yard pong)
Swap cups for 10 buckets or small bins per side (a 4-3-2-1 triangle, or 6 for a smaller lawn) and the ping-pong ball for a volleyball or a soft playground ball. Stand about 15 ft (5 m) from the other rack. A ball that stays in a bucket is a hit: the defenders take a sip from their own drinks, and the bucket comes out. Bounce shots are almost impossible on grass, so most groups play without them.
Pool beer pong (floating beer pong)
Pool beer pong uses an inflatable floating table with cup holes at each end. Players stand or float at the ends and throw exactly as normal. A ball that lands in the pool is dead; the defending team fetches it.
Plastic cups only (never glass near a pool), keep drinks light, and nobody plays in water deeper than they can stand in after drinking. Most floating tables also work as a paddling-pool or lawn table.
Prosecco pong
A hen-party and bachelorette favourite: 6 plastic coupes or flutes of prosecco per side in a 3-2-1 triangle. Coupes (wide, shallow glasses) are much easier to hit than flutes. When a glass is hit, the defending team takes a sip from it, not the whole glass, and tops it back up for style. Use plastic glassware and put the game on a tablecloth: fizz goes everywhere. More party ideas on our bachelorette drinking games page.
Mini beer pong
Shot-size cups on a coffee table, 6 or 10 per side, thrown from the sofa. Put water or a mixer in the tiny cups and take a sip of your own drink for every hit. The small targets make it harder than it looks.
Water pong (the clean version)
Fill every game cup with water and keep your own drink in your hand. When your cup is hit, take a sip of your own drink (or nothing at all). It’s cleaner, since balls spend half the game on the floor, and it lets non-drinkers play every game. Many tournaments now play this way.
Paddle pong (Dartmouth pong)
The original beer pong, still played at some colleges, uses ping-pong paddles: players serve and return the ball like table tennis, trying to hit or land it in the other team’s cups at the far end. In the common five-point game, hitting a cup scores 1, sinking the ball scores 2 and knocking a cup over scores 5. It’s closer to table tennis than to the throwing game most people know.
More ways to play
- Cut-throat (3 players): three racks of 6 cups at the points of a triangle. Shoot at either opponent; last player with cups wins.
- 1 vs 1: both balls are yours each turn; use 6-cup racks to keep games short.
- Around the world: each player must hit the cups in a set order, back row to front.
- Death cup: hitting a cup the other team is still holding ends the game at once.
- Blind pong: the thrower closes their eyes and a teammate talks them in.
- Wrong-hand round: every throw in one round uses your weaker hand.
Tips for a good game
- Plastic cups and glasses only for outdoor and pool games.
- Bigger targets outdoors: buckets or 6-cup racks.
- Water in the game cups is always an option.
Play it safe: every game here works with sips of any drink, or none at all. Only adults of legal drinking age should drink alcohol, alternate with water, and never drink and drive. [How to drink responsibly](/drink-responsibly/)
Beer pong variations: FAQ
What is giant beer pong?
Beer pong played on a lawn with buckets or bins instead of cups and a volleyball instead of a ping-pong ball, thrown from about 15 ft.
How do you play pool beer pong?
Put an inflatable floating beer pong table in the pool and play normal rules. A ball in the water is dead. Plastic cups only.
What is prosecco pong?
Beer pong with 6 plastic coupes or flutes of prosecco per side, popular at hen and bachelorette parties. Take a sip when a glass is hit.
What is water pong?
Beer pong with water in the game cups; players sip their own drink when a cup is hit. It’s cleaner and works for non-drinkers.
What is paddle beer pong?
The original Dartmouth version, played with ping-pong paddles: you hit the ball at the other team’s cups instead of throwing it. A hit is 1 point, a sink 2 and a knock-over 5.
More drinking games to try
- Beer Pong Rules, setup, re-racks, a cup tracker and a tournament bracket.
- Beer pong table guide Regulation size, folding tables, cups, balls and a planner.
- Outdoor drinking games Cornhole, hook and ring, yard pong, beersbee and more.
- Bachelorette games A party deck about the bride, plus bingo and prosecco pong.