Why Play Beer Pong? | 15+ Potential Benefits (Social, Physical,…)

Last Updated on January 25, 2024 by Gamesver Team and JC Franco

Playing a few rounds of beer pong as you sip on a cold beer at a backyard barbecue is a great way to add some fun to your family get-together. As you play, you may wonder if, aside from fun, there are any benefits to playing beer pong.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the potential social and health benefits of beer pong.

These are several potential benefits of playing beer pong: 

1. Partner Activity 

One of the main benefits of beer pong is that it is a partner activity. Typically, you play in a team with one other person. You would be playing against another pair. Playing with a partner gives you the social benefit of being able to work in a team with someone else to achieve a common goal. 

Playing games with a partner or in a team has countless benefits. These benefits include increased social interaction, development of social skills, increased ability to work well with others, and better problem-solving skills.  

2. Social Activity

Another benefit of playing beer pong is that it is a social activity. Social activities help us increase our overall happiness, fight loneliness, and improve our mental well-being. Even participating in social activities as simple as beer pong will help increase your overall happiness. 

We know that socialization releases oxytocin and dopamine in your brain, which leads to an overall increase in happiness. Additionally, the release of oxytocin and dopamine help us increase our focus, motivation, and concentration. 

3. Almost Anyone Can Play

Another great benefit of beer pong is that almost anyone can play it. You may be wondering how this is possible if the game involves alcohol. However, there are many versions of the game where people play with water or another non-alcoholic beverage. If you decide to play with water or a non-alcoholic beverage, anyone, including kids, can play. 

It is also possible for anyone, regardless of physical disability, to play. Even someone who is in a wheelchair can play this game. All you need is to be able to throw a ping pong ball from a standing or sitting position. The accessibility and flexibility of the game make it an excellent game for children, adults, and the elderly. Everyone can be included. 

4. Many People Can Be Involved at Once

Beer pong is a great social game because many people can be involved in the game at the same time. Although it may seem that just four people are playing at a time, many people can get involved. Beer pong is a game that invites lots of social participation. Often you will see many people around the table watching the game and cheering on their friends. 

Also, it is often wise to have a judge watch the game to ensure everyone follows the rules. This is another way to get more people involved. Even though only four people are playing at a time, many more can be involved in judging, watching, and cheering the players on. 

5. Allows for a Competitive, Fun Activity

Suppose you are looking for a fun activity with an element of competition for your family gathering. In that case, beer pong is a perfect choice. It is a great way to get people up and active, doing something, rather than just sitting around. 

There is also an element of competition to the game that can be a fun addition to your gathering. It is not an overly competitive game, but your friends and family will surely enjoy themselves as they engage in some friendly competition. 

6. With Creativity, You Can Alter the Game

While there may be several standard rules for playing beer pong, that does not mean you have to always stick to them. If you are looking for a way to spice up your game, try using creative brainstorming with your friends to add or take away some of the rules. 

Perhaps you want to play with different materials, such as bigger or smaller cups, balls, or tables, to have an additional challenge, or make it easier. You can also add funny rules to make it family-friendly, such as actions players have to do every time the opposite team makes a cup. 

Making up your own rules is a great way to boost your creativity and craft the game to be exactly how you want it. 

7. Allows for Socializing While Playing

One of the benefits of playing a simple game like beer pong is that it invites socialization during play. Unlike other games where you need to be completely focused on what you are doing, beer pong is a game where you can relax and socialize while playing. This makes it a great way to play a game and socialize simultaneously. 

Beer pong also gives you the benefit of participating in a competitive and fun game while increasing your social interaction. All these things result in an increase in your overall happiness. 

8. Target Practice

Another tremendous physical benefit of playing beer pong is involvement in target practice. You can practice throwing or tossing by trying to get the ball into the cup. With repeated training, you will surely improve your accuracy and your overall game. 

9. May Spike Interest in Sports

When you participate in a competitive game, it can sometimes be frustrating. Still, when the game is for fun, it will pique your interest in playing again. Suppose you play a round of beer pong and notice you enjoy the competitive, friendly nature of the game. In that case, you may be inclined to consider joining a sports team.

Beer pong’s social, competitive, and friendly nature is similar to what you will find in many intramural sports. If you discover that you enjoy the social and competitive elements of beer pong, you will likely enjoy playing on an intramural sports team for some friendly competition. 

10. Helps You Stay Hydrated

You may not have realized that beer pong can be a great way to keep your body nourished and hydrated. Many people play beer pong with water to avoid excessive consumption of alcohol. 

In fact, many college athletic teams use Gatorade or water and play “beer pong” the night before a game. This helps them hydrate in a fun and social way. The rules for Gatorade pong are usually the same or very similar. 

11. Encourages Appropriate Alcohol Consumption

One health benefit of playing beer pong, especially as a family, is that it encourages appropriate habits around alcohol consumption. When you participate in beer pong and just have water in your cups and a single beer on the side, you demonstrate proper alcohol consumption. 

You are encouraging healthy drinking habits by showing your children that alcohol is a beverage to be enjoyed in a fun and social setting, without drinking to get intoxicated. Play with your children who are not yet of drinking age. This will help you open up conversations about appropriate drinking behavior and set a good example. 

12. You Do Not Need Many Materials

To play beer pong, you only need beer, plastic cups, ping pong balls, and a table. Most of these things are readily available or easy to get. If you do not have a good-sized table, you can always make do with a different table, such as your kitchen table. 

13. Brings Joy and Improves Your Mood

Playing beer pong is a game, and just like any other game, playing a social game with friends will bring you joy. If you find that you are feeling a bit down, creating a sense of purpose and goal that comes with playing a game will help you feel more motivated and happy. Indeed, when the game is social, you will find that your overall mood improves. 

14. Improves Your Reflexes

In beer pong, part of the rules is that if the ball bounces on the table when the other team throws it, you can grab it before it goes inside a cup. This type of quick reaction is crucial when you play the game. By playing and following this rule, you can improve your reflexes quickly. 

15. Stimulates Your Brain

Your brain almost always gets stimulated every time you participate in a mental or physical activity, particularly if that activity is new. New activities stimulate our brains and also improve our overall brain function. So if you are looking for some mental stimulation, try playing beer pong.

16. Improves Hand-Eye Coordination

Another physical benefit of playing beer pong is that it helps improve your hand-eye coordination. When you look at the cups on the other side of the table, you must have good depth perception and correctly judge the distance. Then, you must throw the ball according to the length you considered. Practicing this type of activity is great for your hand-eye coordination. 

17. You Can Play Outside

Finally, beer pong is a great game to play outside. If any beer spills, it can be messy to clean up, so it is best to play outside. Being outdoors has countless health benefits, including decreased stress and anxiety levels. So next time you set up a game of beer pong, set up outside!