Do you run a Jackpot at your Quiz Nights?
Many pubs do. In fact one of our number went to a quiz, won, and then discovered there was no prize at all. Everyone was there for the jackpot, and the quiz was just a warm up. They way this hostelry did things was to sell raffle tickets in the interval and the table with the winning ticket had one question to get right to win the jackpot.
Since you ask, yes he did know the answer, and no he hadn’t bought any tickets!
Jackpots are a good way to keep team coming back to your quiz. No one wants to miss a quiz and find they would have won the jackpot, especially if you’ve been paying in for weeks.
In essence, after the quiz anyone who’s done the quiz can pay an entry fee (usually £1) to enter into the jackpot. This money stays in a pot until it’s won, and then you start again. If the question(s) to win the jackpot are hard, then the winnings can get very large.
There are several variants on how the teams can win. As above a raffle to find the team and then one question. Or all the teams take part with one or more questions. Or whatever you choose.
One other point – it might be worth putting a cap on the jackpot. If it gets too big you might start attracting some “big hitters” who aren’t regulars, just to win the money. And then you won’t see them again. If you cap at say £200, then any money you take from then on will make the next jackpot start at a reasonable amount.