The U.S. Cities with the Most Competitive Game Night Couples

Game nights can be fun, but getting together with your friends and their partners can add an extra layer of competitive excitement. From board and card games to drinking and video games, there are many options to get everyone involved at your next game night.

Whether you are simply joining one other couple for a calm game of Monopoly or getting together with multiple couples for an intense game of charades, game night can look different for everyone. At Solitaire Bliss, we know all about games bringing people together, so we wanted to dive deeper into the world of couples’ game nights.

We surveyed Americans in relationships in the largest cities across the country to learn where people are getting the most competitive, which games are being brought to the table most often, and more. Read on to see how the city you call home ranks among the rest.

Key Takeaways

• Virginia Beach, VA, Memphis, TN, and Dallas, TX, are home to the most competitive game night couples.
• Uno, Cards Against Humanity, and Monopoly are the most popular games played during couples' game nights in the U.S. in 2024.
• Americans get most competitive while playing board games at couples' game nights.
• Nearly 1 in 4 Americans keep records of which couple has won the most at their game nights.
• Nearly 1 in 5 Americans think people unfamiliar with their game nights would think it's too competitive.
• Nearly 1 in 4 Americans think their partner is too competitive for game night.

Where Americans Get Most Competitive at Couples’ Game Night

Do your friends like to talk smack? Do couples get extra cutthroat during your game nights? This doesn’t mean they're bad friends or couples you shouldn't invite, but rather that they are serious competitors. They are not alone. Many Americans experience extra competitive couples’ game nights regularly. To determine where these game nights get the most heated in the U.S., we surveyed Americans in various cities to ask about their experiences and how competitive they and their partners get.

Leading the way as the city with the most competitive game night couples is Virginia Beach, VA. With a score of 96.4 out of 100, residents of the city are the most likely to gather with friends at least once a month for game nights. Additionally, Virginia Beach, VA, residents are the most likely to continue smack-talking other couples even after game night ends.

Coming in second with a competitive score of 83.9 out of 100 is Memphis, TN, where residents are most likely to play Uno, Monopoly, and Scrabble during game nights. Following closely behind in third with a score of 80.1 is Dallas, TX. Residents of the city are the most likely in the U.S. to get most competitive while playing verbal games like Truth or Dare at couples’ game nights.

Overall, we discovered younger generations are the most likely to be extra ambitious during game nights, and men are more likely than women to be competitive. When it comes to relationships themselves, we found that engaged couples are more likely than married or dating couples to turn up the heat during game nights.

While Detroit, MI, and Tuscon, AZ, are the most likely to stick to smaller gatherings with only one or two other couples, San Francisco, CA, and Virginia Beach, VA, tend to have larger events with five or more couples.

Competitiveness can go beyond smack talk in some parts of the country as Austin, TX, Virginia Beach, VA, and Columbus, OH, residents are the most likely to cheat to ensure their couple wins on game night.

The Most Popular Games at Couples’ Game Nights

After learning where couples in the U.S. get the most competitive at game nights, we wanted to learn more about which games are being played most often. In first place with nearly 3 in 5 Americans saying they play it is Uno. While the card game may seem calm for some, once a draw four is played, smack talk is sure to begin. Up next on our list of couples games is Cards Against Humanity. This fill-in-the-blank card game is sure to help even the shyest gamers come out of their shell with sexual, crude, and morbid jokes breaking the ice.

In third place is a game many Americans have found themselves playing at some point in their lives, Monopoly. This typically lengthy game is a popular choice at couples’ game nights for 1 in 2 Americans.

While there are a variety of game types, we found Americans get most competitive while playing board games. Video games rank second, as 1 in 5 people say these digital games are the true instigators behind heated game nights. Coming in third is card games followed by drinking games and party word-guessing games.

Game nights with a partner aren’t for everyone, however, as nearly 1 in 4 people think their partner is too competitive. According to experts, healthy competition can be good for a relationship, but it is important to remember to maintain mutual support for your partner and avoid bitterness or jealousy during gaming.

Enjoy Games With Friends or Alone

A little competition can be good for a relationship, both romantic and platonic. Joining friends for a couples’ game night can provide an opportunity to bring excitement in your relationship and even help your connections to grow.

The key is to know when the competition is becoming too intense. At Solitaire Bliss, we know how easy it is to get lost in the heat of the moment when playing a game, but when playing with others it is important to know when you are crossing a line. While some people love to smack-talk and keep records, others look at game night as a chance to unwind and relax with friends.

If you find yourself looking for an opportunity to unleash your full competitive nature, try your hand at a game of Spider Solitaire, FreeCell, or Yukon Solitaire.

Methodology

In this study, we set out to learn where Americans are most competitive during couples' game nights. To do this, we surveyed people in relationships in various large cities in the U.S. asking a variety of questions from what games they play, whether they smack-talk other couples, if they think their partner is too competitive and more.

Using these responses, we awarded points to answers that represented competitiveness and calculated the average score for each city. We then adjusted scores on a scale from 0 to 100, with 100 representing the most competitive.