A tie-breaker should settle the game, not start a new argument. The easiest format is a numeric question where the closest answer wins. The question should have a clear, defensible value and enough range that two teams are unlikely to write the same number.
Below are 25 trivia tie-breaker questions with answers. They use fixed or official figures where possible and are written so a host can read them cleanly in a bar, brewery, fundraiser, party, or pub quiz.
Recommended rule: closest answer wins. Do not use “closest without going over” unless you specifically announce that before the question.
25 Trivia Tie-Breaker Questions
- To the nearest foot, how tall is the Statue of Liberty from the ground to the tip of the flame? 305 feet
- How many steps are there from the ground to the crown of the Statue of Liberty? 377
- How many windows are in the Statue of Liberty’s crown? 25
- In feet, how long is the main span of the Golden Gate Bridge between its towers? 4,200 feet
- In feet, what is the total length of the Golden Gate Bridge from abutment to abutment, including approaches? 8,981 feet
- In feet, what is the Golden Gate Bridge’s clearance above mean higher high water? 220 feet
- To the nearest tenth of a foot, how tall is Hoover Dam from foundation rock to the roadway at its crest? 726.4 feet
- In feet, how long is Hoover Dam at its crest? 1,244 feet
- In feet, how wide is Hoover Dam at its base? 660 feet
- How many cubic yards of concrete are in Hoover Dam and its associated powerplant and works? About 4.4 million cubic yards
- In square miles, what is the surface area of Lake Superior? 31,700 square miles
- In feet, what is the maximum depth of Lake Superior? 1,332 feet
- In cubic miles, approximately how much water does Lake Superior contain? 2,900 cubic miles
- How many floors does the Empire State Building have? 102
- In feet, how tall is the Empire State Building from the ground to the top of its antenna? 1,454 feet
- How many rooms are in the White House? 132
- How many bathrooms are in the White House? 35
- Approximately how many square feet of total floor area are in the White House? 55,000 square feet
- Approximately how many gallons of white paint are needed to cover the exterior of the White House residence? 570 gallons
- In meters, how tall is the Eiffel Tower including its current antennas? 330 meters
- How many counties are in New York State? 62
- In feet, how tall is the Gateway Arch in St. Louis? 630 feet
- In miles, what is the Moon’s average distance from Earth? 238,855 miles
- In miles, approximately what is the Moon’s radius? 1,080 miles
- How many stitches bind a regulation baseball? 108
How to Use a Trivia Tie-Breaker
Have every tied team write one number. Collect the answers before revealing the result. The team whose guess is closest to the correct value wins.
If you have more than two tied teams, the same rule still works. If two teams somehow submit equally close guesses, use a second tie-breaker.
Always Keep Two Tie-Breakers Ready
One tie-breaker is not enough. Teams can land on the same number, submit equally close guesses, or already know the first answer exactly.
Keep at least two numeric questions ready before the game begins. Three is even better for tournaments or larger events.
What Makes a Good Tie-Breaker Question?
A good tie-breaker has:
- One clear numeric answer
- A reasonably wide guessing range
- A fact that can be verified
- Wording that defines the measurement clearly
- No unnecessary technicality
“How tall is the Statue of Liberty?” can be ambiguous unless you specify whether you mean the statue itself or ground to torch. “How tall is it from the ground to the tip of the flame?” is much better.
Avoid Moving Targets
For reusable tie-breakers, avoid values that change constantly, such as current population, current follower counts, active sports records, stock prices, or yearly attendance figures.
Fixed measurements, historical totals, architectural dimensions, and stable counts are easier to defend months or years later.
Need the Rest of the Rules?
Use the Trivia Night Rules Template for phones, challenges, submitted answers, scoring, and host rulings. If you are building the entire event, read How to Run a Bar Trivia Night.
Need Questions Beyond the Tie-Breaker?
Start with 25 free bar trivia questions and answers, browse the individual themed rounds, or choose a complete trivia night.