TRIVIA
Premier Trivia offers a variety of trivia games to suit different interests and schedules. We aim to have something for everyone. Click on the buttons below to learn more about each of our trivia types. You can also find the general rules of the game at the bottom of this page.
THE RULES
As with everything in life, especially games, there are rules to follow. Rules are what make the game fun for everyone (not just a select few). Here are the basic rules of the game and some “Practical Tips” to help maximize the enjoyment of the trivia experience for everyone.
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WHY: Because this is a game of fun and working with your team or working on the question on your own is what makes the game fun. It is not a case of who can Google the answer fastest.
PRACTICAL ADVICE: If you are on call for work or expecting an important call, let your Entertainer know ahead of time. We will allow you to have a phone out in this kind of situation; providing that we know ahead of time and it is legitimate.
VIOLATIONS: Premier Trivia will give a preemptive advisory warning at the start of each game. If your team is caught using resources (including, but not limited to cell phones), it will be handled on a case by case basis. Results could be a warning, a forfeit of the current answer, or disqualification from the game itself.
RULE #1:
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WHY: This is a rule for everyone in the bar (or other location). Premier Trivia is brought in by the establishment to perform a show. Yelling out answers (even if you are right/wrong, joking/serious, or tend to use words more than your ears) is disruptive to the program and skews the game by requiring us to replace material that has been set up ahead of time with backup material.
PRACTICAL ADVICE: Give everyone on your team a chance to weigh in on a question. Then as a group, discuss the possibilities and come to a consensus or at least a majority. Designate one person to be the writer and another person to be the runner (turn in the answer slips).
VIOLATIONS: Premier Trivia will give a preemptive advisory warning at the start of each game. If your team shouts out answers or other disruptive actions, it will be handled on a case by case basis. Results could be a warning, a forfeit of the current answer, or disqualification from the game itself. If a non-player is violating this rule, the situation will be handled by Premier Trivia or the venue staff.
RULE #2:
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WHY: There are several reasons for this rule. The biggest reason is that it makes scoring difficult for the Entertainer.
PRACTICAL ADVICE: There is no bonus for turning in an answer first. There is no need to run an answer up to the Entertainer either (which is dangerous and unnecessary even if time is expiring). The Entertainer will accept the answer slip if you are en route to them when time is expiring.
VIOLATIONS: Premier Trivia will give a preemptive advisory warning at the start of each game. Fortunately, you can’t break this rule because it is under the control of the Entertainer. Entertainers can make exceptions to this rule if the circumstance warrants it (such as you forgot to put your team number or point value on the slip or it was just handed in and has not been graded yet).
RULE #3:
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WHY: Well, someone has to call the shots and it might as well be the Entertainer that has been brought in by the venue to run the program. The game is not debate club, What’s My Line Anyway, or a popularity contest. A lot of time and effort goes into putting together a live performance and like any good director, the Entertainer is in charge of the program.
PRACTICAL ADVICE: If you disagree with an answer or wordage, feel free to approach the Entertainer and RESPECTFULLY ask to discuss the situation. Entertainers will listen to your position, do a brief investigating to verify the information if time allows, and let you know their decision. Once you have brought your claims to the Entertainer, please return to your seat pending the final decision. However, we will not take any sort of abuse from a player or non-player over a situation. The key is, follow the golden rule and everything should go smooth.
VIOLATIONS: We are not always right (SURPRISE!!). Although we make every effort to get questions and situations right, we are not above admitting when we got something wrong or incomplete. Once a decision has been made by the Entertainer, it is final and should no longer be debated or argued.
RULE #4:
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PRACTICAL ADVICE: Your Premier Trivia experience directly correlates to what you bring to the venue. If you bring smiles and a good attitude for looking for a fun night out with some old and new friends, then you will have an amazing time.
RULE #5:
HOW TO PLAY REGULAR TRIVIA
If this is your first time, maybe you need a refresher, or if you are just looking for some general ideas on playing the game, here are the basics of how the game is played and a few “Expert Tips” to help maximize your experience. This set of instructions is specifically for a standard game of trivia.
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First things first, you should plan to arrive at the venue of your choice 10-15 minutes before the show begins to allow yourself plenty of time to get seated, obtain your game materials from the Entertainer, and get your first round of drinks and appetizers going.
EXPERT TIP: Some venues take reservations for choice tables and some venues are busier than others. Basically put, plan to be a bit early if you want the best seats in the house.
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Your materials will include a single game sheet, a booklet of answer slips, and a pen/pencil if you didn’t bring one from home. The game sheet is for you to take notes such as the categories for each round and to keep track of the point values you have used for the round (more on that later). It also shows you all of the partner venues where we regularly present trivia shows.
EXPERT TIP: Make sure to get the Daily Clue from the front page of this website or from our Facebook or Instagram pages.
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Once the game begins, you will be asked to remain off your cell phones for the duration of the game. Although we trust our awesome players to not cheat, simply being on the phone gives other teams the impression that you are looking up answers. If you need to make a call, text, check social media, or your fantasy sports teams; simply stop over by the Entertainer and take care of what you need to do.
EXPERT TIP: If you feel like you have to be in contact with your friends or family so much that you can’t take a couple hours off to relax playing some trivia, why not invite them to play along with you?
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Playing Premier Trivia is simple and fun. It is comprised of 2 halves. Each half has 2 rounds of 5 questions each (4 regular questions and 1 BONUS question that relates back to one of the previous questions) and a multi-part halftime question –or– a final question to win the game. All answers should be written on the answer slips and turned in before the time expires. The game has specific rules which you can find on our RULES page.
EXPERT TIP: You can pre-number your booklet of answer sheets. You should have enough answer slips to complete the game and a few extras.
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For the round questions, you can choose from four different point values based on your confidence level. Odd rounds have odd point choices (7, 5, 3, and 1) and even rounds have even point choices (8, 6, 4, and 2). Since you can use each point value only ONCE per round, make sure to put the high values (7s and 8s) on the answers you are sure about and the low values (1s and 2s) on the ones you are less sure about.
EXPERT TIP: Although somewhat subjective, most rounds start off with an easier question and get harder the later you get in the round. Consider using the higher values towards to top of the round and saving the lower values for the bottom of the round.
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Most halftimes are going to be ‘Name the Top 6 of …’, ‘Match these 6 things’, or ’Which of the 6 things are …’. Unless noted by the Entertainer, all correct answers are worth 2 points each. Sometimes the order in which the answers are listed matters and sometimes it doesn’t. Make sure to ask your Entertainer if you are unsure of when it is important.
EXPERT TIP: When making lists, consider making a brainstorming list of all possible answers that pop into your head. When the ideas dry up, then start eliminating the answers one by one until you have the list of top answers you are most comfortable with.
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Premier Trivia is a designed as a progressive game in that you don’t lose points when you are wrong, but rather gain them when you are right, with the exception of the final question. The final question is usually harder, often multiple choice, and full of strategy in that you wager up to 20 points on your answer.
EXPERT TIP: Make sure to listen carefully to the question and seek a clarification from the Entertainer if needed. Because the final is for all the marbles, it will be harder and more involved than a regular question. Pay particular attention to the specifics such as (Is vs. Was), (Have vs. Had), etc.
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If you get the question right, you get your wager added to your score.
If you get the question wrong, your wager is deducted from your score.
If you wager zero (0), then you remain at the score you entered into the final question.
EXPERT TIP: There’s no shame in betting zero (0) points if you are unsure. Sometimes the best strategy is to let the other teams get it wrong and drop below your score. “Go Big Or Go Home” is fine if you are reasonably comfortable with your answer, but if you are just guessing, we recommend you “Go Conservative and Go Home A Winner!!”
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Above all, make sure to remember that it is a game and you are supposed to have fun playing it. Every game has a winning team (or teams) and every game has several teams that did not win … this time. If you don’t win this time, you can always try again at the next trivia event!!
EXPERT TIP: Your Premier Trivia experience directly correlates to what you bring to the venue. If you bring smiles and a good attitude for looking for a fun night out with some old and new friends, then you will have an amazing time.
HOW TO PLAY THINK FAST! TRIVIA
Are you ready for an action-packed trivia thrill ride?!
Think Fast! Trivia features over 60 questions a night in a fun new format and you use your cellphone to play the game. With no team limits you can play solo or with a large group of friends.
Featuring multiple categories and nearly nonstop trivia action each night, but a much faster pace than the traditional Premier Trivia experience, you’ll see why you will need to think fast!
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THINK FAST trivia is more like a game show than a standard trivia night. Each night combines music, photos, questions on screen, and more into a multi-media experience. Also, there is strong emphasis on specific categories. So, you could have a full round dedicated to FAMOUS MOVIE CARS or CELEBRITIES AS KIDS. With over 65 questions each night – you will always be on your toes and need to THINK FAST!
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First things first, you should plan to arrive at the venue of your choice 10-15 minutes before the show begins to allow yourself plenty of time to get seated, tell your team’s name to the entertainer, and get your first round of drinks and appetizers going. You will need to have a team name before playing the game.
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The scoring algorithm uses a commonly known “weighted average” which means the power or effect each player has on the overall average is proportional to how many questions they actually answered. For example, if every player answers every question on a team, it works the same as a standard “simple average.” But if a player arrives late and/or drops out and doesn’t answer all the questions, their effect on the average is proportional to how many questions they answered. It’s a mathematical equation that has been thoroughly tested.
This means that you can all play as individuals on your devices OR designate one team captain and give that individual your answers.
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Your materials will include YOUR phone/tablet, a single answer sheet (for the final question), and a pen.
EXPERT TIP: Make sure to get the Daily Clue from the front page of this website or from our Facebook or Instagram pages. THINK FAST games still use the daily clue!
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Once the game begins, you will be expected to remain on your device through the duration of the game! There will be a 5-minute break between each round.
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Playing Premier Trivia’s THINK FAST is simple and fun! Each question is multiple choice! There are 3 Regular Rounds, 2 THINK FAST rounds, and 1 FINAL QUESTION.
You will be answering nearly ALL the questions on your device and won’t need to turn in any answer sheets (with the exception of the final question).
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For the regular question rounds, you will answer 14 questions worth one point and a bonus question worth 5 points.
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Each THINK FAST round consists of 10 questions worth 5 points. However, if you get one wrong – you will lose 1 point. The dynamics of the night usually change dramatically after a THINK FAST round.
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The final question is like every other Premier Trivia game, with the exception that you can wager ALL of the points you’ve earned. Keep in mind that you will lose all those points if you are wrong. Because the final is for all the marbles, it will be harder and more involved than a regular question. Pay particular attention to the specifics such as (Is vs. Was), (Have vs. Had), etc.
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If you get the question right, you get your wager added to your score.
If you get the question wrong, your wager is deducted from your score.
If you wager zero (0), then you remain at the score you entered into the final question.
EXPERT TIP: There’s no shame in betting zero (0) points if you are unsure. Sometimes the best strategy is to let the other teams get it wrong and drop below your score. “Go Big Or Go Home” is fine if you are reasonably comfortable with your answer, but if you are just guessing, we recommend you “Go Conservative And Go Home A Winner!!”
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Above all, make sure to remember that it is a game and you are supposed to have fun playing it. Every game has a winning team (or teams) and every game has several teams that did not win … this time. If you don’t win this time, you can always try again at the next trivia event!!
EXPERT TIP: Your Premier Trivia experience directly correlates to what you bring to the venue. If you bring smiles and a good attitude for looking for a fun night out with some old and new friends, then you will have an amazing time.
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The first step is to reserve a spot in our Facebook Event for Socially Distanced Trivia. Spots are limited for each event so make sure to sign up early. Only the team Captain needs to register ahead of time.
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Yes. All players can log into the performance and watch the show, but answers will only be accepted from the team Captain. It is up to the teams to determine a way to communicate if the players are not at the same location. We recommend a social media chat app, text, call, or wire connected to tin cans.
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Yes. Anywhere that has electricity and interwebs can play. If your team has out of state/country players, please let us know at the show so we can see just how far our awesomeness has spread.
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On the day of the event, we will send you a link to the event itself via email. Follow the link and the instructions at the destination. You should receive this no later than 6:20pm on the night of the event.
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It’s okay that you “Repeat Inserted Anecdotal Comment Here”, just drop us a line via the Contact Us link HERE. We can register you manually.
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Yes, but only if you are a team Captain. We ask that team Captains log in 45-15 minutes before the show starts to get your team registered. All other players should wait until 15 minutes before the performance to log in to help us avoid congestion.
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Since this is online, we obviously can’t catch cheaters red-handed. We do however have a few techniques that we use that make it more difficult to cheat such as audio/visual components of some questions. We figure all of the people that play Premier Trivia are awesome and for the majority of the time the honor system will work. After all, we aren’t hiding in your closet waiting to catch you Googling an answer …or are we?
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Yes, as a general rule. If we present a public show without prizes, we will make a notification prior to the game beginning. Usually prizes are in the form of gift certificates and/or free product from one of our Partner Venues. Also as a general rule, all prizes will be in the form of a virtual certificate. NOTE: Unless noted otherwise in writing, all prizes expire 60 DAYS after issuance. Winners of multiple certificates can only use ONE PER VISIT. Also, please remember to tip the waitstaff beyond the certificate.
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No. Premier Trivia is modeled on the premise that everyone should be able to attend and enjoy one of our events. What makes the online shows different from on-site shows though is that the venues are not paying us either. For this reason, we are accepting tips from the players via PayPal and Venmo. We do not require a tip to play and would never want one of our players to be burdened by dropping a few bucks to us. If it is in your budget, please consider tipping for the performance like you might tip a dinner server, a live performer, or even a struggling artist on the curbside. In many ways, we are partially all three of those combined.
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No, but it does make it more fun for everyone to see happy faces, friends, dancing, and correct answer celebrations. As a side note, if you have video on and are inappropriate, we reserve the right to turn it off on your behalf.
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Yes, you can find one HERE and print it out to use. While you are looking at it, please note who are partner venues are and make a mental note to patronize them when you can.
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Yes. We plan to make this feature a permanent part of our offering at Premier Trivia. Our hope is to connect people all around the world that are not able to be in the same room, but want to be on the same team.
HOW TO PLAY ONLINE TRIVIA
We offer online trivia via the Zoom platform. Zoom is an online meeting and gathering site that allows us to maintain a will-call roster of players based on our Facebook event signup page(s). The format of the show is identical to a regular, on-site Premier Trivia show with the addition of audio/visual aids that both enhance the experience and help to prevent simply Googling answers. You will still get the same live-hosted performance, jokes, interaction, music, questions, etc. that you are familiar with. We also have the ability to CC (Closed Caption) the questions for those players who need it (upon request).