You don’t need to look far on TV to know that Brits love a quiz. The Chase, Mastermind and Weakest Link are just some of the quiz shows that have occupied prime-time slots on our screens for years.
It would be difficult to find a town in England that did not have a regular pub quiz night, complete with a know-it-all team of dedicated regulars that win every week.
But what topics should you know if you have any hopes of finally winning the quiz at your local, or even on TV?
Research by gaming experts NewCasinos reveals the top ten need-to-know quiz topics according to Google.
The analysis looked at data from the top 100 websites for quiz questions and discovered the most frequently mentioned topics in the UK.
The 10 most common quiz topics in the UK, according to Google
The below data reveals the categories most frequently mentioned by the 100 top-ranking websites that appear when searching for ‘pub quiz questions’ in the UK.
Top UK Quiz Topics
London
James Bond
World Cup
Solar System
Henry VIII
United States
Great Britain
Human Body
World War
Olympic Games
London, the capital of the UK, rich in history and culture, makes for a quiz topic with a huge opportunity. It is home to major landmarks like Big Ben and Buckingham Palace and is one of the surefire topics to come up at a pub quiz. A healthy knowledge of the London Underground, landmarks, historical and cultural moments, and famous people from London will help your team secure a sweet victory.
Do you know your Octopussy from your Goldeneye? Considering it’s one of the most legendary British franchises, it’s no wonder that James Bond is one of the most common quiz topics. You’ll likely need to know the actors who played the self-titled MI6 spy, when each title was released, who directed them, and each theme song. If you’ve never seen it before, prepare yourself - there are currently 27 movies dating back to 1962, which totals just over 57 hours total runtime.
Football is the nation’s favourite sport; it only makes sense that having knowledge of the World Cup will be a huge benefit to your quiz team. Dates, host countries, team rankings, goal scorers, the outcome of the semi-finals and final matches, and team managers are all important things to remember. A good knowledge of English football in general will also be key, so make sure you’ve got a sports fan in your team lineup.
The Solar System is a classic pub quiz subject. Knowing the order of the eight planets (sorry Pluto) according to distance from the sun, the size and unique features of each planet, and the number of moons in the solar system will pay off big time. Imagine the feeling when you find yourself in a tie-breaker round, staring unblinkingly at the rival team, when you can calmly answer “How much of the solar system’s mass is contained by the sun?” with scary accuracy. It’s 99.8%, by the way.
Hopefully, you paid attention in history lessons, because Henry VIII is one of the most frequently mentioned quiz topics. Royals are mentioned in British quizzes all the time, but Henry VIII especially, as he was one of the most famous monarchs in history. We know him for his turbulent reign involving many marriages (and beheadings, and divorces), and the English Reformation which led to the rise of Protestantism. Knowledge of Henry VIII and other British monarchs will prepare your team for success the next time you head down to the local pub quiz.
The United States, with its historical ties to Britain, is another frequently occurring quiz topic. Can you name all of America’s states, founding fathers, presidents, and landmarks? How well you know the difference between Washington State and Washington D.C. could mean the difference between winning and losing.
What would a British pub quiz be without a Great Britain category? Naturally, it is one of the most common topics in a pub quiz. Get to know your British monarchs, famous people, prime ministers, geography and key historical dates if you want to win the top prize in any British quiz game.
Biologists are a handy bunch to know for this next one - the Human Body is one of the topics most frequently related to pub quizzes. Understanding the scientific names of body parts and their functions are good places to start, especially if you can’t tell your gluteus from your cubitus.
This is when listening to your grandad’s stories pays off. World War I and II made such an impact that they are still one of the most commonly occurring quiz categories to date. While you could spend years learning about these events, you’d do well learning who the war-time leaders were, the involvement of each country, key dates and important battles.
The Olympics have always been a huge event since its inauguration. They are a huge deal for every host country and feature the best athletes from across the globe. You might know which country has won the most medals, but do you know the colours of the Olympic rings, or what they mean?
A spokesperson from NewCasinos commented on the findings: “British pub quizzes are a cultural phenomenon not seen anywhere else. There are around 180,000 average searches per month relating to pub quizzes in the UK. While competitive players research quiz topics like it’s a full-time job, our findings highlight the most likely topics to occur before you head down to your local quiz night.”
The study was conducted by NewCasinos, who specialise in helping people find and compare new casinos. They aim to review new casinos before all the competitors and place safety above all else.
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