'Barmageddon' Bar Games That You Can Play Professionally

“Barmageddon” is a show that trades in taking the bar games you know and love and turning them up to eleven in increasingly wacky ways. Although the show’s celebrity and every day “barthletes” are professionals in their craft, the show is not the first to take classic bar games and elevate them to elite levels. 

Unlike “Barmageddon,” which takes games such as darts and puts a Blake Shelton twist on it, some geniuses along the way decided, rather than heighten the game, they’d just do it at a professional level like other sports. What is the NFL if not a polished version of your backyard pickup game? What is the NBA if not a high-stakes version of you and your friends’ games at the park? Heck, the MLB is literally just the bigger version of your little league organization.

“Barmageddon” fans will be happy to know they don’t have to make it to Ole Red in Nashville to go pro at the games they’ve perfected at their local watering hole. Below are some of the best bar sports that have gone professional with leagues of their own. 

Darts

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As mentioned, there is no shortage of leagues where people who are exceptional at the game of darts can showcase their craft in a tournament-style competition. Those who really climb the ranks internationally will likely cross paths at some point with the Professional Darts Corporation, which plays host to several televised tournaments. The company was started in the U.K. but welcomes players from all across the world. If you’re looking for a more domestic league to join, you can always start by trying to shoot your shot with the American Darts Organization, which has women’s and men’s leagues for aspiring world champions to join. 

Cornhole

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While they don’t condone using an air cannon to shoot your shots, The American Corn Hole League loves the normal version of the game and has taken the backyard classic to new, exciting heights. According to its website, the organization prides itself on being a place for players of all ages, backgrounds and skill levels to develop into world-class cornhole players. Similarly to “Barmageddon,” it welcomes athletes to play alongside celebrities in its SuperHole IV tournament. 

Beer Pong

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The famous game has made heroes out of ordinary people at parties across America for decades. Now, professionals can take it to the next level at the World Series of Beer Pong. The event and subsequent tournament that leads to it is the largest, longest-running organized beer pong tournament in the world. It’s for far more than just bragging rights as well. People gather from all across the world to play for a shot at the more than $65,000 cash prize pool. 

Billiards

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There’s perhaps no game more synonymous with bars around the world than a good old-fashioned pool table. It’s a game of accuracy, precision and making that ultra-satisfying clacking noise as you ricochet balls off one another. It’s hard to get good at the game if you don’t have some inherent talent — and the most talented billiards players usually find their way to the professional leagues. Specifically, the United States Professional Poolplayers Association. Although it was only founded in 2002, it’s risen to become the premiere place for the country’s top players to show their skills to the world. 

Foosball

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Although it may sound surprising, there are many ways for table soccer enthusiasts to show off how good they are in both state and national competitions. Heck, there are even European leagues that welcome players to show their talents on the tiny field. Worldwide champions could find themselves playing for the International Table Soccer Federation competing against some of the world’s greatest champions. 

Catch more heightened bar games on “Barmageddon” on USA Network and other game shows on Peacock.