How much spirits do I need for 40 guests?

You need 9 bottles of spirits for 40 guests at a march madness party. This provides 124 total servings with a 15% buffer to ensure you don't run out.

How much spirits per person for a march madness party?

Plan for 3.1 servings of spirits per person at a march madness party. This accounts for the fact that not everyone drinks alcohol and consumption naturally slows as the event progresses.

How many servings are in a bottle of spirits?

One bottle of spirits contains 17 servings. For 40 guests, you'll need 9 bottles to provide 124 total servings.

What percentage of guests will drink spirits at a march madness party?

At a march madness party with 40 guests, approximately 30 guests (75%) will actively drink. Our formula accounts for this when calculating the 9 bottles you need.

Should I buy extra spirits as a buffer?

Yes! Our calculation of 9 bottles already includes a 15% buffer (1 extra bottles). This ensures you won't run out even if some guests drink more than average. It's always better to have leftovers than to run short.

How long will 9 bottles of spirits last for 40 guests?

9 bottles of spirits will last approximately 4 hours for 40 guests at a march madness party. This calculation factors in the natural slowdown of consumption as the event progresses.

Calculate a different drink for this event

🍷 Wine 🍺 Beer 🥂 Champagne 🥃 Spirits viewing

How Much Spirits for a 40 Guest March Madness Party?

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bottles of spirits

For a 40-guest march madness party lasting 4 hours

15% buffer included

124

Total servings

3.1

Per person

Buffer bottles

How We Calculated This

Our bartender-tested formula, step by step

Estimate actual drinkers

40 guests × 75% drinking rate

= 30 drinkers

At medium events, about 75% of guests typically drink alcohol.

Calculate base consumption

30 drinkers × 1.5 drinks/hour × 4 hours

= 180 base drinks

Industry standard is 1.5 drinks per person per hour for a 4-hour event.

Apply consumption decay

Adjusted for drinking slowdown over time (decay factor: 3.25)

= 146 adjusted drinks

People drink faster in the first hour and slow down as the event progresses.

Apply march madness party modifier

× 0.85 (-15% for spirits)

= 124 spirits servings needed

March Madness Partys typically consume 15% less spirits than average.

Convert to bottles

124 servings ÷ 17 servings per bottle

= 7.3 bottles (raw)

Each bottle of spirits provides 17 servings.

Add 15% buffer & round up

7.3 × 1.15 = 8.4, rounded up

= 9 bottles

Always round up and add a buffer. Running out is worse than having leftovers!

* Why trust this formula?

Based on industry standards and refined by bartenders with 30+ years of experience. We factor in consumption decay (people drink less as events progress) and real-world drinking percentages.

📊 Quick Reference: Spirits by Guest Count

Guests	Spirits Needed	Total Servings
25 guests	6 bottles	78 servings
50 guests	12 bottles	155 servings
75 guests	17 bottles	233 servings
100 guests	23 bottles	310 servings
150 guests	34 bottles	465 servings
200 guests	45 bottles	620 servings

* All calculations include a 15% buffer. Amounts for march madness party.

Your Shopping List

Everything you need, plus essentials you might forget

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Spirits

The main event

bottles

Don't forget these

Mixers (soda, tonic, juice) (Variety is key)

42 liters
Ice (~2 lbs per person)

60 lbs
Cocktail glasses (2 per drinker)

60 glasses
Buy
Garnishes (limes, lemons)

16 pieces

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Pro Tips for Your March Madness Party

Insider advice from experienced bartenders

💡

Games run back-to-back during opening weekend - people may stay 6-8 hours.

⏰

Stock light beers for marathon watching sessions.

🎯

Multiple games mean multiple peaks - don't front-load everything.

🧊

Have non-alcoholic options for designated drivers and early bracket busts.

✨

Weekend games have 30% higher consumption than weekday games.

🛒 Buying Guide

March Madness parties are beer-heavy but lighter than Super Bowl (longer duration, people pace themselves). Stock 70% light beers. Have coolers at every TV location. Plan 4-5 beers per person for a 4-hour session.

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