NEVER HAVE I EVER

OBJECTIVE OF NEVER HAVE I EVER: Say something you’ve never done, and be the last player playing.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 4+ players; the more, the merrier!

MATERIALS OF NEVER HAVE I EVER: Your hands, alcohol, good friends, and some horrible life decisions.

TYPE OF GAME: Drinking game

AUDIENCE: Adult

OVERVIEW OF NEVER HAVE I EVER

Never Have I Ever is a super fun and intrusive drinking game that also goes by the name Ten Fingers. The game is verbal and, for that reason, reminiscent of childhood games with a wet adult twist: booze.

While board games have dominated the party game sector for the last couple of years, Never Have I Ever is a classic game that is perfect for any type of get-together and has no setup and very few rules to explain. This makes it much more versatile than your standard board games and a great addition to the rotation of play for groups that meet up frequently. Never Have I Ever is also perfect for new groups filled with people who have just met each other. It’s the perfect ice-breaking drinking game!

Never Have I Ever has incredibly easy game rules, so no matter how drunk you get, you can keep the game going. It’s one of the easiest drinking games and perfect to play with a small or large group. Ready to get drunk with your friends? Here are the rules for Never Have I Ever!

HOW TO PLAY NEVER HAVE I EVER

In Never Have I Ever, players grab a beverage and sit in a circle with a group of friends or strangers and get to know each other a little better. This game typically incites fun stories, and players often target other players into admitting to something crazy or embarrassing that they have done. The game is best with people who make horrible life decisions, just so you have some wild things to call your friends out on.

Now for some fun! Here’s how to play Never Have I Ever in easy-to-remember steps.

STEP ONE: PICK THE FIRST PLAYER

You can determine the first player however you want. You can start with the youngest player or any other random determiner, such as who has the coolest shoes. Or you can even spin a bottle. Don’t worry; everyone will get a turn!

STEP TWO: SAY NEVER HAVE I EVER

Players hold up their two hands. Then, starting with the first player, that person will declare, “Never have I ever…” and admit to something they have not done.

STEP THREE: PUT DOWN A FINGER IF YOU’VE DONE IT

Players who have done this thing put down a single finger and take a drink. If no one puts their finger down, the player who called the prompt must drink (this is an optional rule, but a fun one!).

STEP FOUR: KEEP PLAYING

After the person starting passes their turn, play passes to the left, and the next person then declares something they have not done.

STEP FIVE: ALL FINGERS DOWN?

Players who have put down all ten of their fingers must take several drinks at once, the amount of which is pre-determined before starting Never Have I Ever. They are then eliminated from the game.

Stuck on what questions to ask? Check out our ultimate list of Never Have I Ever questions for some fun examples, or check out some of our own examples below!

TOPIC EXAMPLES

Never have I ever…tried to use a fake ID to get into a bar
Never have I ever…lied to two friends about each other
Never have I ever…had a one night stand
Never have I ever…invited myself to someone else’s vacation
Never have I ever…played strip poker
Never have I ever…been in a physical fight

Never Have I Ever rules, Never Have I Ever gameplay, topics, examples, fight

Never have I ever…canceled on a friend for no reason
Never have I ever…worked at a strip club
Never have I ever…fallen asleep at the wheel
Never have I ever…gone on a blind date
Never have I ever…been blackout drunk
Never have I ever…cheated on a partner
Never have I ever…drank someone else’s alcohol at a bar
Never have I ever…had group sex
Never have I ever…stolen something
Never have I ever…hurt myself trying to be funny
Never have I ever…ghosted multiple friends
Never have I ever…pooped my pants in public
Never have I ever…flirted with a customer for tips
Never have I ever…stood up someone on a date

For more, check out our list of 250+ Never Have I Ever prompts!

NON DRINKING VERSION

For those of us who do not drink, don’t worry; you can still play Never Have I Ever. And it’s just as fun! The game rules for the non-drinking Never Have I Ever are very similar to the game rules for the drinking version.

To start, all the players will sit in a circle together. The first player starts by stating something they have never done.

As with the standard game rules, players who have done this will put a finger down. After the person starting passes their turn, the game continues with the next player doing the same. The last person who still has at least one digit up wins the game! It’s an easy game with simple rules, but a ton of fun with good friends.

SAFE FOR WORK TOPICS

For those of you who want to play Never Have I Ever but in a work setting, we’ve got you covered. Here are some safe-for-work options for topics.

Never have I ever…been to a foreign country
Never have I ever…cut my own hair
Never have I ever…had a surprise party thrown for me
Never have I ever…pretended someone was funny so they’d like me
Never have I ever…cheated in board games
Never have I ever…fallen in love at first sight
Never have I ever…been in a play
Never have I ever…pretended to like something because most people did
Never have I ever…left a party without telling anyone
Never have I ever…broken a bone
Never have I ever…had to break into my own home
Never have I ever…stopped working on a group project
Never have I ever…played fighting games
Never have I ever…lied to get out of work
Never have I ever…withheld an answer out of spite
Never have I ever…dated a coworker
Never have I ever…pretended to be dumb to seem funny
Never have I ever…fallen asleep on a plane
Never have I ever…asked IT for tips for my at-home computer
Never have I ever…tripped someone on purpose
Never have I ever…fully completed a video game
Never have I ever…binge-watched more than 3 episodes in one sitting
Never have I ever…finished a game of Monopoly
Never have I ever…held a spider/snake
Never have I ever…had a life-or-death experience
Never have I ever…donated blood
Never have I ever…seen a play on Broadway
Never have I ever…had to run for my life
Never have I ever…been married
Never have I ever…been to a concert

NEVER HAVE I EVER RULES VARIATIONS

Never Have I Ever is a simple but super popular game with many variations of it over the years. While the above are the classic rules for Never Have I Ever, if you want to switch it up a little bit, here are some ideas to get you going.

KING’S CUP

A common variant of this game is played in King’s Cup, in which players put up 5 fingers (instead of 10), and the first person with all their fingers down drinks.

STORYTIME

One variation of the Never Have I Ever game rules states that if a player is drinking alone (i.e. they are the only person to have done it), they must recount the story of why they are drinking. This leads to many fun and embarrassing stories. Some even play that if you are willing to tell the story, you don’t need to drink.

GAIN POINTS TO DRINK

A fun twist to Never Have I Ever that limits your drinking is to have players drink only when they collect ten points. For every digit a player puts down, they gain a point, and once all 10 are down, they consume their beer or take a shot. Then, they get to put all 10 digits back up! This keeps the fun going for much longer!

I HAVE

Another fun version of this game is I Have. This is basically the same game but played in reverse. Instead of saying, “Never have I ever…,” players say “I have…,” followed by something they have done. If a player has not done that thing, they drink and put down a digit. This continues until all players have put all their fingers down.

EXAMPLE TOPICS: I HAVE…

drunk dialed an ex
followed a fad diet
had a paranormal experience

Never Have I Ever rules, Never Have I Ever gameplay, topic, examples, ghost

went skinny dipping
went scuba diving
participated in a talent show
been the first person on a plane
dated a coworker
thrown up at a party
been shot
gotten lost
kissed my best friend
played video games for over 8 hours
thought something was so funny I peed on myself
lost my phone while holding it
dated a friend’s ex without them knowing
tried and failed at picking someone up at a bar
left a game after a player starts bosting
searched online for tips on how to pick up chicks
jumped out of a plane
broken my nose
watched the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy in one sitting
play cards with a celebrity
been banned for life from a bar
gotten a tattoo
played a sport in college
forgotten my lines in a play
been fired from my job
slept with a friend’s parent
played in a band
broken someone else’s bone

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What Topics Can I Use in Never Have I Ever?

Anything you Like! In Never Have I Ever, no topic is off-limits. Just make sure the rest of the players are comfortable.

It’s always good practice before the start of gameplay to check if any topics may trigger some players. Never Have I Ever is meant to be a fun game of booze and stories, so always watch out for your friends and make sure everyone is comfortable!

What Happens When I Put My Last Finger Down in Never Have I Ever?

As sad as it is, in Never Have I Ever, there can be only one winner. If you put down your last finger, you are out of the game. The one player that remains is the winner.

Furthermore, in the drinking version of the game, the player must then take several drinks or finish their drink depending on what the group decides before the game begins.

What If Someone Is Lying in Never Have I Ever?

Never Have I Ever is a fun, friendly drinking game. If you know someone is fibbing, it’s best to just let it go and ignore them. If you are truly worried about it affecting the fun, it might just be best to not play this game with them in the future.

Do You Have to Play Never Have I Ever as a Drinking Game?

While Never Have I Ever is a super popular drinking game, you don’t have to drink alcohol in order to join in on the fun. If you want to play this game as a non-drinking game, simply remove the drinking rules. You can still get to know each other as a group without alcohol involved!

What Is the Point of Never Have I Ever?

The point of the game is to eliminate as many people as possible and be the last player standing while also getting to know everyone in the group.

What Are Some Other Fun Drinking Games Like Never Have I Ever?

Looking for some other fun drinking games to play? Try Flip Cup, Ride the Bus, and Drunk Jenga.

As with any drinking game, always play Never Have I Ever responsibly! Or, at least, as responsibly as possible!

Author
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Mia Kim

I am a digital nomad and traveler with a passion for board games. I've been a big board game nerd all my life, and I'm a particular fan of word games like Scrabble, Boggle, and, yes, Wordle, too!