How to Become a Game Show Host in 5 Easy Steps

Have you always wanted to host your own game show? Did your childhood idols include Alex Trebek and Pat Sajak? Do you have aspirations to be the M.C.?

Then you are in the right place! Fat City Entertainment is ready to make your hosting dreams come true. Follow these five steps, and you will be holding the mic and entertaining the crowd in no time! Ready to get started?


Find Your Game

The first step to hosting your very own show is finding your game. What are your interests? Are you full of useless trivia or an absolute music lover? Decide what kind of show you want to helm, and equally important, what kind of show you think you can sell! While some games may be a lot of fun for you and really pique your interest, if no one else is playing, then you will just be standing in front of an empty room.

Once you figure out your genre, you could create your own game from scratch, but that definitely takes a lot of time and effort. Luckily, we have an entire trivia store full of games ready and waiting for a good host! There is general knowledge trivia, sports themed games, and even some awesome music bingo cards with premade playlists! Plus, we are constantly adding new products and seasons, so you will never run out of content!

Get Your Gear

Now that you've got your game picked out, you need to set up your equipment so that you can run your shows. If you are going with one of our Fat Bottom Trivia games, at the very least you will need a laptop that can run Powerpoint. However, to really put on a top-notch show, you are going to want a microphone, a speaker, and a secondary screen for projecting the game categories.

Not ready to get that technical? Try for something easier like Music Bingo where you can get by with just your phone, a good speaker, and a mic.

Grab Some Props

The key to a quality show is the details. There are a lot of places and companies that do trivia, bingo, or other pub games, but people will remember your show if it has that little something extra!

For example, all of our Fat Bottom Trivia shows are played with buzzers. These colorful light-up buzzers add just the right amount of flair to the show, and our audiences love to buzz in for the win. It is a simple and fairly inexpensive way to make your show more dynamic and make it stand out from the crowd.

Prizes are always a crowd-pleaser as well! If you are planning to  host a public show at a bar or restaurant, see if you can work out a prize or two for the winners. It is a lot easier to motivate people to join a team or grab a bingo card if you are offering even just a small prize!

Perfect Your Delivery

Before you can host your show, you have to get familiar with your materials. Read through the trivia questions and answers, look up any words you don't know how to pronounce. Develop a few side games or some interactive material to get the crowd engaged. (hint: people like music! Each of our games comes with a corresponding Spotify playlist, but if you are creating your own game, make sure to think about the music!)

You should also think about your delivery. What kind of host do you want to be? Are you going to tell jokes, be snarky or sarcastic, or be a polished and proper presenter? Your host "personality" should fit the game, the venue, and your comfort level. Having a consistent approach will make your hosting look more professional and gain you those loyal fans.

Try to get in a few good practice rounds with friends or family. Have them give you an honest opinion on things like your articulation, the quality of the material, and whether your jokes are funny or flat. Remember that you will likely be your own worst critic, so try not to be too hard on yourself.

Pitch Your Show

Now that you've got your gear and your props, you've learned your material, and practiced on your friends, it is time to book your first gig. This is where things really get exciting, and it doesn't have to be all that difficult! Sure, you can make yourself a website and spend time and money placing ads on social media, but you can also just walk into your favorite pub or cafe and pitch your show! Trivia shows or music bingo nights are a great way for local businesses to get people in the door on slower nights of the week.

You may want to bring in a buzzer or tell a couple of your jokes, something to let the bar or restaurant know what kind of show you are offering. It is probable that your first couple shows may not make you any money, but everyone needs a little experience when they are just getting started.

We have an excellent e-guide in our Trivia Store for the aspiring trivia or game night host. This inexpensive resource has an entire section on booking gigs as well as a ton of information on putting on a quality show.

There you have it! Five easy steps to becoming a game show host! You are now armed with all you need to be hosting your very own show and living out your dreams.

Have a question about one of these steps or even something that isn't listed here? Drop us a line! We love to help aspiring hosts any way that we can.