Twenty plastic cups. Two pingpong balls. One extra-long table.
These are the main ingredients of the drinking game called beer pong, a favorite among college students.
But activities like beer pong are often more than just fun and games.
David Bower, an educator for ASU's Health and Wellness, said drinking games like beer pong are just an excuse for binge drinking, commonly defined as having five or more drinks in one sitting, which can be dangerous.
"The ultimate outcome of any drinking game is to consume alcohol," Bower said. "The ultimate outcome is always intoxication."
With intoxication comes many negative side effects, including fighting, feeling hungover, blacking out and sometimes date rape, Bower added.
While drinking games are dangerous because they require a lot of drinks in a short period of time, Bower said he understands why students play.
"It's a way to socialize," he said. "It's a fun thing to do, up to a certain point."
Many companies have realized this and are marketing drinking games to college students.
The Vine Tavern and Eatery on Apache Boulevard hosts beer pong tournaments every Tuesday at 9 p.m., and the Sets on Southern Avenue hosts tournaments every Monday.
Urban Outfitters on Mill Avenue sells boxed sets of drinking game rules and a boxed beer pong set.
The drinking game involves two teams based on either side of a long table. Each team sets up 10 cups of beer in a triangular shape on their side of the table.
The goal of the game is to throw a pingpong ball into the opponent's cups, which they then must drink.
Web sites like www.bpong.com have popped up to offer "official" beer pong merchandise. Bpong.com is also hosting a World Series of Beer Pong in January in Nevada.
Mike Taraian, a justice studies senior, said he plays beer pong twice a week since he has his own table in his backyard.
"You can get drunk just drinking, but beer pong is fun," he said.
Philosophy sophomore Taylor Miller said she usually drinks alcohol three times a week, and plays beer pong once a week.
Miller said she drinks simply for the purpose of getting drunk.
"Beer pong essentially formed with the same purpose," she said. "But they're doing it faster, and they're making it funner. It's part of the college drinking culture."
Reach the reporter at tara.brite@asu.edu.
