Jackpots have became a key attraction at many quizzes up and down the country. The Jackpot, with the amount available, always tend to be advertised on the posters and boards for the quiz and I am sure that the big money on offer pulls in customers.
Having played in various types of Jackpot rounds I am keen to know what types of rounds people prefer and also for any quizmasters out there what type you use and find most popular?
The main few I have come across are
1) The Wild Guess - This usually involves paying a certain amount for a guess at a question that nobody will really know. In a quiz I used to go to people would come in just to play this kind of round and it really made the round wide open as the question was often something everybody in the pub would be guessing at. Of course, educated guesses/wild guesses are still just guesses so there is some luck involved. Questions include things like "How many episodes of Stars in Their Eyes were ever made?".
The closest wins which means jackpots are being given away every week and to be done properly the quizmaster has to give only a short time to give an answer to avoid cheating.
I like this sort of Jackpot, it makes everyone feel involved, pulls in punters on quiz night and gets you using what knowledge you can to make a guess at something you would never imagine having to answer. Hard to won but fun!
2) The Knowledge - Sorry for the bad title. But one or two quizzes I go to have Jackpots that have tough questions but everyone gets a guess. The difference here being the questions are ones you may know (i.e. dates of deaths, obscure place names and locations etc). Things you may actually have come across and can win without having to guess.
Usually Quizmasters may only accept one winning answer...so if two teams get it it rolls over etc.
Again I like this style but it doesn't seem as popular. Whereas a Wild Guess question pulls in extra punters I have found this sort of Jackpot may not even retain the punters in the normal quiz.
I prefer this sort of Jackpot though mainly because if something I have worked hard to learn comes out then it gives me a chance. It also works for the pub in getting easy roll over jackpots and then getting to large amounts they can advertise.
One quiz I go to will let it roll for a while then have one week where they will take a "Wild Guess" question with a certain winner (whoever is closer).
3) The Raffle - This involves you buying a raffle ticket and answering a question if your number comes out for the Jackpot. Very simple, but very effective. This is a different kind of jackpot to the above two as it means not everyone is involved in the question.
In a local quiz my friend runs, he uses this style and it works a treat. The Jackpot builds and builds and this attracts more players. The questions he uses are tough questions but ones that experienced quizzers would enjoy trying out. He uses 5 questions and you pick an envelope so to speak to decide which question you tackle. The first person plays for the full jackpot, if they fail another draw and attempt for a smaller amount and so on for a third.
This sounds like it may not be appealing but it really works. The whole pub listens in on the questions with groans, cries of "I would have got that", players knowing the questions they didnt pick etc. Really good banter and atmosphere.
I think this works a treat but I still prefer actually being involved!
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