Pub quizzes are undeniably fun. There is nothing quite like gathering a team, heading to a pub, and competing with other teams for real prizes. Even if the prize is a pitcher of beer or a voucher for a meal, it’s still incredibly exciting!
But what do you do when the pubs are closed or you don’t feel like leaving the comfort of your home? Maybe your friends live far away, but you still want to get together and play a game of trivia. Or maybe you just want to play alone for once!
Though online trivia often lacks the liveliness and excitement of real-life trivia, you can still have a great time playing from your computer or phone. Many popular trivia night organizers have transferred their trivia online in order to keep up with the trends and provide the best experience for their loyal players in these turbulent times.
The biggest downside of free online competitions is that you probably won’t get to compete for lavish prizes. Online trivia apps offer cash prizes, but don’t get too excited, as you have to split them with other winners.
Online trivia competitions can be fun! If you’re looking for a way to make some extra cash or just play a game of trivia with friends and strangers, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to find out about the best online trivia competitions and apps, and some that you should avoid.
Uptown Pub Quiz in NYC
Uptown Pub Quiz has been around since 2008, serving world-class trivia nights to all New Yorkers, specifically in the Manhattan area. Because of the current situation, the organizers of the quiz were able to move the trivia online. As a result, it is now available to a wider audience and you can play even if Manhattan is a long drive away.
Not much has changed since the game moved online. There is still a quiz every Wednesday night, so all the loyal customers don’t have to change their schedules. They mostly make the quiz for New York locals.
You can find all the information about the upcoming quizzes on the official website. The organizers upload hints of the week on the website before every trivia night. Follow the Uptown Pub Quiz NYC Facebook group to sign your team up for the next quiz. The organizers hold their competitions through Facebook Livestreams.
Uptown Pub Quiz is just a small, local quiz from your hometown (if you are from New York). Unfortunately, you can’t win anything big. The best you can do is beer and other small prizes. However, that certainly doesn’t take away from the fun!
Sunset Trivia
Sunset Trivia from Southern California promises to bring the best trivia questions to the area. The company organizes real-life trivia events. Since that option is no longer available to some people, the brand expanded its efforts to the online realm.
Sunset Trivia holds Twitch and Facebook streams twice a week. Check out the company’s Facebook page to learn about the upcoming events and sign your team up. You won’t get rich from the free shots, beers, and merchandise that Sunset Trivia is willing to give out, but it’s always a pleasant surprise.
Cerrito Trivia
Cerrito Trivia organizes live trivia events several times a week. Players get to compete for prizes like movie passes. Cerrito Trivia events are perfect for those who are looking for specific themes. Some upcoming themes include The Office, Home Alone, Seinfeld, and so on. This is not your average general knowledge quiz! Check out the website to learn about the upcoming events.
The games are hosted via Zoom and Facebook Live. Most charge $5 for participation, but some are free. You can get access to all virtual events for free if you subscribe to Cerrito Trivia’s Patreon. The company is based in Tennessee, but people from all over the country can play through Zoom.
Geeks Who Drink
Geeks Who Drink recently started offering a completely new service. You can now schedule your own private or corporate trivia night with the help of the company! And if you just want to play a game of trivia, you can join the virtual quiz every Tuesday. Find out about all the services Geeks Who Drink offer on their official website.
The virtual quiz takes place on Twitch. It is free to play, but you’re in charge of the scoring. As a result, the game loses its competitive edge. You can’t really win anything and you don’t even get recognition. Nevertheless, it’s fun to play with friends and it’s free! You can watch the old streams to test your knowledge and prepare for your next real quiz.
NYC Trivia League
NYC Trivia League is the biggest organizer of trivia games in the city. The game was able to move to the online format and is now completely free. However, attendees are invited to donate whatever they can to the league.
NYC Trivia League holds games 4 times a week via Instagram Live. There are no prizes, but the winners are always posted online. One quiz lasts around 50 minutes. Even though the only motivation for playing is for entertainment, fans of NYC Trivia League will surely appreciate the opportunity to continue playing from home. Check out their website to learn more about the current offering.
BPTrivia Championship Series
BP Trivia lets you see how you stack up against other online trivia players all over the world. When you sign up for the Championship Series, you agree to answer trivia questions every weekday, from Monday to Friday, for the first three weeks of the month. There are no penalties for missing days or questions. Naturally, the more questions you answer, the better it is for your rating.
Your questions get graded within a few hours and you can see how well you did. Questions range from easy to difficult and each correct answer awards you a different number of points, depending on the difficulty. Taking part in this championship won’t give you anything but satisfaction. It is also interesting to see how you stack up against other players worldwide.
HQ Trivia
HQ Trivia is another free app that lets you win real cash prizes. All you need to do is answer trivia questions and solve word puzzles online. Don’t think of it as easy money, but rather as entertainment. If you enjoy trivia, you will enjoy the game. The quizzes tend to be challenging, so it’s not that easy to win.
Reviewers say that the app is buggy at times, so skip it if you’re easily irritated by that.
Swagbucks LIVE
Swagbucks LIVE invites players to compete for real money every week. There are daily IQ trivia games that will put your knowledge to the test.
Some prizes are more impressive than others. Most of them are gift cards and some can be redeemed for PayPal cash. The app has great reviews from players and seems quite fun overall.
The Q
The Q is another app that allows you to compete against real people for the chance to win some money. There is a live host that poses trivia questions, so it’s almost like a real game of trivia. The app promises that the winners get to split a cash prize. If you upgrade, you are given more lives to play with.
Unfortunately, this game did not pass the quality check. Many reviews claim that they never got their payout and paying for premium is an absolute waste of money. Unless you’re ready to risk your potential prize, don’t download this app.
SportsQ
As the name suggests, SportsQ is all about sports. If you consider yourself knowledgeable on this topic, visit the website and sign up for the next trivia game. There are new quizzes every week and they are always about sports. You can play to win actual cash and prizes!
HypSports
HypSports is another platform with live trivia for sports fans. You can use this mobile app to win real money and show off your trivia knowledge. There are several events that you can participate in every single day. Play with strangers from all over the world and win virtual trophies, as well as real prizes.
That’s Right GameShow
That’s Right GameShow is a free app with multiple live shows a week. Each game has 10 multiple-choice questions. If you answer all of them correctly, you get to split the cash prize with the other winners. It’s certainly not a lot of money, but it’s something! In addition to that, you can participate in lottery drawings where you get a chance to win money with no effort at all!
Joyride Trivia
Joyride Trivia is a fun game that allows you to exchange your knowledge for a free joyride in an Uber! All you have to do is open the app and answer all 10 questions correctly. If you’re playing for a free ride, the game starts when you get in the Uber. You can earn cash prizes too and make real money. If you want to cash out via PayPal, you need to have made at least $20.
If you’ve ever seen Cash Cab, you will understand what the developers of the app were getting at. You can experience your very own Cash Cab moment, but on a much smaller scale. The only downside of the game is that the content of the questions isn’t diverse enough. It seems to be targeting a very specific segment of the population.
Compete for Fun, Not Prizes!
Online trivia competitions can be just as fun as real-life pub quizzes. You still get to gather your team and have a drink together. You can even invite your friends over and play from the same computer. Though there’s nothing quite like sitting in a crowded bar with a bunch of strangers, virtual trivia championships are not a bad alternative.
If you’re more of a homebody and prefer to play by yourself, you can test one of the trivia apps. There’s a very small chance that you will become a millionaire from Swagbucks LIVE or HQ Trivia, but you might get your next cup of coffee covered.
Generally speaking, playing in online trivia competitions for money is not the most realistic approach to earning a living. Trivia is very fun, but you can’t turn your life upside down by answering some general knowledge questions (unless you’re on a television game show, of course).
Cash prizes are usually split among all winners, so you’ll have to share your earnings with other people. Often, the prizes are not even in cash! You are more likely to earn movie tickets, merchandise, gift cards, or other small items.
Remember that some of your favorite trivia night organizers are struggling right now and they need your help more than you need theirs. Donate some money to them if you can afford to and would like to pay them back for their tireless work.
In short, online trivia competitions are not a side hustle, so don’t treat them as such! Competing in games of trivia isn’t worth your time if you’re looking to make bank. Getting an actual job, any job, will be significantly more effective.
However, if you enjoy trivia and have some time to spare, then you should definitely sign up for some of these competitions. The apps are even better, as they notify you when the game starts and it only takes a few minutes to answer all the questions.
You might win a ticket to the movie theatre or $2, but the fun you’ll have is priceless!
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