A big group, a long evening and nowhere to be — that's exactly when you need drinking games for large groups that keep going for hours, not the kind of outdoor drinking games built for one sunny afternoon. Whether you end up in a rented barbecue hut, a garden bar or a holiday let, the right games carry the mood from the first sausage off the grill deep into the night. You've got time for proper card rounds, cult gadget games and sociable classics that fill the whole evening. Here are the best drinking games for large groups with full rules, plus tips for making the long night in work.
What makes a good drinking game for a large group? A game that carries a long, relaxed evening in one closed round — usually a card, dice or gadget game you can play again and again for hours. Ideal for a covered spot where you're sitting out the weather with plenty of time for long rounds.
💡 By the way: that's exactly why we built the SwigSki3000® — four people, one ski, one shot in rhythm. More on that below ↓
Group drinking games that carry a long evening
Looping Louie (Grown-Up Edition)
The kids' game turns into a cult drinking game: the little plane spins round and tries to knock the playing pieces off the levers. Every piece you lose costs a sip. Whoever loses all their pieces first has to down a shot. Simple, silly and an evening-after-evening favourite that always gets the group roaring.
Watten (a Bavarian card game)
Watten, a Bavarian-Austrian trick-taking card game, works brilliantly as a drinking game for a large group. Two teams play for tricks, with plenty of bluffing, table-knocking and calling. The team that loses a round takes a sip. It's a game with real depth that keeps a committed group hooked for hours — perfect for a long evening that's meant to last.
The house quiz (pub quiz style)
For a sociable round in between: the quizmaster asks questions about barbecuing, music, the local area and fun facts. Whoever gets it wrong, drinks. A game that also brings in the ones who'd rather watch than play cards, and throws in a few genuine surprises along the way.
Sharing a Shotski round and explaining the modular … – @apresallstars
Handy side effect: because the SwigSki3000® is made of four modules that come apart individually, it goes straight into the dishwasher after the round instead of into a corner.
Sociable classics for the long evening
Kings Cup
Kings Cup is one of the best drinking card games for a large group: all you need is one deck. Put a can in the middle and fan the cards out around it. Going round the group, everyone draws a card with a fixed meaning — 2 "you decide who drinks", Jack "make up a rule", King "Kings Cup" (whoever draws the fourth King has to finish the can in the middle), Ace "waterfall". A classic that pulls the whole group in and carries a long evening. You'll find the full card list in our summer drinking games.
Beer pong tournament
With a large group you can run a proper tournament over the evening: several teams face off one after another, the winners move on, until a champion is crowned. Cups that get hit are drunk, and the losing team takes on a small forfeit. A running thread that keeps the whole evening tense.
The music battle
Two teams go head to head: one hums or plays the first second of a song, and the other team has to guess it. Whoever's wrong, drinks. With a decent speaker in the room, this one runs itself and always ends in a sing-along.
Mini-Ski-Roulette by Apres Allstars
Spin the bottle, ski-shaped, for a large group: one spin, one person picked — and it's decided who draws the next dare or drinks. Compact and sturdy enough for a long evening.
View now →How to get the evening right
The big advantage of a barbecue hut over drinking games outside is that it carries a long evening without weather or neighbours getting in the way — that's exactly what you should build the evening around. Plan generously for food: a shared barbecue at the start sets the foundation, and snacks keep the group going after that. When it comes to games, a bit of dramaturgy over the evening pays off: start with a sociable classic like Kings Cup that brings the group together, ramp up to a beer pong tournament for the competitive streak, and let the evening wind down with a quieter card round like Watten. Because you're often sitting together until late, plenty of water matters so everyone stays sharp, and a solid base of food matters just as much. Think about the way home too: anyone drinking should sort out beforehand how they're getting back — it's often worth staying overnight near the hut or organising lifts with sober drivers. Mix good food, varied drinking games for large groups and a bit of planning, and you end up with an evening people are still talking about long after.
Handy side effect: because the SwigSki3000® is made of four modules that come apart individually, it goes straight into the dishwasher after the round instead of into a corner.
Tips for the evening
- Plan for the long haul: pick games with dramaturgy that can run all night — sociable, then competitive, then calmer.
- Food & water: a shared barbecue as the base, and water again and again in between.
- Sort the way home: stay nearby overnight, or organise lifts with sober drivers.
- Break-proof gear: sturdy cups and wooden gadgets instead of glass.
- Play alcohol-free too: every game also works with squash or juice, so everyone can join in.
If the group grows, the Shotski simply grows with it via the extension set — four modules are the base, and every extra pair adds two more spots.
More drinking game inspiration
Find more game rules in our best drinking games and our drinking games without props. For a barbecue in the garden, try our BBQ drinking games, and for your own garden bar, the garden bar drinking games.
FAQ
Which drinking games work for large groups?
Games that carry a long evening: cult favourites like Looping Louie, card games like Watten, sociable classics like Kings Cup, a beer pong tournament and a music battle. With a large group you've got time for long, drawn-out rounds.
Which game carries a long evening?
Card games like Watten and sociable classics like Kings Cup keep the group hooked for hours. A beer pong tournament also gives the evening a running thread.
How do I plan an evening properly?
Start with a shared barbecue as the base, add a dramaturgy of games from sociable to competitive to calm, keep water flowing all evening, and sort out the way home in advance (staying overnight or sober drivers).
What is Looping Louie as a drinking game?
The kids' game turned cult drinking game: the spinning plane knocks playing pieces off the levers. Every piece you lose costs a sip, and whoever loses them all downs a shot.
Which drinking gadget works best for a large group?
A Shotski for a shared group shot, or a Mini-Ski-Roulette as a random-pick gadget — good if you'd rather play group drinking games without cards. Both pull the whole group in and last for many evenings.
Do the games work without alcohol too?
Yes, all of these drinking games for large groups work just as well with squash, juice or water. That way everyone can join in, including anyone who isn't drinking or is driving.
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