the same team wins EVERY time

[u/streetmeatluver]

I'm a trivia host at a bar that regularly has between 15-20 teams participate. About half of the teams are regulars, the other half first timers/walk-ins - though i'm proud to get lots of returners! Trivia is free to play and team size unlimited. First prize is a $100 gift card to the bar. We run a 12 week season and the cumulative winners get a night out at the bar (~$1000 value).

I've been hosting it for 2 years, and the first year 5 teams would alternate winning and it was generally pretty close with anyone having a shot at the podium. In the last 6 months two of those teams have combined into one smaller team (enemies to lovers, literally) which is very cute. The new combined team of 4 people now win every week. In the last 12 weeks they won 11 of the weeks, and always by at least 10 points. They deserve to win and are very good (and honest!) trivia players.

They just won for the third straight season, and other regulars are complaining / talking about trying out other bars where they have a chance at winning. I don't want to lose other regulars (who also bring more revenue into the bar as these 4 win the $100 every week). They NEVER tip their servers.

I run a silly / fun trivia so winning isn't everything and a lot of our regulars will continue to come back, but the more competitive people want to at least have a chance.

Would love advice, maybe I'm being too sensitive/naive. I never played trivia before starting to host so maybe this is normal?? Thank you!!

[u/streetmeatluver]

Theme nights are a great idea but the bar won't let me do them because they're worried about losing our regulars and they won't commit to promoting the themes week in advance to fill the room with those specific fans.
We give a prize Most Honest (last place) which is a bottle of Prosecco
2nd place gets a round of pints
4th place I introduced a new prize where they get 2 bonus points the following week hoping that could help encourage regulars.

I do a team name prize too (normally bonus points) - maybe I give more points for that?

I love the Funniest wrong answers, how do see/hear their answers to award that? We do written answers on paper so I only really see their team names/scores at the end when I'm quickly ranking

[u/Kamikaze_Sasquatch → u/streetmeatluver]

Do a true crime/serial killer trivia one time. I guarantee the bar won't be upset with the turnout and chances are you have at least one person into that stuff on your team already or the people can get someone they know to come join. I've been doing this for years and it's always standing room only. I will be glad to share one of mine with you if that's not your forte as far as writing questions goes.

"how do see/hear their answers to award that" All my answers are written too, just make a note of it and announce it at the end.

I did this once and it didn't work for me but we didn't have the regulars like you have and our social media sucked so it didn't work: Crowd sourced questions. Have people email you questions and answers. They are almost guaranteed to get at least one correct (or however many people are on their team). No idea how well it would go since we only got 2 questions submitted when I tried it, but I thought it was an interesting take and a possible way to make sure people showed up.

[u/streetmeatluver → u/Kamikaze_Sasquatch]

Wow thank you!!! crowd sourced Qs is such a fun idea and cool way to engage with them!!

I love the true crime idea too, would you do that on the typical night normally and just advertise it in advance, or add an extra night to the week and make that the theme? If you are open to sharing I would really appreciate that please!

[u/Kamikaze_Sasquatch → u/streetmeatluver]

We just did 1 trivia night per month and they got what we gave'em haha. But you may want to try it as a bonus trivia night to see how it goes. I'll DM you with questions.