The bars in Oxford are big on trivia. Enthusiasts can find a bar hosting trivia night four out of the seven days of the week. Oxford bars typically only hold them within the semester.
On Monday, the Woods, also known as “New Bar,” has trivia every Monday night. Sarah Scott, a senior Miami University student and bartender at the Woods, said she loves working on trivia nights.
Scott said trivia night is popular partly because of the prizes. The winning team of every round spins the “shot wheel” and earns whatever shot they land on for the whole team. Scott said for the rest of the night that shot is $3.
Scott said after the Woods began a new program, more people have attended. She said teams can build up points if they return every week and have the chance to win the grand prize at the end of the semester.
“I don’t know what it is,” Scott said. “But it’s something big.”
Scott said playing along is one of the reasons she loves trivia night.
“We can’t win any shots if we’re working, but we all like to play along,” Scott said. “It’s really fun to watch people work together after a couple drinks and just a really fun environment.”
Scott said the Woods’ trivia night will continue when Miami’s fall 2025 semester begins.
Mary Moss, a Senior Miami student and trivia enthusiast, said she regularly attends trivia nights. She said she discovered the nights through social media. One of her favorites is Bar 1868’s trivia on Tuesdays. Moss said that one of the prizes is a free bar rental.
“I didn’t actually go [to trivia night] until a friend was visiting on a Tuesday night,” Moss said. “I didn’t know where else to go.”
Moss said she is not “the best” at trivia, but she always has a great time.
“My favorite part is talking to my friends and laughing because we truly have no clue what the answers are,” Moss said.
Moss said, like the Woods, the staff at 68 play along. She said they cannot win the prizes, but the announcer still reads their name in the leaderboard.
Teddy Johnson, a manager at 68 and Miami senior, had his last shift on May 6, a trivia night.
Johnson said he started working at 68 because he wanted to be more social without drinking.
“It ended up being one of the best decisions of my life because I’ve met so many great people,” Johnson said.
Johnson said the trivia crowd has picked up since they introduced the free 1-hour bar rental prizes.
“My favorite part of working trivia is seeing how excited people get when they win,” Johnson said. “It’s such a small prize but just the feeling of victory overwhelms people, and that’s really funny.”
Those who dislike trivia but still want interactive fun at the bars can check out Left Field Tavern which offers WINGO nights every Wednesday. It is bingo, but with the opportunity to win prizes like free wings, merchandise, and more.
Other trivias include Church Street Social, which features themed trivia nights, 1868, and O Pub on Tuesdays. Top Deck holds its trivia on Wednesdays, and Steinkeller hosts trivia night on Thursdays, along with deals on liters and schnitzels.
