How to Host a Traitors Party (Easy, Budget-Friendly and Deliciously Suspicious)
Are you a Faithful? Or are you sitting there with a poker face, quietly plotting to murder your best friend by the canapés?
With The Traitors (and The Celebrity Traitors) having everyone glued to the telly, a Traitors party is a brilliant excuse to get your friends or family round, light a few candles and accuse each other of lying. It is the sort of night in that is just a little bit weird, and we love that.
The good news is you do not need a Scottish castle, a velvet cloak or a Claudia Winkleman-sized budget. This guide keeps it simple: pick a game, set the scene, sort a few snacks and let the paranoia do the rest.
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What Is a Traitors Party?
It is a game night with a dramatic twist. Everyone is secretly a Faithful or a Traitor. The Traitors try to quietly “murder” Faithfuls without being caught, while the Faithfuls try to work out who is lying and banish them at the Round Table. Add themed food, a bit of dressing up and a prize pot, and you have a proper party.
You can host a Traitors party for as few as four people, or for a big crowd of 15 or more. Here is how to do it whatever your budget.
Step 1: Choose Your Game (Three Easy Ways)
Option 1: Buy the Official Traitors Board Game
If you want zero faff, the official Traitors board game does the work for you. Players go on missions to earn gold for the prize fund, the Traitor plays to earn the right to murder at night, and the Faithfuls try to banish them at the Round Table. At the end, the two players with the most gold go head to head for the prize fund. Do they split it, or try to steal it all?
- Best for: small groups. It is designed for 4 to 6 players, ages 12 and over.
- Where to get it: Amazon, plus other big retailers. Prices vary and it often drops in sales, so check the current price before you buy.
- There is also an expansion pack if you play it a lot and want fresh missions.
If you have more than six guests, do not worry. Use Option 2 for the main event and keep the board game for a smaller get-together.
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Option 2: Play the Free Playing-Card Version (Best for Bigger Groups)
All you need is a pack of playing cards, a table and a host to narrate. This is a simple version of the classic “Mafia” style party game, dressed up in Traitors clothing. It works brilliantly with 8 to 20 people.
What you need
- A pack of playing cards (or slips of paper)
- A host who narrates and does not play (pick your most dramatic friend)
- A candle for the Round Table, if you are feeling fancy
How many Traitors?
- 6 to 8 guests: 1 Traitor
- 9 to 14 guests: 2 Traitors
- 15 or more: 3 Traitors
How to play
- Deal the roles. Use one black card per Traitor (the Ace of Spades works well) and red cards for everyone else, who are the Faithfuls. Everyone looks at their own card in secret.
- Night falls. The host asks everyone to close their eyes and put their heads down. The Traitors open their eyes and silently agree on a victim by pointing. Then they close their eyes again.
- Morning breaks. Everyone wakes up. The host announces who has been “murdered”. That person puts their card face down and is out of the game (but does not reveal their role).
- The Round Table. Everyone debates who they think the Traitor is. Accuse, defend, sulk, gasp. When the host calls time, everyone votes by pointing on the count of three. The person with the most votes is banished and reveals their card.
- Repeat. Keep going with night, morning and Round Table until the game ends.
How to win
- Faithfuls win if every Traitor is banished.
- Traitors win if there are as many Traitors left as Faithfuls.
Keep the “murdered” guests involved
Nobody wants to sit out for an hour. Make murdered or banished guests ghosts who help the host. They can judge missions, top up drinks, ring the dinner bell, or keep score. Everyone stays in the party, and nobody is left staring at their phone.
You can even get some ‘The Traitors’ playing cards, which will be a more sophisticated version of above.
Option 3: Grab a Printable Pack from Etsy
If you like things to look pretty without spending hours on it, Etsy is a goldmine. You will find loads of instant digital downloads and party extras.
Things worth looking out for:
- Printable invitations (send them as a message or print them out)
- Role cards for Faithfuls and Traitors
- Voting slips and banishment ballots
- Mission cards and party games
- Table signs, name cards and decorations
- Murder mystery style party packs
A few quick tips: check whether the listing is a digital download (instant, cheap, you print it yourself) or a physical item (posted to you), read the reviews, and check the file sizes and paper sizes work for your home printer. Most of these are fan-made rather than official, which is fine for a party at home.
Step 2: Set the Scene
You do not need a castle. A few clever touches in a dim room will do the trick.
- Lighting: turn the big light off. Use candles, fairy lights or battery tea lights. Dark and moody is the whole vibe.
- The Round Table: clear your dining table or sit in a circle, with a candle in the middle. This is where the drama happens.
- Tartan and tweed: throw a tartan blanket over a chair, or use a tartan tablecloth or napkins. A nod to the Scottish Highlands goes a long way.
- Ravens, thistles and shields: paper cut-outs or small craft pieces look great on a budget.
- Name cards: write each guest’s name on a little card, or give them a “Faithful” badge to wear.
- A “turret” for the host: a high-backed chair, a stool, or just a spot near the door where the host does the dramatic narration from.
Want to add a little something? A Traitors-style cloak or shawl for the host is brilliant, and a good excuse for a bit of fancy dress.
Step 3: Dress Code
Keep it optional so nobody feels stressed. A few easy ideas:
- Highland chic: tartan, tweed, chunky knits and boots
- Gothic and dramatic: black clothes, dark lipstick, a velvet jacket
- Whatever is in your wardrobe: just add a scarf or a shawl
You could also hand out a simple accessory as guests arrive, such as a black ribbon or a badge, so the whole party looks matching without any effort.
Step 4: Food and Drink
This is the fun bit. Keep the food easy so you can enjoy the party as well. Finger food is perfect because people can nibble while they accuse each other.
Food ideas
- Traitor’s Tapas: a big platter of cheese, crackers, grapes, cold meats and chutney. (Need ideas? see our cheese and wine party guide.)
- Scottish bites: mini sausage rolls, shortbread, cheese scones, smoked salmon on oatcakes
- Blood-red bites: strawberries, red velvet cupcakes, tomato and mozzarella skewers, jam tarts
- Gold coins: chocolate coins in a bowl (also handy as prizes, see below)
Drink ideas
- The Poisoned Chalice: a red fruit punch or mulled drink served in your fanciest glasses (add a splash of something fizzy for the grown-ups)
- Murder Mocktail: cranberry juice, lemonade and frozen berries
- Banished Brew: hot chocolate or mulled apple juice for a winter night
- A bottle of whisky for the adults who like it, with a few tartan labels
A top tip: label the food with cheeky little place cards, like “Do not trust this brie”. It costs nothing and makes everybody laugh.
Step 5: Add a Few Easy “Missions”
On the show, missions build the prize pot. You can do the same at home, and it breaks up the accusing nicely. Pick two or three, do them before the main game, and award gold coins (chocolate ones, of course) to the winners.
- Guess the sweets: fill a jar with sweets and let everyone guess how many. Closest wins.
- Mystery bag: put everyday objects in a bag. Guests feel them without looking and guess what they are.
- Taste test: blindfolded guests try to guess different crisps, jams or squashes.
- Two truths and a lie: perfect practice for lying to your friends.
- Traitors trivia: ten quick questions about the show. Who was banished first? Who had the best reaction?
- Pass the parcel: the last layer hides the prize, and a forfeit task along the way keeps people on their toes.
The prize pot
You can make it real or silly. Ask each guest to chip in £2 or £3 for the pot, and the winners split it, or bring a prize basket of chocolates and a bottle of something nice. Or keep it totally free and play for bragging rights, which in a game of lies is worth a surprising amount.
Top Tips for a Smooth Traitors Night
- Pick a great host. Someone confident who enjoys narrating. The host makes or breaks the night.
- Explain the rules before you start. A quick two-minute rundown, then play a practice round if you have newbies.
- Keep rounds short. Set a timer for the Round Table debate (five minutes works well) so it does not drag on.
- Play a second game. The best nights have two or three rounds, and everybody swaps roles.
- Have a plan for the quiet ones. Pair shy guests with confident chatterboxes and give them a job as a ghost.
- Remember the fun. It is a game. Friendships can survive one dramatic banishment.
TRAITORS PARTY QUICK ANSWERS
How many people do I need for a Traitors party?
You can play with as few as four, but it is much more fun with 8 or more. The official board game is for 4 to 6 players. The playing-card version works for much bigger groups.
Can kids play The Traitors?
The official board game is recommended for ages 12 and over. For younger children, you could swap “murder” for something gentler, like “the Traitor puts someone to sleep”, and keep it light and silly.
How long does a Traitors party game take?
Allow around 45 minutes to an hour for a round with a big group. Add time for missions, food and chat, and a Traitors party easily fills a whole evening.
Do I need to have watched the show?
Not at all. The game works on its own, but fans will love the in-jokes. If some of your guests are new, a two-minute explanation is plenty.
What is the cheapest way to host a Traitors party?
Use the free playing-card version, make your own decorations from things you have at home, serve simple finger food, and play for bragging rights instead of a cash prize.
A Traitors party is one of the easiest themed nights you can host. Choose your game, dim the lights, put out a few snacks and let your friends do the rest. Whether you buy the official board game, download a printable pack from Etsy or just grab a pack of cards, you are guaranteed an evening of gasps, giggles and dramatic accusations.
Now go and find your cloak. And whatever you do, trust no one.
Are you planning a Traitors party? Tell us in the comments who you would pick as your Traitor. We will not tell.