World Series of Beer Pong IV Crowns New World Champion

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More than 400 teams took part in 2009's World Series of Beer Pong IV, which took place at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. The age-old frat house game has evolved into a full-fledged sport with a $50,000 first prize at stake.

The tournament was won by 25-year-old Ron Hamilton of Brentwood, NY, who prepped for the big event by downing a bottle of Jack Daniels.

For the uninitiated, beer pong is played by lining up several cups of beer on a long table. Competitors then try to toss a ping-pong into the cups. The team that gets a ball in every cup first wins. The losers are forced to drink.

One unique aspect of beer pong--which is also known as Beirut, lob pong, or simply BP--is that competitors are allowed to distract opponents as they throw balls into cups with noises, hand-waving or a bit of nudity.

The tournament, which is sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon, is just another sign of the growth of the parlor game. Bars across the US are setting up weekly beer pong tournaments. For teetotalers, Nintendo has developed a video game version of beer pong.

Devotees insist the game is just an elaborate excuse to get drunk