The Ultimate List of Trivia Prize Ideas (for Every Occasion)

For trivia nights and pub quizzes, you don’t actually need a prize for the winner. If you have great questions and an audience that likes to have fun, that’s already a win for everyone, and winning itself can be a prize for the winner. 

You might be surprised why I started my article on trivia prize ideas this way. No, I’m not trying to change your mind on setting a good price for your trivia night, and I will actually share my list of prize ideas. 

But it’s just a reminder that your quiz content will be much more important than having a fun quiz night. Think of a cake; The questions and audience are the cake layers and the fillings. Your prize will be the cherry on top.

In this article, I will try my best to help you choose the best cherry for your quiz night. We will have the classics, cheap options, novelties, and original prize ideas for you to choose from.

The short list: Top 5 trivia prizes

Before diving into the full list, here are the five popular quiz prizes. They are evergreen and work like a charm even with different audiences and budgets:

The ultimate list of prize ideas for quiz nights

Now, let's explore specific trivia prize ideas across different categories. Whether you're looking for cheap prizes for quiz nights or original ideas, you'll find options that work for your budget and audience.

Gift cards & money prizes

Let’s get the classics out of the way. The most flexible option you have is gift cards and money prizes. The question here is how much. How much should I set the prize reward? The answer is it depends; however, giving the winning team a reward between $10 and $100 would work perfectly fine most of the time. If you have a large audience, think about setting second and third prizes.

Trophies & certificates

A small trophy can go a long way. It’s something tangible, something the winner can display and be proud of. Alternatively, you can have a board to show the previous winners in a list. 

Food & beverage prizes

Everyone likes free food. You can have a prize that makes people's mouths water and is not so expensive.  

Merchandise & Swag

Branded mechs are the pinnacle of prizes. The winners are happy to wear or use the merch because whenever they do, they remember their win. The venue is happy because whenever someone wears or uses the merchandise, it gets recognition.

Books & Educational Items

Depending on your audience, something educational can be the perfect trivia gift. 

Novelty & Gag Gifts

Everyone sees novelty items, they like them, but few actually buy. When you give out novelty prizes for trivia night, people will be motivated because they will get something unique and something they won’t buy themselves. If you could find a novelty item about your trivia theme, that would increase the impact of your prize.

Tech & gadgets

Tech items work great with working people. A power bank or a cable organizer can always come in handy. Items can be cheap in this category, like cable organizers. But make no mistake, no one wants cheap/not-quality earbuds they won’t use. So, be selective when setting tech gadgets as trivia prizes.

Home & lifestyle

Small but useful gifts to use at home. These can go from drinking glasses to posters about your quiz night theme.

Gift/Prize ideas for church events

Church trivia helps build community and educate people. The general prizes in this article would also work; however, the church gifts we list here will reflect the values of your congregation, all the while being lighthearted and enjoyable.

Fall/autumn

Whether your trivia is about Fall or in Fall, you can provide the cozy, festive atmosphere of autumn with these prizes. Think warm colors, harvest themes, and everything pumpkin spice.

Winter

Winter trivia nights are perfect for celebrating the holiday season and cozy indoor gatherings. Like other themed trivia, any general prize would work, but you can go a little further with your winter prizes. They can be practical, like clothing, or decorative.

Spring

With Spring trivia events, you can go for fresh, colorful, and garden-inspired prizes. They work beautifully for trivias in spring.

Summer

Now with summer, people get outdoor fun, beach vibes, and vacation spirit. Your summer prizes can help people enjoy the sunny season a little more.

LGBT+ /Pride

In your Pride trivia, you have diversity, identity, and community. So, why not make your prizes honor the spirit of pride? Any general prize would work in this article, but with pride prizes listed here, you can offer items that winners will genuinely love, use, and remember your event.

How to set your prizes that excite and motivate

The best trivia prizes for adults are ones that match your audience, budget, and event style. While some options are choosable most of the time, there is no universal code. Here are key considerations:

Whether you're working with a tight budget or have more flexibility, the key to successful prizes for quiz winners is choosing rewards that celebrate achievement while building excitement for future events. The right combination of practical prizes, fun novelties, and local partnerships will keep your quiz night thriving and participants coming back week after week.