How to Play Horse Race Drinking Game (Best Version)

Never heard of this eccentric drinking game? Don’t fret. The horse Race drinking game is super fun and a fabulous way to get drunk. 

Based on actual horse racing, you don’t need money, just a pack of cards, alcohol, a gambling spirit, and a desire to get SMASHED! 

The objective is to correctly bet on the horse you think will complete the race first.  

It’s all about how much you think you can drink ;p  

What you will need  

• Deck of playing cards (we recommend a waterproof pack).
• Alcohol (whatever tickles your peach, your drink of choice may be vodka, liquor, a nice pinot, or real ale…) 
• A large flat surface 

Setting up:  

1. The announcer searches through the deck and gathers the four aces. 
2. The aces act as the horses, they are placed face upwards at one end of the table.  
3. The announcer then shuffles the remaining deck and positions 7-9 cards (depending on how long you want your track to be), in a row above and perpendicular to the row of aces, face-down, as shown in the image below. These cards form the track. 

How to win  

Win the race! Place a bet on the Ace (AKA: horse) you think will win the race and dish out your winnings to whoever you fancy- if you win! 

All players must decide on how much they want to bet each round e.g. 5 shots and the winner gets to choose how they dish out the drinks to the losers. 

How to Play Horse Race Drinking Game Step by Step 

1. First, everyone chooses a suit of ace and places their bets. You can use paper to write down each player’s suit and bet so it’s easier to remember. 
2. To bet, you drink for the number of seconds you bet your horse will win the race. If your horse completes the track first you can double this bet and dish out your winnings to whoever you choose, but if you don’t win, you must drink your bet. 
3. If multiple players want the same ace, you can either have the announcer decide who gets what or have a short drinking challenge. If you opt for the challenge, the announcer pours two cups and whoever finishes their drink first gets to decide which horse they want. 
4. The game commences when the announcer turns over a card in the remaining deck. Whatever suit the card is, the corresponding suit of ace moves forward one.  
5. When all the horses have passed a card on the track, that card is overturned, whatever suit it is, the corresponding suit of ace must move back one space. 
6. The first ace to reach the finish line wins!  
7. The winner doubles their bet and gives it to whoever they choose. 
8. Everyone else drinks the amount they bet.  

Optional: Have “William Tell Overture Finale by Rossini” playing in the background

Custom rules  

• A fun twist is to add new drinking rules. Try every time a player’s horse moves, they must take a sip of alcohol. 
• You could also add new bets each turn. So every player bets what suit they think the next overturned card will be. If they are correct, they don’t have to drink. If they’re not they do.  
• Stumble: This is an extra rule where you use wild cards. They could be any card you want, such as Jokers or sevens. You must remember these wild cards and when one is flipped over, all horses move one card forward. This sped up the game. 
• You can also add a rule that whoever’s horse takes a step back on the course must drink. 

Bite-Size Rules  

• This drinking card game is based mostly on luck. It’s all about betting on how much you’re willing to drink. 

• Don’t force people to drink past their limits. 
• 4-8 players age 18+ plus an announcer. 
• 52 deck of cards is required. 
• The game commences with the announcer arranging an L shape configuration of cards.
• Each player picks the ace (horse) they want  

• Everyone bets on their horse, drinking for the number of seconds they bet they will win.  
• The announcer flips cards over from the remaining deck, one by one. 
• The corresponding suit of ace moves forward one space on the track for every card overturned in the deck with the same suit. 
• When all the horses pass one of the cards on the track, that card is turned over and the corresponding suit of ace moves back a space. 
• The first horse to finish the track wins. 

• The losing players must drink for the number of seconds they bet, plus one unlucky sod who additionally drinks double the winner’s bet. This is decided by the winner. 
• Check the variations to make the game juicier. 

Happy drinking 😉 

Hope you enjoy the game and ultimately have an amazing night! If Horse Racing Drinking Game isn’t for you, Try this game it is amazing!