document_title: Game show

question_text: when did the match game first come on tv

text: Game show

text: History[edit]

text: Television game shows descended from similar programs on radio. The very first television game show, Spelling Bee, was broadcast in 1938. Truth or Consequences was the first game show to air on commercially licensed television. Its first episode aired in 1941 as an experimental broadcast. Over the course of the 1950s, as television began to pervade the popular culture, game shows quickly became a fixture. Daytime game shows would be played for lower stakes to target stay-at-home housewives. Higher-stakes programs would air in primetime. During the late 1950s, high-stakes games such as Twenty One and The $64,000 Question began a rapid rise in popularity. However, the rise of quiz shows proved to be short-lived. In 1959, many of the higher stakes game shows were discovered to be rigged and ratings declines led to most of the primetime games being canceled.

text: An early variant of the game show, the panel game, survived the quiz show scandals. On shows like What's My Line?, I've Got A Secret and To Tell The Truth, panels of celebrities would interview a guest in an effort to determine some fact about them; in others, celebrities would answer questions. Panel games had success in primetime until the late 1960s, when they were collectively dropped from television because of their perceived “low budget” nature. Panel games made a comeback in American daytime television (where the lower budgets were tolerated) in the 1970s through comedy-driven shows such as Match Game and Hollywood Squares. In the UK, commercial demographic pressures were not as prominent, and restrictions on game shows made in the wake of the scandals limited the style of games that could be played and the amount of money that could be awarded. Panel shows there were kept in primetime and have continued to thrive; they have transformed into showcases for the nation's top stand-up comedians on shows such as Have I Got News for You, Would I Lie to You?, Mock the Week, QI and 8 Out of 10 Cats, all of which put a heavy emphasis on comedy, leaving the points as mere formalities. The focus on quick-witted comedians has resulted in strong ratings, which, combined with low costs of production, have only spurred growth in the UK panel show phenomenon.

text: Game shows remained a fixture of US daytime television through the 1960s after the quiz show scandals. Lower-stakes games made a slight comeback in daytime in the early 1960s; examples include Jeopardy! which began in 1964 and the original version of The Match Game first aired in 1962. Let's Make a Deal began in 1963 and the 1960s also marked the debut of Hollywood Squares, Password, The Dating Game and The Newlywed Game.

text: Though CBS gave up on daytime game shows in 1968, the other networks did not follow suit. Color television was introduced to the game show genre in the late 1960s on all three networks. The 1970s saw a renaissance of the game show as new games and massive upgrades to existing games made debuts on the major networks. The New Price Is Right, an update of the 1950s-era game show The Price Is Right, debuted in 1972 and marked CBS's return to the game show format in its effort to draw wealthier, suburban viewers. The Match Game became "Big Money" Match Game 73, which proved popular enough to prompt a spin-off, Family Feud, on ABC in 1976. The $10,000 Pyramid and its numerous higher-stakes derivatives also debuted in 1973, while the 1970s also saw the return of formerly disgraced producer and host Jack Barry, who debuted The Joker's Wild and a clean version of the previously rigged Tic-Tac-Dough in the 1970s. Wheel of Fortune debuted on NBC in 1975. The Prime Time Access Rule, which took effect in 1971, barred networks from broadcasting in the 7-8 p.m. time slot immediately preceding prime time, opening up time slots for syndicated programming. Most of the syndicated programs were "nighttime" adaptations of network daytime game shows. These game shows originally aired once a week, but by the late 1970s and early 1980s most of the games had transitioned to five days a week.

text: Game shows were the lowest priority of television networks and were rotated out every thirteen weeks if unsuccessful. Most tapes were destroyed until the early 1980s. Over the course of the late 1980s and early 1990s, as fewer new hits were produced, game shows lost their permanent place in the daytime lineup. ABC transitioned out of the daytime game show format in the mid-1980s (briefly returning to the format for one season in 1990 with a Match Game revival). NBC's game block also lasted until 1991, but the network attempted to bring them back in 1993 before cancelling its game show block again in 1994. CBS phased out most of its game shows, except for The Price Is Right, by 1993. To the benefit of the genre, the moves of Wheel of Fortune and a modernized revival of Jeopardy! to syndication in 1983 and 1984, respectively, was and remains highly successful; the two are, to this day, fixtures in the prime time "access period".

text: Cable television also allowed for the debut of game shows such as Supermarket Sweep (Lifetime), Trivial Pursuit and Family Challenge (Family Channel), and Double Dare (Nickelodeon). It also opened up a previously underdeveloped market for game show reruns. General interest networks such as CBN Cable Network and USA Network had popular blocks for game show reruns from the mid-1980s to the mid-'90s before that niche was overtaken by Game Show Network in 1994.

text: After the popularity of game shows hit a nadir in the mid-1990s United States (at which point The Price Is Right was the only game show still on daytime network TV), the British game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? began distribution across the globe. Upon the show's American debut in 1999, it was a hit and became a regular part of ABC's prime time lineup until 2002. Several shorter-lived high-stakes games were attempted around the time of the millennium, both in the United States and the United Kingdom, such as Winning Lines, The Chair, Greed and Shafted, leading to some dubbing this period as "The Million-Dollar Game Show Craze". These higher stakes contests also opened the door to reality television contests such as Survivor and Big Brother, in which contestants win large sums of money for outlasting their peers in a given environment. Several game shows returned to daytime in syndication during this time as well, such as Family Feud, Hollywood Squares, and Millionaire.

text: The popularity of game shows in the United States was closely paralleled around the world. Reg Grundy Organisation, for instance, would buy the international rights for American game shows and reproduce them in other countries, especially in Grundy's native Australia. In the United Kingdom, game shows have had a more steady and permanent place in the television lineup and never lost popularity in the 1990s as they did in the United States, due in part to the fact that game shows were highly regulated by the Independent Broadcasting Authority in the 1980s and that those restrictions were lifted in the 1990s, allowing for higher-stakes games to be played. Game shows have had an inconsistent place in Canadian television, with most homegrown game shows there being made for the French-speaking Quebecois market and the majority of English-language game shows in the country being rebroadcast from, or made with the express intent of export to, the United States. There have been exceptions to this (see, for instance, the long-running Definition). Unlike reality television franchises, international game show franchises generally only see Canadian adaptations in a series of specials, based heavily on the American versions but usually with a Canadian host to allow for Canadian content credits. The smaller markets and lower revenue opportunities for Canadian shows in general also affect game shows there, with Canadian games (especially Quebecois ones) often having very low budgets for prizes, unless the series is made for export. Canadian contestants are generally allowed to participate on American game shows, and there have been at least three Canadian game show hosts – Monty Hall, Jim Perry and Alex Trebek – who have gone on to long careers hosting American series.

text: 2000s and 2010s[edit]

text: In the U.S., CBS is currently the only major network airing daily national game shows. It still airs The Price Is Right and, as of 2009, is also airing a revival of Let's Make a Deal. Deal airs on weekdays at a time chosen by each CBS affiliate, while Price airs weekdays at 10 am or 11 am in most markets. In addition, ABC's syndication wing Disney-ABC Domestic Television distributes Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, and many of their local affiliates air it in syndication. The oldest, continually aired radio quiz show in the United States was Simply Trivia, which aired on public radio station WYSO in Yellow Springs, Ohio. It ran from 1972 through 2014.[1]

text: The rise of digital television in the United States opened up a large market for rerun programs. Buzzr was established by FremantleMedia North America, owners of numerous classic U.S. game shows, as a broadcast outlet for its archived holdings in June 2015. There has also been a rise of live game shows at festivals and public venues, where the general audience can participate in the show, such as the science-inspired Geek Out Game Show or the Yuck Show.

text: A boom in prime time revivals of classic daytime game shows began to emerge in the mid-2010s. In 2016, ABC packaged the existing Celebrity Family Feud, which had returned in 2015, with new versions of To Tell The Truth, The $100,000 Pyramid and Match Game in 2016. TBS, in turn, launched a marijuana-themed revival of The Joker's Wild, hosted by Snoop Dogg, in October 2017. This is in addition to a number of original game concepts that appeared near the same time, including The Million Second Quiz, Celebrity Game Night, 1 vs. 100 and a string of music-themed games such as Don't Forget the Lyrics!, The Singing Bee and Beat Shazam.

text: Prizes[edit]

text: Many of the prizes awarded on game shows are provided through product placement, but in some cases they are provided by private organizations or purchased at either the full price or at a discount by the show. There is the widespread use of "promotional consideration", in which a game show receives a subsidy from an advertiser in return for awarding that manufacturer's product as a prize or consolation prize. Some products supplied by manufacturers may not be intended to be awarded at all and are instead just used as part of the gameplay (such as the low-priced items used in several pricing games of The Price Is Right).

text: For high-stakes games, a network may purchase prize indemnity insurance to avoid paying the cost of a rare but expensive prize out of pocket. If the said prize is won too often, the insurance company may refuse to insure a show. (This was a factor in the discontinuation of The Price Is Right $1,000,000 Spectacular series of prime-time specials.) In 2008, three of the contestants on The Price Is Right $1,000,000 Spectacular won the top prize in a five-episode span after fifteen episodes without a winner, due in large part to a change in the rules. The insurance companies had made it extremely difficult to get further insurance for the remaining episodes. A network or syndicator may also opt to distribute large cash prizes in the form of an annuity, spreading the cost of the prize out over several years or decades.

text: From about 1960 through the rest of the 20th century, American networks placed restrictions on the amount of money that could be given away on a game show, in an effort to avoid a repeat of the scandals of the 1950s. This usually took the form of an earnings cap that forced a player to retire once they had won a certain amount of money or a limit on how many episodes, usually five, on which a player could appear on a show. The introduction of syndicated games, particularly in the 1980s, eventually allowed for more valuable prizes and extended runs on a particular show. British television was under even stricter regulations on prizes until the 1990s, seriously restricting the value of prizes that could be given and disallowing games of chance to have an influence on the results of the game. (Thus, the British version of The Price Is Right at first did not include the American version's "Showcase Showdown", in which contestants spun a large wheel to determine who would advance to the Showcase bonus round.) In Canada, prizes were limited not by bureaucracy but necessity, as the much smaller population limited the audience of shows marketed toward that country. The lifting of these restrictions in the 1990s was a major factor in the explosion of high-stakes game shows in the later part of that decade in both the U.S. and Britain and, subsequently, around the world.

text: Bonus round[edit]

text: A bonus round (also known as a bonus game or an end game) usually follows a main game as a bonus to the winner of that game. In the bonus round, the stakes are higher and the game is considered to be tougher.[2]

text: The game play of a bonus round usually varies from the standard game play of the front game, and there are often borrowed or related elements of the main game in the bonus round to ensure the entire show has a unified premise. Though some end games are referred to as "bonus rounds", many are not specifically referred to as such in games but fit the same general role.

text: There is no one formula for the format of a bonus round. There are differences in almost every bonus round, though there are many recurring elements from show to show. The bonus round is often played for the show's top prize.

text: Until the 1960s, most game shows did not offer a bonus round. In traditional two-player formats, the winner — if a game show's rules provided for this — became the champion and simply played a new challenger either on the next show or after the commercial break.[2]

text: One of the earliest forms of bonus rounds was the Jackpot Round of the original series Beat the Clock. After two rounds of performing stunts, the wife of the contestant couple would perform at a jackpot board for a prize. The contestant was shown a famous quotation or common phrase, and the words were scrambled. To win the announced bonus, the contestant had to unscramble the words within 20 seconds. The contestant received a consolation gift worth over $200 if she was unsuccessful.

text: Another early bonus round ended each episode of You Bet Your Life with the team who won the most money answering one final question for a jackpot which started at $1,000 and increased $500 each week until won.

text: Another early example was the Lightning Round on the word game Password, starting in 1961. The contestant who won the front game played a quick-fire series of passwords within 60 seconds, netting $50 per correctly guessed word, for a maximum bonus prize of $250.[2][3]

text: The bonus round came about after game show producer Mark Goodson was first presented Password, contending that it was not enough to merely guess passwords during the show. "We needed something more, and that's how the Lightning Round was invited," said Howard Felsher, who produced Password and Family Feud. "From that point on every game show had to have an end round. You'd bring a show to a network and they'd say, 'What's the endgame?' as if they had thought of it themselves."[4]

text: The end game of Match Game, hosted for most of its run by Gene Rayburn, served as the impetus for a completely new game show. The first part of Match Game's "Super-Match" bonus round, called the "Audience Match", asked contestants to guess how a studio audience responded to a question. In 1975, with then regular panelist Richard Dawson becoming restless and progressively less cooperative, Goodson decided that this line of questioning would make a good game show of its own, and the concept eventually became Family Feud, as whose inaugural host Dawson was hired.[5]


document_title: NBA Finals

question_text: when was the last time there was a nba finals sweep

root

text: NBA Finals

text: History[edit]

text: 1957–69: Celtics dynasty[edit]

text: The Boston Celtics went 11–1 in the NBA Finals during 13 seasons (1956–57 to 1968–69). They won eight straight NBA championships from 1959 through 1966.[3] This period marks the largest stretch of seasons that a single team made up over 65% of Finals appearances, and also includes the only ever time the NBA Finals was decided in double overtime.

tag: p

text: With the establishment of the Celtics dynasty in 1957 spearheaded by center Bill Russell, the team saw great success, only ever encountering difficulty when up against teams led by Wilt Chamberlain. However, for most of the late 1950s and 1960s, the Celtics and Russell managed to have an upper hand on Chamberlain's teams.

text: In 1964, Chamberlain, who had moved to the state of California alongside his team, led the San Francisco Warriors to a Western Conference championship, but again failed to conquer the Celtics. The following season, he returned to the Eastern Conference to join the Philadelphia 76ers, who were the former Syracuse Nationals that had relocated to the city to cover the vacancy created with the departure of the Warriors.

text: The first clash between the two stars in the playoffs was in 1966, with Boston winning the series 4–1. In the following season, Philadelphia coach Alex Hannum instructed Chamberlain to provide an increased focus on playing a team game, to avoid drawing the double-teams that troubled Chamberlain during the Finals. This tactical change brought the team to a new record of 68 wins the following season, as well as defeating the Celtics before winning the Finals. In 1968, Boston overcame a 3–1 deficit against Philadelphia to once again arrive in the Finals. They went on to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals to again become NBA Champions.

text: In 1969, the Celtics faced great difficulty entering the postseason, as they had an aging team and multiple injuries to a number of players. They qualified for the playoffs as the fourth and final seed in the East, while the Lakers, who had added Chamberlain in the offseason to join stars Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. The Lakers won the West and were prohibitive favorites to become Champions for the first time since relocating to Los Angeles. Despite holding a 2-1 advantage going into Game 4, the Lakers led 87–86 and had the ball with 10 seconds to play. But after a turnover, Sam Jones scored to give the Celtics a narrow 88–87 win and tying the series. The series was eventually tied 3-3 going into Game 7 in Los Angeles, with Lakers owner Jack Cooke hanging balloons in the arena in anticipation of a Lakers victory. West also picked up injuries to his thigh and hamstring during the series, however, returned to play for the final game. Russell utilized this newly lacking mobility in West to organize fast breaks at every opportunity for the Celtics, which allowed them to gain an early lead. They held off a furious Lakers comeback to win 108–106 and win the series, and win their eleventh championship in 13 years.

text: As many stars either declined or retired following this win, it is largely recognized as the last NBA Finals conducted by the Celtics dynasty.

text: 1970–79: Decade of parity[edit]

text: The 1970s saw eight teams win the title, with the Celtics and New York Knicks winning twice.

text: In 1970, a classic final featured the Knicks against the Lakers. In the waning moments of Game 3, with the series tied, Jerry West hit a basket from 60 feet to tie the game, a shot which became one of the most famous ever. However, the Knicks won in overtime and continued their momentum for a 4–3 win, becoming the first team after the Celtics dynasty to win an NBA championship. The Milwaukee Bucks also won their first franchise title, defeating the Baltimore Bullets in 1971.

text: Two seasons after losing in the Finals, the Lakers got a measure of revenge by winning 33 straight games, the longest such streak in NBA history. By season's end, they broke the record for most wins in a season with 69, one more than the 1966–67 Philadelphia 76ers, before taking home the championship for the first time since relocating to Los Angeles. The Knicks returned to win the championship again a season later to record their second ever victorious season.

text: Despite the rise of the Knicks, the 1974 championship returned to the Celtics, as a newly formed cohort of players led by Dave Cowens demonstrated excellent teamwork and resilience to win in seven games to secure another title.

text: Following the success of the Lakers, the 1970s were characterized by a major breakthrough of the league's western franchises. In 1975, after compiling a 48–34 regular-season record, the Golden State Warriors swept the heavily favored Washington Bullets 4–0 in the 1975 NBA Finals. In 1976, the Phoenix Suns, who only enjoyed eight years of existence as a franchise, overcame a losing record early in the season to build a remarkable win streak to finish 42–40. The events culminated in upset victories over the Seattle SuperSonics and the Warriors, before facing Boston in the Finals. The teams split the first four games, before Game 5 went into three overtimes before Boston won 128–126. The Celtics managed to secure their 13th championship quickly after, defeating the Suns 87–80 in Game 6.

text: Other franchises that secured their first titles in the 1970s included the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977, and the Washington Bullets defeating the SuperSonics in 1978. The SuperSonics managed to exact revenge in the following season, however, as they secured their first franchise title in 1979.

text: 1980–90: Celtics–Lakers rivalry and the Bad Boys[edit]

text: Between 1980 and 1990, the Celtics, 76ers, Lakers, or the Detroit Pistons won every NBA Finals.[citation needed] From 1980 to 1990, the Lakers won five titles (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988); the Celtics won three (1981, 1984, and 1986); the Pistons won twice (1989 and 1990); and the 76ers won once (1983).

text: The 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Game featured Magic Johnson's Michigan State University team facing off against Larry Bird's Indiana State University team. This meeting has been immortalized as the beginning of the Lakers and Celtics rivalry of the 1980s, which pitted those two NBA teams represented respectively by Johnson and Bird. It also attracted the largest TV rating ever for an NCAA Championship game, as 38 percent of all television viewers that night tuned in.

text: Bird had actually been drafted the year before, but later decided to stay an additional year, and the two superstars both entered the league in 1979, leading their respective teams to dazzling heights. Johnson and the Showtime Lakers reached the 1980 NBA Finals against the 76ers, which were also led by NBA superstar Julius Erving. The Lakers took a 3–2 lead, but Kareem Abdul-Jabbar could not play in Game 6 due to injury. Johnson, a natural point guard, was shifted to center, and ended up playing every position on the court during the game, scoring 42 points, while also attaining 15 rebounds and 7 assists[4] to win his first championship while being awarded his first NBA Finals MVP; a remarkable performance in the annals of the sport.

text: Boston reached the 1981 NBA Finals led by the "Big Three" of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish.  During the 1980 NBA draft, the Celtics traded two first round picks to the Warriors for Parish and a first round pick later spent on McHale.  Considered to be one of the best front courts of all time, all three players later made the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.[5] They met the Houston Rockets in the 1981 Finals, practically single-handedly carried by Moses Malone, who upset the Lakers and Johnson in the first round. The Rockets were only the second team in NBA history to make the Finals after posting a losing record in the regular season, and the Celtics had an NBA best record of 62–20. The Celtics later won the Finals in 6 games.

text: The Lakers returned to the NBA Finals in 1982, this time led by new coach Pat Riley, in a rematch against the 76ers. The 76ers defeated the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals in a 7-game series, but were defeated by Lakers in 6 games, with Johnson being named Finals MVP. Upon losing their past three NBA Finals appearances, the 76ers decided that they needed one more piece to become champions, and enlisted Malone as their premier target. On September 15, 1982, they traded for Malone, who was also the league's reigning MVP.

text: With the new duo of Malone and Erving, the 76ers won the 1983 NBA Finals, losing only once in the entire playoffs, as well as sweeping the Lakers. However, the 1984 NBA Finals was conducted by the Celtics and Lakers, who faced each other for the first time since 1969. After an inspired performance from Bird, the Celtics toppled the Lakers 4–3. The final game of this series attracted the largest ever TV audience for an NBA game, and the second-largest ever for a basketball game, with only the game between the two stars played five years earlier having a larger audience. It was the last NBA Finals played in the 2–2–1–1–1 format, until 2014.

text: In the 1985 NBA Finals, the Lakers made amends for their previous eight losses to the Celtics by defeating them in six games. Even though the Lakers lost the first game by 34 points in the Memorial Day Massacre, they won 4 of the next 5 games, including Game 6 at the Boston Garden, to finally end the long years of frustration of failing to defeat the Celtics. These finals were the first to be played in the 2–3–2 format, which was suggested by Boston coach Red Auerbach to NBA commissioner David Stern, as he hoped to cut back on the frequent traveling from Boston to Los Angeles.

text: The 1986 NBA Finals saw the Celtics face off against the Rockets, with Boston winning in six games, as well as securing their 16th title. Bird was also named Finals MVP for the second time. In 1987, the Lakers and Celtics met again, with both teams holding a win in the Finals apiece. With the third being contested, it is regarded as a rubber match between the two dynasties. The Lakers won the first two games, but Boston won Game 3. In Game 4, Johnson hit an sky-hook with two seconds left to give the Lakers a 107–106 win and a 3–1 series lead. The Lakers lost Game 5, but eventually won Game 6 to clinch the series, and a 2-1 all time win against the Celtics. Johnson was also named Finals MVP for the third time.

text: In the following two seasons, the aging Celtics failed to reach the Finals, becoming overshadowed by the rise of the Detroit Pistons. The Lakers managed to defend their title in the 1988 Finals, winning the series in 7 games against the Pistons. They then became the first team to win back-to-back NBA titles since 1969.[6] Seeking a three-peat in 1989, the Lakers were swept by the Pistons in a rematch of the previous year's Finals. In 1990, the Pistons then went back-to-back after defeating the Clyde Drexler led Portland Trailblazers in five games, attaining the nickname "Bad Boys" due to its rough, physical play. Led by a Hall of Fame back court in Joe Dumars and Isiah Thomas and a rugged front court in Dennis Rodman and Bill Laimbeer, the Pistons attained great success.

text: 1991–98: Bulls dynasty[edit]

text: The majority of the 1990s was marked by the supremacy of the Chicago Bulls.  The Bulls, led by head coach Phil Jackson and star players Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, won six titles in six Finals appearances from 1991-1998.  The only other team to win a title during this stretch was the Houston Rockets who won titles in 1994 and 1995, during Jordan's first retirement from professional basketball.

text: The first championship came at the expense of the Los Angeles Lakers, which also saw the last appearance in the Finals for Magic Johnson. Billed[by whom?] as a showdown between the aging Johnson and the upstart Jordan, the Lakers won the first game, 93–91. For the rest of the series, Pippen guarded Johnson, allowing Jordan a free scoring, and Chicago won the next four games. The Bulls returned to the Finals in the next year, pitted against Clyde Drexler and the Portland Trail Blazers. Throughout the 1991–1992 season, Jordan and Drexler led their teams to the best records in their respective conferences, leading to several comparisons between the two players in anticipation of a postseason match-up. Chicago defeated the Trail Blazers in Game 1 by 33 points, a game notable for Jordan breaking the record for the most three-pointers in a first half, with six. Game 2 went into overtime, with the Trail Blazers outscoring the Bulls 18–7 in the final period to run away with the win, even with Drexler fouling out in the 4th quarter. Games 3 and 4 were split between Chicago and Portland, respectively, but the Bulls took the final two games, clinching their second championship.

text: In 1993, Jordan was matched against close friend Charles Barkley, who was the league's reigning MVP at the Phoenix Suns. The Bulls won the first two games in Phoenix, 100–92 and 111–108. The Suns, rallying behind Barkley, won Game 3, 129–121 in Chicago in triple overtime. The Bulls took Game 4, 111–105, with Jordan scoring 55 points and tying Rick Barry for the second-most points in an NBA Finals game. The Suns won Game 5, 108–98, sending the series back to Phoenix. Chicago clinched the series in Game 6, 99–98, on John Paxson's three-pointer, as the Bulls became the third team in history to three-peat. After this win, Jordan retired from basketball to pursue a career in baseball.

text: Following Jordan's departure, the Houston Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon, won the 1994 and 1995 NBA titles. During this period, Olajuwon became the only player in history to win the NBA MVP, NBA Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP awards in the same season. That was the only year that both the NBA and NHL finals went to seven games while involving teams from the same city, with the Rockets facing the New York Knicks in 1994. With their win in Game 7, the Rockets denied New York from winning both the NBA and NHL titles in the same year, as the New York Rangers won the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals. After trading for Clyde Drexler midseason, the Rockets later swept an Orlando Magic team consisting of Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway in the 1995 Finals; Olajuwon was again named Finals MVP, and the Rockets became the fifth franchise to win back-to-back titles and became the first 6th-seeded team to win the title without enjoying home court advantage on any of their playoff series.  The Houston Rockets also beat teams with at least 60 regular season wins in every round of the playoffs, with "Road Court" advantage.  No other team in NBA History has done that.  The Houston Rockets were down 3 games to 1 to the Phoenix Suns in the Semi-Finals and won 2 out of 3 games on the road, including game 7 to advance to the Conference Finals.

text: After his short stint in baseball, Jordan returned to basketball late in the 1994–95 season. Although he did not lead the Bulls to the Finals, he returned to pre-retirement form the next season while the team acquired perennial rebounding champion Dennis Rodman. The 1995–96 Bulls finished the regular season 72–10, attaining, at the time, the best regular season record in NBA history. They dominated in the playoffs, with series records of 3–0, 4–1 and 4–0, before facing the Seattle SuperSonics in the NBA Finals. After the Bulls took a 3–0 series lead, Seattle won the next two games after coach George Karl switched point guard Gary Payton onto Jordan, leading to a sixth game. However, Jordan altered his game to accommodate the advances of Payton, and the Bulls won Game 6 to win their fourth title.

text: In 1997 and 1998, the Bulls met the Utah Jazz in the Finals twice. Led by Olympians John Stockton and Karl Malone, the Jazz were defeated in both Finals by the Bulls in six games. In both series, Chicago won by hitting winning shots in the sixth and deciding game — the first by Steve Kerr in 1997 in Chicago, and the second by Jordan in Utah in 1998. This saw Chicago winning their sixth NBA championship, and managing their second three-peat. However, prior to the 1999 season, Jackson decided to retire, which set off a chain reaction that resulted in most of the team, including Jordan and Pippen, requesting to leave the Bulls. With no foundation of youth to build upon, the Bulls became a lottery-bound team for the next six seasons.

text: 1999–2010: Lakers'–Spurs' dominance[edit]

text: The Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs combined to win nine NBA Championships during this period.

text: The Spurs were responsible for winning four championships during this period, in 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007. In the 1999 NBA Playoffs, the Spurs finished with a 15–2 mark, including sweeps of the Blazers and Lakers. With a defensive squad led by David Robinson and Tim Duncan, San Antonio's 84.7 points allowed per game was the fewest average points allowed in the post-season in the last 30 years. In the Finals that year, the Spurs held the New York Knicks, the first #8 seed team to reach the finals in NBA history, to an average of 79.8 points per game. During the 2003 NBA Finals, the Spurs defeated the Nets in 6 games, which also marked the first championship contested between two former ABA teams. In Game 6, Duncan was two blocks short of recording the first quadruple-double in NBA Finals history, finishing with 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists, and 8 blocks. The Spurs went on to defeat the Detroit Pistons 4–3 in the 2005 NBA Finals, as well as sweeping the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2007 NBA Finals. Duncan won the Finals MVP in 1999, 2003 and 2005. In 2007, Tony Parker was named MVP, becoming the first European-born player to win the award.

text: From 2000 to 2002, the Lakers, led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, won three straight NBA Championships. O'Neal won the finals MVP all three times. Their first championship came at the expense of the Indiana Pacers, whom the Lakers defeated in 6 games. During their 2001 postseason run, the Lakers swept their first 3 series and won the Finals in 5 games, finishing with an unprecedented 15–1 record, the best postseason record in NBA history. Their opponent in the Finals that year were the Philadelphia 76ers, led by Allen Iverson. In the 2002 NBA Finals, the Lakers swept the New Jersey Nets, leading almost the entire time in each game; only for a short while after the beginning of Game 4 did the New Jersey Nets gain any significant lead in any game.

text: In the 2003 offseason, veteran stars Gary Payton and Karl Malone signed with the Lakers. Along with Bryant and O'Neal, they formed what many expected to be one of the best teams in NBA history, and were the favorites to win the championship in 2004. However, the Detroit Pistons, under coach Larry Brown, upset the Lakers in 5 games. Chauncey Billups was named the Finals MVP. Now established as one of the premier powerhouses of the East, the Pistons returned to the NBA Finals in the following year, before losing to the Spurs in seven games.

text: The 2006 NBA Finals were the only Finals during this period not to feature the Spurs or Lakers, instead featuring the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks. It was the first NBA Finals since 1971 that had both Western and Eastern Conference champions making their first Finals appearance in franchise history. The Mavericks won the first two games at home, but the turning point of the series was in Game 3, when the Heat overcame a 13-point deficit with less than 6 minutes left in the fourth quarter to win 98–96. The comeback was led by Dwyane Wade's 12 points in the final six minutes and a clutch outside jumpshot by Gary Payton, who was appearing in his third NBA finals. Miami swept all three of their home games, two of which were sparked by fourth quarter comebacks led by Wade; the Heat won their first championship in game six.

text: The Lakers returned to the finals in 2008, against the Boston Celtics. Renewing the teams' rivalry, this marked the 11th time that these two teams met in the Finals, the last meeting happened in 1987. The Celtics, who defeated the Lakers 4–2, were led by their "Big Three" superstars of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce, who was also named Finals MVP.

text: The Lakers bounced back from their 2008 loss and returned to the Finals in 2009, where they faced the Orlando Magic, led by Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard in 2009. The Lakers defeated Orlando in five games, with Bryant earning the Finals MVP award. The Lakers met the Celtics once again in 2010, trailing 3–2 before winning the last two at home, marking the first time in the history of the Celtics that they lost a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. Bryant was also named Finals MVP, with the triumphs in 2009 and 2010 becoming Phil Jackson's 10th and 11th NBA titles.  With these championship victories, Jackson surpassed both Red Auerbach's record for most NBA titles of all time.  He also passed Auerbach'a and National Hockey League coach Scotty Bowman's record for most titles as head coach in any major American professional sport.

text: 2011–14: Heat wave[edit]

text: During the 2010 offseason, the Miami Heat re-signed team captain Dwyane Wade and added free agents LeBron James and Chris Bosh to form the Big Three.[7] The Heat were then considered the favorites by many to win multiple championships, appearing in the next four finals, winning two in 2012 and 2013. LeBron James has also appeared in every NBA Finals since 2011, with both the Heat and the Cavaliers.

text: The second appearance by the Heat in a Finals came in 2011, where they were pitted against the Dallas Mavericks in a rematch of the finals from five years earlier. The Mavericks, led by Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Tyson Chandler, and Jason Kidd, won the series 4–2, with Nowitzki being named the Finals MVP. The Heat returned to the finals in the following year against an upstart Oklahoma City Thunder team featuring future MVPs Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and 3-time NBA scoring leader Kevin Durant. After the Thunder took Game 1 at home, the Heat won four straight games to win the series 4–1, becoming the first team to win a championship after trailing in three playoff series. James won his first championship and was unanimously named NBA Finals MVP.

text: The Heat repeated as champions in 2013, this time over the San Antonio Spurs, with the finals being the first since 1987 to feature four former Finals MVPs in a Finals; with Tim Duncan (1999, 2003, 2005) and Tony Parker (2007) for the Spurs, and Wade (2006) and James (2012) for the Heat. The Spurs went up 3–2 in the series, but the Heat bounced back with a Game 6 victory, notable for a game-tying three-pointer by Ray Allen in the closing seconds of regulation to send the game into overtime. The game is considered one of the greatest playoff games in NBA history.[8] The Heat won Game 7, 95–88, to clinch the title. James was named Finals MVP for the second straight year.

text: Looking for a 3-peat, the Heat reached the 2014 NBA Finals and faced the Spurs in a rematch of the 2013 Finals. With James limited in Game 1 due to leg cramps, the Spurs ended the game on a 31–9 run, winning the game 110–95. The Heat bounced back in Game 2, but that was their only win of the series, as the Spurs won both games in Miami and a deciding game 5 at home to win the Championship, their first since 2007 and the fifth and final title of Duncan's career. Kawhi Leonard was named Finals MVP, becoming the third-youngest Finals MVP after Duncan and Magic Johnson.

text: 2015–present: Warriors dynasty[edit]

text: The Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors have met in every NBA Finals to between 2015 and 2018, becoming the first two teams to meet in four consecutive Finals.  Previously, no two teams have appeared in more than two consecutive finals.

text: After the 2014 Finals, LeBron James became a free agent and returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers where he teamed up with Kyrie Irving. The Cavs also traded for Kevin Love to form a new "Big Three" in Cleveland. In the 2015 postseason, the defending champion Spurs were eliminated in the first round while the reigning finalist Heat failed to qualify for the playoffs. Golden State, spearheaded by 2014-15 MVP Stephen Curry, achieved a 67–15 record and managed to take the West, while the Cavs won the East as James, along with James Jones who played for both the Heat and Cavaliers, made their fifth straight finals appearance – the first two players to do so since the 1960s Celtics. The Warriors defied conventional wisdom and traditionalist ideas with a small-ball, three-point shooting, fast-paced team. The Cavs were without star Love due to an injury suffered earlier in the playoffs, and also lost Irving to injury in a Game 1 overtime loss in the 2015 NBA Finals. James rallied the Cavaliers to win Games 2 and 3, but the Warriors won the next three games after coach Steve Kerr made the adjustment of inserting sixth man Andre Iguodala into the starting lineup in place of center Andrew Bogut, thus achieving the desired small-ball offense. The Warriors won the title, with Iguodala becoming the first player to win the Finals MVP award without starting a regular season game that season.

text: During the 2015–16 season, the Warriors broke the record for most wins in a season with a record of 73–9 and Curry won his second straight MVP award, as well as becoming the first unanimous MVP in history and shattering his own record for three-pointers made in a single season by over one hundred in the process. The Warriors fell to a 3-1 deficit in the Western Conference Finals against a Kevin Durant-led  Oklahoma City Thunder team, but won three straight elimination games to take the series and advance to a second straight Finals. The Cavaliers finished the season as the top-seed in the Eastern Conference and won their first 10 straight playoff games, ultimately defeating the Toronto Raptors 4–2 in the Eastern Conference Finals to ensure the rematch of last year's Finals. In the 2016 NBA Finals, the Warriors got out to a 3-1 lead, but James and Irving led the Cavs to two straight victories to force a deciding Game 7. In a key sequence with two minutes remaining in Game 7, LeBron James made a memorable chase-down block on Iguodala to keep the game tied, while Irving hit a 3-point shot a minute later to take the lead. Cleveland managed to hold on to the lead to win the title and end the city's 52-year championship drought, with James earning his third Finals MVP honor.[9]

text: In the 2016 offseason, the Warriors acquired Durant through free agency. After finishing 67–15, they became the first team in history to win 67+ games in three straight seasons, they went to the Finals with a 12–0 sweep of the West, the first team to do so since the first round changed to best-of-seven in 2003. Meanwhile, though the Cavaliers slipped to the second seed going into the playoffs, they only lost one game en route to defeating the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, setting up another match against the Warriors in the 2017 NBA Finals. The Warriors started strong with a 3-0 lead over the Cavs, eventually winning the series in five games with Durant being named Finals MVP.[10] The Warriors set a playoffs record of 15 consecutive wins and a 16-1 final record, as well as a 13.5-point differential in the Finals.[11]  The Cavaliers and Warriors met for a fourth consecutive Finals in 2018.  The Warriors went on to sweep the Cavaliers, and Durant was again named Finals MVP.

text: Team records[edit]

text: Finals appearances[edit]

text: The statistics below refer to series wins and losses, not individual games won and lost. For individual game statistics, scroll further downwards. [12]

text:
No.
Team
W
L
ratio
Most recent appearance
Most recent title
Notes

31

Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers
16
15
.516
2010
2010
Currently hold the record for the most appearances in the NBA Finals, and have appeared in the Finals in every decade since the 1940s. They have won 11 titles in Los Angeles and 5 in Minneapolis. They also attained a three-peat in Minneapolis from 1952 to 1954, and another in Los Angeles from 2000 to 2002.

21
Boston Celtics
17
4
.810
2010
2008
Won 8 straight titles from 1959 to 1966, and are the most successful team in the NBA Finals, winning 17 championships. 3 of their 4 Finals losses occurred against the rival Lakers.

10
Philadelphia/San Francisco/Golden State Warriors
6
4
.600
2018
2018
Won two titles in Philadelphia, before eventually winning four more as the Golden State Warriors.

9
Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers
3
6
.333
2001
1983
Won one title in Syracuse, before winning another two following the move to Philadelphia.

8
New York Knicks
2
6
.250
1999
1973
In their most recent appearance, they became the first 8th seed to ever reach the Finals.

7
Fort Wayne/Detroit Pistons
3
4
.429
2005
2004
Went back-to-back in 1989-90, and won all three championships in Detroit.

6
Chicago Bulls
6
0
1.000
1998
1998
All six titles were with head coach Phil Jackson and players Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. The titles were won via two three-peats, from 1991–93 and 1996–98. They are the only active NBA franchise with multiple Finals appearances, and no losses.

6
San Antonio Spurs
5
1
.833
2014
2014
All five titles were with Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich. They are the only franchise to move from the ABA to the NBA, and subsequently win a championship.

5
Miami Heat
3
2
.600
2014
2013
All three titles were with Dwyane Wade; two were during LeBron James' 4-year tenure in Miami, during which they made the Finals each year.

5
Cleveland Cavaliers
1
4
.200
2018
2016
LeBron James featured in all five Finals appearances. The Cavaliers appeared in four straignt Finals from 2015-2018, all against the Golden State Warriors, winning in 2016.

4
Houston Rockets
2
2
.500
1995
1995
Won back-to-back championships with Hakeem Olajuwon and coach Rudy Tomjanovich. Their 1995 triumph was done as the 6th seed, the lowest seeded team in NBA History to win a championship.

4
St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks
1
3
.250
1961
1958
All appearances when the team was in St. Louis.

4
Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder
1
3
.250
2012
1979
Hold a record of 1–2 as Seattle SuperSonics, and 0–1 as Oklahoma City Thunder. They remain the only franchise since 1977 to win a title in one city and later relocate.

4
Baltimore/Washington Bullets/Washington Wizards
1
3
.250
1979
1978
All appearances in the Finals came between 1971 and 1979, featuring Wes Unseld. They were 0–1 as the Baltimore Bullets, and 1–2 as the Washington Bullets.

3
Portland Trail Blazers
1
2
.333
1992
1977
Their only title was won with Bill Walton. The team lost two finals with Clyde Drexler.

2
Dallas Mavericks
1
1
.500
2011
2011
They lost in 2006 and won in 2011, both times against the Heat. Both Mavericks teams were led by Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry.

2
Milwaukee Bucks
1
1
.500
1974
1971
Their triumph was recorded with a team that consisted of Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

2
New York/New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets
0
2
.000
2003
None
They appeared twice in the Finals as the New Jersey Nets, in 2002 and 2003.

2
Orlando Magic
0
2
.000
2009
None
They lost both of their Finals appearances, winning just one game between the two series.

2
Phoenix Suns
0
2
.000
1993
None
Lost in the 1976 and 1993 Finals to the Celtics and Bulls, respectively. Best historical won-loss record among all franchises to have never won a title.

2
New Orleans/Utah Jazz
0
2
.000
1998
None
Both appearances were with coach Jerry Sloan and players Karl Malone and John Stockton, and losses to the Bulls.

1
Rochester/Cincinnati Royals/Kansas City-Omaha Kings/Kansas City Kings/Sacramento Kings
1
0
1.000
1951
1951
Only appearance in NBA Finals and was won as the Rochester Royals.

1
Indiana Pacers
0
1
.000
2000
None
Only appearance was in 2000 and led by Reggie Miller and coach Larry Bird, losing to the Lakers.

1
Baltimore Bullets
1
0
1.000
1948
1948
Team folded in 1954 and is the only championship-winning team to fold.

1
Chicago Stags
0
1
.000
1947
None
Team folded in 1950.

1
Washington Capitols
0
1
.000
1949
None
Team folded in 1951.

tag: table

text: Active franchises with no Finals appearances[edit]

text:
Team
No. of seasons
Founded
Other achievements

Buffalo Braves/San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers
46
1970
Reached three conference semifinals as the Braves, and four as the Clippers. First appeared was in the 2005–06 season and lost to the Phoenix Suns, before returning in the 2011–12 season, losing to the San Antonio Spurs. Their other appearances came in the 2013–14 season when they lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and in the 2014–15 season when they lost to the Houston Rockets.

Denver Nuggets
40
1976
Joined NBA after nine American Basketball Association (ABA) in 1976. They have played in the 1976 ABA championship, but lost to the New York Nets, as well as participating in the 1978 conference finals, before ultimately losing to the Seattle SuperSonics. They also featured in the 1985 and 2009 conference finals, but lost both times to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Minnesota Timberwolves
27
1989
Reached the Western Conference finals in the 2003–04 season, but lost to the Lakers.

Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets*
28
1988
Reached the conference semifinals four times, first in the 1992–93 season when they lost to the New York Knicks, second in the 1997–98 season, losing to the Chicago Bulls, third in the 2000–01 season when they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks, and fourth in the 2001–02 season, losing to the New Jersey Nets.

Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies
21
1995
Reached the Western Conference finals in the 2012–13 season, but lost to the San Antonio Spurs.

Toronto Raptors
21
1995
Reached the Eastern Conference finals in the 2015–16 season, but lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets/Pelicans*
16
2002
Reached the conference semifinals twice, first in the 2007–08 season when they lost to the San Antonio Spurs, second in the 2017–18 season when they lost to the Golden State Warriors.

text: (*) As a result of the original franchise's relocation to New Orleans, the NBA team in Charlotte suspended operations for the 2002–03 and the 2003–04 seasons, before a new team, also named the Bobcats, was established for the 2004–05 season. In 2014, the Bobcats later became the second incarnation of the Charlotte Hornets, and retained the history and records of the Hornets organization from 1988 to 2002. The original Hornets, now renamed the Pelicans, obtained the records during their time in New Orleans and Oklahoma City from 2002 to 2013.

text: Most common matchups[edit]

text:
12 times: Boston Celtics (9) vs. Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (3)
6 times: Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (5) vs. Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1)
5 times: Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (3) vs. New York Knicks (2)
4 times: Golden State Warriors (3) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (1)
4 times: Boston Celtics (3) vs. St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks (1)
3 times: Detroit Pistons (2) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (1)
2 times: Boston Celtics (2) vs. Houston Rockets (0)
2 times: Chicago Bulls (2) vs. Utah Jazz (0)
2 times: Dallas Mavericks (1) vs. Miami Heat (1)
2 times: Miami Heat (1) vs. San Antonio Spurs (1)
2 times: Seattle SuperSonics (1) vs. Washington Bullets (1)

tag: ul

text: (*) the number in parentheses describes the victories in the Finals for either team.

text: Individual games records[edit]

text:
P
Team
W
L
ratio
Notes

179
Los Angeles Lakers
89
90
.497
Holds the record for the most games in a Finals, with a record of 20–15 in Minneapolis and 69-75 while in Los Angeles. Won 4-3 in their last Finals appearance in 2010.

129
Boston Celtics
77
52
.597
Recorded the first ever sweep in the Finals. Lost 4-3 in their last Finals appearance in 2010.

53
Philadelphia 76ers
24
29
.453
Includes a record of 9–11 while in Syracuse, and 15-18 while in Philadelphia. Lost 4-1 in their last Finals appearance in 2001.

49
Golden State Warriors
28
21
.571
Includes records of 10–6 while in Philadelphia, 3–8 while in San Francisco, and 15-7 in their current incarnation. Won 4-0 in their last Finals appearance in 2018.

48
New York Knicks
20
28
.417
Lost 4–1 in their last Finals appearance in 1999.

40
Detroit Pistons
22
18
.550
Includes a record of 4–8 while in Fort Wayne, and 18-10 while in Detroit. Lost 4-3 their last Finals appearance in 2005.

35
Chicago Bulls
24
11
.686
Won 4–2 in their last Finals appearance in 1998.

34
San Antonio Spurs
23
11
.676
Won 4–1 in their last Finals appearance in 2014.

29
Miami Heat
15
14
.517
Lost 4-1 in their last Finals appearance in 2014.

25
Atlanta Hawks
11
14
.440
All appearances in the Finals occurred while the team was in St. Louis.

23
Houston Rockets
12
11
.522
Won 4-0 in their last Finals appearance in 1995.

23
Oklahoma City Thunder
10
13
.435
Includes a record of 9–9 while in Seattle, and 1-4 while in Oklahoma City. Lost 1-4 their last Finals appearance in 2012.

22
Cleveland Cavaliers
7
15
.318
Lost 4-0 in their last Finals appearance in 2018, as well as becoming the only team in the Finals to overcome a 3-1 deficit in 2016.

20
Washington Wizards
5
15
.250
Includes a record of 0–4 in Baltimore and 5–11 in Washington, all as the Bullets.

17
Portland Trail Blazers
7
10
.412
Lost 4-2 in their last Finals appearance in 1992.

12
Dallas Mavericks
6
6
.500
All games played during the Finals have been against the Heat, and won 4-2 in their last Finals appearance in 2011.

12
Phoenix Suns
4
8
.333
Lost 4-2 in their last Finals appearance in 1993.

12
Utah Jazz
4
8
.333
Lost 4-2 in both Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998, both times against the Bulls.

11
Milwaukee Bucks
7
4
.636
Lost 4–3 in their last Finals appearance in 1974.

10
Brooklyn Nets
2
8
.200
All Finals appearances have occurred while the team was in New Jersey, and lost 4-2 in their last Finals appearance in 2003.

9
Orlando Magic
1
8
.111
Lost 4-1 in their last Finals appearance in 2009.

7
Sacramento Kings
4
3
.571
All appearances have occurred while the team was in Rochester.

6
Baltimore Bullets
4
2
.667
Franchise defunct.

6
Indiana Pacers
2
4
.333
Lost 4-2 in their last Finals appearance in 2000.

6
Washington Capitols
2
4
.333
Franchise defunct.

5
Chicago Stags
1
4
.200
Franchise defunct.

text: Player records[edit]

text: Individual[edit]

text:
Most years in Finals (12) – Bill Russell
Most games played in Finals (70) – Bill Russell
Most career points in Finals (1,679) – Jerry West
Most career assists in Finals (584) – Magic Johnson
Most career rebounds in Finals (1,718) – Bill Russell
Most career blocks in Finals (116) – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Most career steals in Finals (102) – Magic Johnson
Most career turnovers in Finals (190) – Magic Johnson

text:
Jerry West – 1,679
LeBron James – 1,360
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 1,317
Michael Jordan – 1,176
Elgin Baylor – 1,161
Bill Russell – 1,151
Sam Jones – 1,143
Tom Heinsohn – 1,037
John Havlicek – 1,018
Magic Johnson – 971

tag: ol

text:
Rick Barry – 36.3
Michael Jordan – 33.6
Jerry West – 30.5

text:
Most points, one series (284) – Elgin Baylor (1962)
Most assists, one series (95) – Magic Johnson (1984)
Most rebounds, one series (189) – Bill Russell (1962)
Most blocks, one series (32) – Tim Duncan (2003)
Most steals, one series (20) – Isiah Thomas (1988)
Most turnovers, one series (31) – Magic Johnson (1984) and LeBron James (2016)


document_title: List of alcohol laws of the United States

question_text: when do gas stations stop selling alcohol in georgia

text: Table[edit]

text: Alabama–Hawaii[edit]

text:
State
Alcoholic beverage control state
Alcohol sale hours
Grocery store sales
Age
Notes

Beer
Wine
Distilled spirits
On-premises
Off-premises
Beer
Wine
Distilled spirits
Purchasing
Consumption

Alabama
Yes
Prohibited between midnight until noon on Sundays in some counties. Private clubs, which require a membership fee and a membership card, have no day or time restrictions.
Yes
No
21
21 No exceptions to the law
13.9% ABV cap on beer
Beer containers may not exceed 25.4 ounces (0.75 l)
ABV > 14.9% wine sold in state stores
Alcohol may be served 24 hours a day unless restricted by local ordinances. Twenty-six of Alabama's 67 counties do not allow the sale of alcohol. However, possession and consumption remain legal within those 26 counties. Of the 26 "dry" counties, 23 have at least one "wet" city; these are considered "moist" dry counties. Within those 23 counties there are 43 wet cities. State law allows any city with a population greater than 1,000 located within a dry county to "go wet" if a referendum is passed by 50% of voters. State retains monopoly over wholesaling of distilled spirits only.
Distilled spirits (liquor) are purchasable in either state-owned retail liquor stores, known as ABC Stores, or privately-owned retail liquor stores. Privately-owned retail liquor stores tend to be open on Sundays, public (federal & state) holidays, and later hours than state-owned liquor stores.

Alaska
No
8 a.m. – 5 a.m.,[10] except election days (liquor stores may not open until polls close)
No (although many grocery stores have separate areas that sell all forms of alcoholic beverages and many bars sell packaged liquor as well)
21
21 Exception: Underage drinking allowed for medical purposes, and on private non-alcohol selling premises with parental consent [11]
Most communities have more restrictive laws, ranging from restrictions on operating hours to bans on sale and possession.[12] Sellers/servers may not, for any reason, give a person alcohol for free or sell it for less than its cost. Sellers/servers may drink while on duty, but no intoxicated person may remain on the premises, so an impaired server could be arrested.[10]

Arizona
No
6 a.m. – 2 a.m. seven days a week—no election day nor holiday restrictions [13]
Yes
21
21 Exception: Underage drinking allowed for religious[14] and medical purposes[15]
Sales of any type of alcohol are legal at any store that has an off-premises liquor license, including but not limited to convenience stores and grocery stores. Bars may sell closed containers of alcohol for consumption off the premises. Drive-through liquor stores are allowed. Everclear Grain Alcohol Proof 190 (95% alcohol) is legal. A large percentage of the land area of Arizona is in Indian reservations, many of which have liquor laws considerably more restrictive than state law, up to and including total prohibition. "Beer busts" (all the beer/liquor one can drink for a set price) in bars are illegal. Persons 19 years of age or older may work in bars and liquor stores serving and selling alcohol. Patrons may not purchase for on premises consumption more than 40 ounces of beer, 1 liter of wine or 4 ounces of distilled spirits at one time.[16] DUI penalties are some of the most severe in the nation. A person convicted of a DUI (even first offense) must have an interlock installed in his car for one year. Arizona has an 'Impaired to the Slightest Degree' law that can convict a person even if his BAC is less than .08%.

Arkansas
No
Sale prohibited Sundays, Mondays between 12:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m., or on any other days between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. The governing body of any city or town may fix later closing hours for the permitted premises of a hotel or restaurant which in no event shall be later than two (2) hours after midnight on Saturday night.[17]
Yes
No
21
21 No exceptions to the law
Has numerous dry counties and other dry areas, but private clubs can serve even in dry areas.
Alcohol sales are generally prohibited on Sundays, but exceptions can be made through local option (usually for restaurants and private clubs).
No sales on Christmas Day.

California
No
6 a.m. – 2 a.m.
Yes
21
21 Exception: A minor will not be penalized for consuming alcohol if discovered or reported through a medical emergency.[18]
Relatively unrestricted; beer, wine and liquor available at grocery stores, convenience stores, gas stations, and warehouse clubs. No statewide holiday restrictions.
Motor vehicles entering from Mexico may only import 1 liter of alcohol (duty-free). Sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages higher than 60% ABV is illegal (B&P 23403).[19]
You may serve alcohol if you are at least 21 years of age.
City and county governments can set different sale hours.
18-, 19- and 20-year-old wine and beer production students can taste—but not consume—what they are making and studying.[20]

Colorado
No
7 a.m. – 2 a.m.
Beer, wine, and liquor: 8 a.m. – midnight
3.2 beer: 5 a.m.-midnight

3.2 only*
No*
21
21 Exception: Underage consumption allowed on private non-alcohol selling premises with parental consent, for religious, medical, and educational purposes.[21]
Spirituous, vinous & malt liquor available in liquor stores and liquor-licensed drug stores only.
Liquor stores closed on Christmas Day. Sunday sales restriction lifted on July 1, 2008. Liquor stores and liquor-licensed drug stores may have only one location, while 3.2% beer may be sold in gas stations, supermarkets, and convenience stores. Appropriately licensed businesses may also sell 3.2% beer for both on and off-premises consumption. A small number of grocery stores are licensed as drug stores and sell full strength beer, wine, and spirits. As an example, a chain grocery store that has pharmacy services at most or all locations may elect a single location in the chain as the licensed establishment to sell beer, wine, and spirits.

Connecticut
No
9 a.m. – 1 a.m. (Mon.–Thurs.)
9 a.m. – 2 a.m. (Fri.–Sat.)
11 a.m. – 1 a.m. (Sun.)
8 a.m. – 10 p.m. (Mon.–Sat.) 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Sun.)
Yes
No
21 Exception: No explicit age if a present legal guardian is 21 or older[22]
21 Exception: Underage consumption is allowed on private non alcohol selling premises with parental consent, for medical and religious puroposes, and on alcohol selling premises with parental consent.[22]
Sunday off-premises sales allowed as of May 20, 2012;[23][24] Sunday on-premises sales subject to local ordinances.
Beer can be purchased at grocery/convenience stores. Spirits and wine can be purchased only at liquor stores.
No off-premises alcohol sales on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Open container law applies only to drivers, not passengers.

Delaware
No
9 a.m. – 1 a.m.
9 a.m. – 1 a.m. (Mon.–Sat.)
noon–8 p.m. (Sun.) Municipalities with a population over 50,000 persons may impose stricter hours of sale by local ordinance.
No
21
21 Exception: A minor will not be penalized for if discovered consuming alcohol through a medical emergency. Underage drinking allowed on private non-alcohol selling premises with parental consent, for religious purposes.[25][26]
For off-premises consumption, alcohol may be purchased only in a liquor store, taproom, or a brew pub that has an off-premises license. Unless accompanied by a parent or guardian over 21, no person under 21 may enter a liquor store or taproom for any reason, even for the intent of purchasing only tobacco or lottery tickets. No sales of alcohol by liquor stores or taprooms are permitted during designated holidays including Thanksgiving, Easter or Christmas.[27]

District of Columbia
No
8 a.m. – 2 a.m. Sun.–Thu.,
8 a.m. – 3 a.m. Fri.–Sat.
[28]

Liquor Stores:
9 a.m. – midnight daily*
Grocery Stores:
9 a.m.-12 a.m. daily
[28]

Yes
No
21
21 Exception: A minor will not be penalized for if discovered consuming alcohol through a medical emergency.[29][30]
*Liquor stores can begin applying for licenses to open on Sunday as of January 16, 2013.[31]
No singles sold, but stores in some areas may apply for an exemption.[32]
Certain wards may be made dry by the decision of the local ANC, but as of 2005[update] none are
The day before a federal or district holiday, on-premises retailers may sell/serve from 8 a.m.-3 a.m. On New Yer's Eve, on-premises retailers may sell/serve until 4 a.m. on January 1.[28]

Florida
No
State law prohibits selling of alcohol between midnight and 7 a.m., unless the county chooses to change the operating hours later (FS 562.14(1)) ; such as for Sunday morning; Ormond Beach stays open until 7pm on Sundays. Miami-Dade County liquor stores may operate 24 hours a day.
Yes
No
21
21 Exception: 18 for educational purposes[33]
Sale, processing, or consumption of any liquor or spirit of greater than 153 proof is illegal. (FSS 565.07)
No retail sale of wine in containers larger than 1 gallon. FS 564.05 Supermarkets and other licensed business establishments may sell beer, low-alcohol liquors, and wine. Liquor must be sold in dedicated liquor stores which may be in a separate part of a grocery or a drug store. As of July 1, 2015, the restriction on 64 ounce refillable containers, or growlers, has been lifted and beer may be sold in quantities of 64 ounces, in addition to the previously legal 32 and 128 ounce sizes.

Georgia
No
Hours of sale determined by local jurisdiction. No alcohol sales on Christmas Day.
Yes
No
21
21 Exception: Underage drinking allowed on non-alcoholic premises with parental consent, and for religious and medical purposes.[34]
14% ABV cap on beer.
Sunday off-premises sales from 12:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. allowed only by local referendum.[35]
In general, one may not be drunk in public. Though there is no state law prohibiting drinking in public, most municipal corporations and political subdivisions limit the possession of open containers of alcohol to private property, with notable exceptions being Savannah and Roswell. A charge of public drunkenness is only warranted when one is drunk in public and his acts are either loud or disorderly.

Hawaii
No
Bars and restaurants stop serving alcohol at 2 a.m., but some hold a special ‘cabaret license’ that allows them to continue serving alcohol until 4 a.m.[36]
6 a.m. to 12 a.m. Within Honolulu County
6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Within Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii counties
Yes
21
21 Exception: Underage consumption allowed for religious purposes[37]

text: Idaho–Massachusetts[edit]

text:
State
Alcoholic beverage control state
Alcohol sale hours
Grocery Store Sales
Age
Notes

Beer
Wine
Distilled spirits
On-premises
Off-premises
Beer
Wine
Distilled Spirits
Purchasing
Consumption

Idaho
No
Yes
6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. in some counties

Yes
No

Alcoholic beverages exceeding 16% ABV can only be sold in Idaho State Liquor Dispensary stores, or contracted stores.

Illinois
No
Depending on local government; 24-hour bars are permitted in Cicero; a handful of 21- to 22-hour bars exist in Cook County, and the Metro East. In Rock Island County, many establishments sell alcohol 24 hours a day.

Yes

Opening/closing hours are up to the decision of counties or municipalities.

Indiana
No
7 a.m. – 3 a.m.
7 a.m. – 3 a.m. No sale on Sunday, except at local wineries, breweries, and distilleries.
Yes

Sales limited to on-premises in restaurants, wineries, breweries, and distilleries on Sundays. However, carryout wine, beer and spirits may be purchased on Sundays from the address for which a winery, brewery or distillery's permit is issued. (IC 7.1-3-1-14)
No sales on Christmas Day (IC 7.1-5-10-1). Minors, including babies, are not allowed to enter a liquor store.
Indiana prohibits the sales of cold beer by grocery stores or gas stations, but allows cold beer to be sold from liquor stores (IC 7.1-5-10-11).
In 2010, Indiana enacted a stringent photo identification requirement for all off-premises transactions that initially required stores to verify the age of anyone purchasing alcohol by requiring him or her to produce a government-issued photo ID. The law applies to liquor stores, convenience stores, pharmacies and supermarkets in Indiana but not to restaurants, bars and other businesses where patrons consume alcohol onsite. However, due to significant backlash, the law was subsequently amended in the next legislative session (effective July 1, 2011) to pertain to anyone who is or reasonably appears to be less than forty (40) years of age. (See IC 7.1-5-10-23).
Public intoxication is a class B misdemeanor. (IC 7.1-5-1-3)

Iowa
No
Yes
6 a.m. – 2 a.m. Mon–Sat
8 a.m. – 2 a.m. Sun[38]
Yes

If a controlled substance is detected in a person’s system at or near the time they were operating a motor vehicle, they can be charged and potentially convicted of operating while intoxicated (OWI) even if they were not “impaired” by that substance.

Kansas
Yes
9 a.m. - 2 a.m. (in counties which allow on-premises sales)
9 a.m. - 11 p.m. (Mon–Sat) (in counties which allow off-premises sales)
noon - 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. (Sun) (in communities which allow Sunday off-premises sales)
3.2 only
No

Kansas's alcohol laws are among the strictest in the United States. Kansas prohibited all alcohol from 1881 to 1948, and continued to prohibit on-premises sales of alcohol from 1949 to 1987. Sunday sales only have been allowed since 2005. Today, 29 counties still do not permit the on-premises sale of alcohol. 59 counties require a business to receive at least 30% of revenue from food sales to allow on-premises sale of alcohol. Only 17 counties allow general on-premises sales. Not all communities which allow off-premises sales allow sales on Sunday. Sales are prohibited on Christmas and Easter. The only alcoholic beverage which grocery stores and gas stations may sell is beer with no more than 3.2% alcohol by weight. Other liquor sales only are allowed at state-licensed retail liquor stores. Kansas has comprehensive open container laws for public places and vehicles, public intoxication laws, and requirements for prospective on-premises or off-premises licensees.

Kentucky
No
6 a.m. to 4 a.m. on Monday through Saturday
1 p.m. to 4 a.m. on Sundays
Yes
No

Local ordinance may vote to permit Sunday sales at restaurants. Sales 2–4 a.m. only in Louisville. As of 2005 Sunday sales were allowed per state law, but may still be prohibited in some areas by local ordinance (as of early 2006, such a situation existed with smaller cities within Louisville Metro, though these cities have since changed local ordinances).
Alcohol sale restriction and wet/dry (both by drink and package) allowed by both county and city local option. Approximately 39 counties in the state (mostly eastern and southern counties) are dry, all alcohol sale and possession prohibited; 22 "moist" counties (with "wet" cities allowing package liquor sales in counties otherwise dry); 29 counties that are otherwise dry but have communities with local option that allow sales of liquor by the drink or under special exemptions allowing sales at wineries. Majority of wet counties are around major metropolitan areas (Louisville, Lexington, Covington, Bowling Green). Note: Beginning in 2013 Liquor by the drink and beer by the drink are available on Sundays in Louisville, KY beginning at 10:00 am. Bowling Green, KY recently began allowing Sunday sales in December 2013 for carry-out beer, wine, and liquor. Prohibition on liquor sales on Election Day was repealed effective June 24, 2013. Kentucky was one of only two states to still have Election Day prohibition, the other being South Carolina.

Louisiana
No
No state imposed restrictions on on-premises hours. "24 hour" bars are common in New Orleans and in Jefferson Parish. Some municipalities and parishes (including Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish) require on-premises service to stop at 2:00 am.
No statewide restrictions on hours of package sales.
Yes

Packaged alcoholic beverages of any strength may be sold in supermarkets, drug stores, gas stations, and convenience stores. Local municipalities may not restrict this. As a result, dedicated "liquor stores" are mostly specialty stores in larger cities, and some supermarkets have large selections of liquors and wines, and compete on the basis of liquor prices and selection.
Alcohol can be consumed in the streets of New Orleans as long as it is in an "unbreakable container" (no glass) and may be taken from club to club if both establishments allow it. Otherwise, it depends on the locality. Most parishes other than Orleans Parish do not permit alcoholic beverages served on premises to be carried out. However, many parishes and municipalities permit consumption of packaged beverages (for example, cans of beer) on the street. Glass bottles on the streets are prohibited. One can enter most bars at 18 years of age but must be 21 years old to purchase or consume alcohol. Also, it is legal in the state of Louisiana for a legal parent or guardian to purchase alcoholic beverages for their underaged child.
Drive-thru frozen daiquiri stands are legal and common, but the police can arrest you for driving with an open container, if you have put the straw in the cup [39]

Maine
No
Yes
6 a.m. to 1 a.m. (Mon–Sun)

Yes [40]
21
21
ABV > Alcohol may not be purchased after 1 a.m. any day of the week, may not be purchased prior to 6 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and not prior to 9 a.m. on Sunday. Bars and restaurants may serve until 1:15 a.m. On New Year's Day alcohol may be sold one hour later in all establishments. When St. Patrick's Day falls on a Sunday, bars and restaurants may serve alcohol starting at 6 a.m that day.[41] Wholesaling through state-licensed monopoly.[42] Municipalities may prohibit the sale of alcohol by referendum; 56 towns have done so.[43][44]

Maryland
Variable by locality
Variable by locality
Variable by locality
Variable by locality

Baltimore County prohibits the sale on Sunday in some areas.
In the counties of Montgomery, Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester sale of alcoholic beverages are controlled directly by the county Liquor Control Boards, there are exceptions in Montgomery where some liquors are still sold in grocery store due to being grandfathered before the change of the law.
Garrett County prohibits the sale on Sunday except in some areas.
The sale of alcohol at grocery and convenience stores varies by county.
There are no dry counties, but some individual voting districts within counties restrict or prohibit alcohol on a local-option basis.

Massachusetts
No
8:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. by state law, although individual cities and towns may prohibit sales before 11:00 a.m. and after 11:00 p.m.[45] Not before 11:00 a.m. on Sunday.[46]
8:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m., or 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. on the day before a holiday.[47] Not before 10:00 am on Sunday.
Yes.[48][49]
21
21
As of January 2016, no individual, partnership, or corporation may have more than seven off-premises licences in the state, nor more than two in any city, nor more than one in any town. No individual, partnership, or corporation not resident or headquartered in Massachusetts may apply for a license, although one may devolve thereupon.[47]
As of 2012-10-29, a Massachusetts driver's license, Massachusetts Liquor ID card, RMV-issued Massachusetts non-driver ID card, passport (issued by the US or a US-recognized foreign entity), US-issued Passport Card, and military identification card are the only acceptable proofs of age under state law. Out of state or Canadian driver's licenses/ ID's and other forms of identification do not grant the establishment legal protection if accepted as proof of age (and many establishments will not accept out of state licenses for this reason).[50]
On-premises regulations: No discounts at specific times (i.e. no "Happy Hour" discounts) or for specific individuals, no fixed-price open bar or all-you-can-drink (except at private functions), no more than two drinks per individual at any one time, no pitchers for fewer than two people, no drinking contests, no drinks as prizes, no free drinks.[51]
Off-premises sale of alcohol is prohibited on the last Monday in May (Memorial Day), Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and the day after Christmas if Christmas falls on a Sunday.[46]
Sale of alcohol is prohibited during polling hours on election days (subject to local exceptions).[46]
"Malt beverages" defined as having not more than 12% alcohol by weight.[52]

text: Michigan–New Mexico[edit]

text:
State
Alcoholic beverage control state
Alcohol sale hours
Grocery Store Sales
Age
Notes

Beer
Wine
Distilled spirits
On-premises
Off-premises
Beer
Wine
Distilled Spirits
Purchasing
Consumption

Michigan
No
Yes
7 a.m. – 2 a.m. (Mon.–Sat.)
noon-2 a.m. (Sunday)*sales may begin at 7 a.m. with special license extension

7 a.m.-2 a.m. (Mon-Sat)
noon-2 a.m. (Sunday)*sales may begin at 7 a.m. with special license extension ,[53]

Yes

The Michigan Liquor Control Commission allows the sale of alcoholic beverages until 11:59 p.m. on December 24 and after 12:00 p.m. on December 25. On-premises sales are permitted on January 1 until 4:00 a.m. Local or county ordinance may restrict Sunday or Sunday morning sales. State does not operate retail outlets; maintains a monopoly over wholesaling of distilled spirits only.[54]

Minnesota
No (but see note)
8 a.m. – 2 a.m. seven days
8:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. (Mon–Sat);
11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (Sun)[55]

3.2% Only
No

Local or County ordinance prevails for hours of operation for off-sale licenses. Growler sales allowed until 10 p.m. 7 days a week. Certain municipalities may establish municipal liquor stores; they are permitted, but not required, to exclude privately owned stores.[56] Off-premises sales on Sundays became legal on July 1, 2017.[55]

Mississippi
No
Yes
Local authorities fix hours of alcohol sale

Yes
No

ABW > 5% wine and sparkling wine sold in state-contracted stores which are open from 10:00 am until 10:00 pm (Closed Sundays) statewide. Beer and light wine (ABW < 5%, ABV < ~6.3%) sold in convenience stores/supermarkets. Beer and light wine (ABW < 5%) may be consumed by persons age 18-20 with parental supervision. Governor Phil Bryant signed a bill permitting beer with 8% ABW/10% ABV on April 9, 2012. The bill went into effect on July 1, 2012.[57]

No sales on Christmas Day. No state open container laws. Complimentary alcohol all day and night in coastal casinos.
In most counties, alcohol cannot be sold on Sundays. There are many dry counties in which it is illegal to possess alcoholic beverages, though some cities within dry counties have voted in beer sales.

Missouri
No
Most establishments:
(Mon–Sat) 6:00am–1:30am
(Sunday) 9:00am–12:00pm
Special licenses in Kansas City and St. Louis:
(Daily) 6:00am–3:00am

(Mon–Sat) 6:00am–1:30am
(Sunday) 9:00am–12:00am
Sales permitted until 3:00 am in those Kansas City and St. Louis bars grandfathered into the ability to double as liquor stores.

Yes

One of the most alcohol-permissive states, perhaps only behind Nevada and Louisiana:

No open container law.[58]
No state public intoxication law.
Liquor control law[59] covers all beverages containing more than 0.5% alcohol, without further particularities based on percentage.[60]
Cities and counties are prohibited from banning off-premises alcohol sales.[61]
No dry jurisdictions.
State preemption of local alcohol laws which do not follow state law.
Certain bars in Kansas City and St. Louis grandfathered into the ability to double as liquor stores.
Special licenses available for bars and nightclubs which allow selling alcohol until 3:00am in Kansas City,[62] Jackson County,[63] North Kansas City,[63] St. Louis,[64] and St. Louis County.[65]
Grocery stores, drug stores, and even gas stations may sell liquor without limitation other than hours.[66]
Patrons allowed to take open containers out of bars in Kansas City's Power & Light District.[67]
Parents and guardians may furnish alcohol to their children.[68]
Missourians over 21 may manufacture up to 100 gallons of any liquor per year for personal use, without any further state limitation, state taxation, or state license.[69] (Obtaining a permit from the Federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and meeting other requirements under federal law probably still is required for private citizens to manufacture distilled alcohol - but not wine or beer - for personal use.[70][71][72][73][74])

Missouri law recognizes two types of alcoholic beverage: liquor, which is any beverage containing more than 0.5% alcohol except "non-intoxicating beer"; and "non-intoxicating beer,"[75] which is beer containing between 0.5% and 3.2% alcohol. Liquor laws[76] apply to all liquor, and special laws apply to "non-intoxicating beer."[75]

Montana
No
Yes
Closing 2am

Yes
No

ABV > 16% wine sold in state-contracted stores, ABV < 16% may be sold in grocery stores.

Nebraska
No
6 a.m. – 1 a.m. Legislation passed in 2010 allows for municipalities to extend on-premises sales to 2 a.m. with two-thirds approval of city or county councils.[77]
Yes

No on- or off-premises sales of spirits before noon on Sundays. All beer, wine, and champagne can be sold starting at 6 a.m.

Nevada
No
24 hours
Yes

There are few restrictions on the sale and consumption of alcohol in Nevada except for age. The maximum abv of alcohol sold is 80%.[78]
State law also renders public intoxication legal, and explicitly prohibits any local or state law from making it a public offence.[79] Alcohol purchase is only controlled in Panaca.[80]

New Hampshire
No
Yes
6 a.m. – 1 a.m.
6 a.m. – 11:45 p.m.
Yes
No

Liquor sold in state-run stores, many found at highway rest areas.
14% ABV cap on beer. State is wholesaler of wine. State taxes beer $0.30/gal at the wholesale level.

New Jersey
No
Each municipality can control hours by local ordinance. Most municipalities have a last call of 2 or 3 a.m. Atlantic City, Brigantine, Absecon, Elwood, Pomona, Smithville, Galloway, and Mullica (All in Atlantic County) serve 24 hours. There are some dry towns in the southern part of the state, including Ocean City.
9 a.m.-10 p.m. for liquor. Beer and wine can be sold at any time on-premise sales are permitted in that municipality. This causes most liquor stores to close at 10 PM, however some will stay open an hour later selling only beer and wine. Cities of the first class (e.g. Jersey City and Newark) are exempt from this law and may set their own hours for liquor sales.[81]
Rarely
21
21 (unless provided by parent or guardian in private)
Some dry communities in historically Methodist and Quaker communities in the southern part of the state.
Though there is not a ban on selling alcoholic beverages at grocery stores, New Jersey limits each chain to two licenses, so with only a few exceptions, most supermarkets/convenience stores/gas stations/pharmacies do not sell alcoholic beverages. In addition, liquor sales are only permitted in a separate department or attached sister store.
Bars are allowed to off-sale packaged goods.
With the exception of Jersey City and Newark, all municipalities MUST allow off-sales of beer and wine at any time on-sales are permitted. However, since alcoholic beverages are generally only found in package stores, this right is rarely exercised.
Alcoholic beverages by the drink as well as off-sales of beer and wine are permitted 24 hours a day in Atlantic City and Brigantine.

New Mexico
No
7 a.m. – 2 a.m., except Sundays, for establishments with full dispenser license.[82]
7 a.m. – 11 p.m., except Sundays, for restaurants with beer and wine license.

7 a.m. – midnight except Sundays[83]
Yes

New Mexico issues two types of license for consumption on-premises: a full dispenser license allowing sale of all types of alcohol, or a restaurant license permitting sale of beer and wine only. An additional Sunday permit is available which allows sale (on or off premises) on Sundays from noon until midnight. Exceptions are the prohibition of alcohol sale on Christmas, regardless of the day it falls on,[84] and a Sunday permit allowing of sale (on or off premises) until 2:00 a.m. January 1, if December 31 falls on a Sunday.[85] Sunday permits are only available where approved by voters within a local option district.[86] Selling, serving and giving alcohol to a minor is a class 4 felony punishable by up to 18 months in prison,[87] except when "a parent, legal guardian or adult spouse of a minor serves alcoholic beverages to that minor on real property, other than licensed premises, under the control of the parent, legal guardian or adult spouse",[88] or for religious purposes.

text: New York–South Dakota[edit]

text:
State
Alcoholic beverage control state
Alcohol sale hours
Grocery Store Sales
Age
Notes

Beer
Wine
Distilled spirits
On-premises
Off-premises
Beer
Wine
Distilled Spirits
Purchasing
Consumption

New York
No
8 a.m. – 4 a.m. (Mon – Sat)
Noon – 4 a.m. (Sun)
Some counties have more restrictive hours.
Beer: 24 hours
Wine & spirits: 8 a.m. – midnight (Mon–Sat)
Noon – 9 p.m. (Sun).
Yes
No
21

Off-premises sale of wine and spirits is only at liquor stores, and beer is not sold at liquor stores; it must be sold at supermarkets and convenience stores. Exchanges for returned items are permitted (at store owners' discretion).[89]
Some counties may retain the Sunday morning beer prohibition which the state discontinued as of July 30, 2006. Twelve dry towns, mostly in western region of state. Many counties have more restrictive off-premises hours, such as bans on beer sales overnight (hours vary). All liquor stores must be owned by a single owner, who owns that store and lives within a certain distance of it—effectively banning chain liquor stores from the state. New York City law does not allow open containers of alcohol in public.

North Carolina
No
Yes
7 a.m. – 2 a.m. (Mon – Sat)
10 a.m. – 2 a.m. (Sun)
Beer and wine: 7 a.m. – 2 a.m. (Mon – Sat)
10 a.m. – 2 a.m. (Sun)
Liquor: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. (Mon – Sat)
Yes
No
21

15% ABV cap on beer, 16% cap on unfortified wine, 24% cap on fortified wine.[90]
No "happy hour," "buy one get one free," or "ladies night" style specials allowed.[91]

North Dakota
No
8 a.m. – 2 a.m. (Mon – Sat)
Noon – 2 a.m. (Sun)
8 a.m. – 2 a.m. (Mon – Sat)
Noon – 2 a.m. (Sun)
No
21

No off-sale on Thanksgiving Day. No Christmas Day on-sale, nor sales on Christmas Eve after 6 p.m.

Ohio
No
Yes
5:30 a.m. – 2:30 a.m.
5:30 a.m. – 1 a.m.
Yes, under 21% ABV
21
21 or older, unrestricted under supervision of individual's parent or legal guardian or legal age spouse[92]
12% ABV cap on beer was removed on May 31, 2016.[93] 21% ABV cap on wine.
Some counties have more restrictive off-premises hours.
The Division of Liquor Control does not operate retail outlets; it appoints private businesses to act as its agents and sell its products in exchange for a commission. Normal proof spirits (>21% ABV) are sold only in a limited number of agent stores. Many retail outlets sell diluted spirits (diluted by water to 21% ABV) under a more readily obtained permit.
No intoxicating liquor shall be handled by any person under twenty-one years of age, except that a person eighteen years of age or older employed by a permit holder may handle or sell beer or intoxicating liquor in sealed containers in connection with wholesale or retail sales, and any person nineteen years of age or older employed by a permit holder may handle intoxicating liquor in open containers when acting in the capacity of a server in a hotel, restaurant, club, or night club. .[94]
Beverages with less than 0.5% ABV can be sold/given to people under the age of eighteen if given by a physician in the regular line of his practice or given for established religious purposes, or the underage person is accompanied by a parent, spouse who is not an underage person, or legal guardian.[95]

Oklahoma
No
6 a.m. – 2 a.m.
10 a.m. – 9 p.m. (Mon – Sat)
3.2% only
No
21

4.0% ABV/3.2 ABW or higher only sold at room temperature in liquor stores, Liquor Stores closed on Sundays and some holidays. As of 2007, liquor stores are now open on election days. State law prohibits public intoxication, many counties and cities also prohibit public intoxication.

Oregon
No
Yes
7 a.m. – 2:30 a.m.
7 a.m. – 2:30 a.m.[96]
Yes
No
21

Liquor, all of which is state-owned prior to sale to consumers, is sold in private liquor stores. These stores are approved by Oregon's Liquor Commissioners to act as sales agents on the state's behalf.[97]

Pennsylvania
No
Yes
Restaurants, and bars: 7 a.m. – 2 a.m. (Mon – Sat)
11 a.m. - 2 a.m. (Sun)[98]
Clubs: 7 a.m. – 3 a.m.[99]
Beverage Centers and State Run Stores:
9 a.m. – 10 p.m. (Mon – Sat)
Noon – 5 p.m . (Sun)[100]
Grocery Stores:
7 a.m. - 10 p.m. (Mon -
Sat)
9 a.m. - 10pm
(Sun)

Yes*
No
21

Spirits can only be sold at state-operated stores. All persons must be at least 21 years of age to enter a state-operated liquor store alone. Beer is not sold at state-operated liquor stores.
Beer (but not wine) to go can be purchased at beverage outlets in any quantity. Prior to 2015 beverage centers could only sell 24 pack cases or greater. The rules were relaxed to permit sales of beer in any quantity in 2016.
*Beer and wine to go can be purchased in restaurants and grocery stores (at a separate point of purchase for alcohol and prepared foods sales in grocery stores) (six and 12 packs/192oz max. purchase (two six packs)) with Liquor Control Board–issued licenses
Sunday sales were prohibited in LCB stores until 2003 (selected locations) and beverage outlets (owner's option) until 2005.
Special permits may be purchased for certain organizations for fundraisers once per calendar year, and are valid for a total of six days under the same rules governing restaurants.[101] Grain alcohol prohibited as a beverage.

Rhode Island
No
9 am – 1 a.m. (Mon – Sat)
Noon – 1 a.m. (Sun)
9 a.m. – 10 p.m. (Mon – Sat)
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Sun)[102]
No
21
21
All alcohol may be sold only in liquor stores.
Bars may stay open until 2 a.m. in Providence only on Friday and Saturday nights and nights before a state-recognized holiday.

South Carolina
No
Yes
Liquor: 10 AM - 2 AM. Beer and Wine: Local Option.
Beer and low-alcohol wine: 24 hours
Liquor: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. (Mon – Sat.)
Yes
No
21

14% ABW (17.5% ABV) cap on beer
Wine > 16% ABV sold in liquor stores
No hard liquor sales after 7 p.m. and none on Sundays.
No off-premises alcohol sales after midnight Saturday until 7 a.m. Monday, except in Aiken, Greenville, Pendleton, Spartanburg, Horry County, Colleton County, Richland County, Charleston County/city, Beaufort County, York County,[103] and Newberry County.[104]

South Dakota
No

Yes
21

14% ABV cap on beer

text: Tennessee–Wyoming, Puerto Rico[edit]

text:
State
Alcoholic beverage control state
Alcohol sale hours
Grocery Stores
Age
Notes

Beer
Wine
Distilled spirits
On-premises
Off-premises
Wine
Beer
Distilled Spirits
Purchasing
Consumption

Tennessee
No
Mon-Sat: 8 a.m. to 3 a.m.; Sun: Noon to 3 a.m. Hours of alcohol sale can be modified by local jurisdictions if approved by the alcohol control commission.
Beer: By municipality.
Wine & Spirits: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Mon–Sat[105]
Yes
No
21

Wine may be sold in grocery stores. Sales of wine and liquor are limited to on-premises in restaurants on Sundays. Retail stores must be closed for business on Christmas, Thanksgiving Day, Labor Day, New Year's Day, and the Fourth of July. Beer above 8% ABW /10.1% ABV must be sold in liquor stores. Open container law only applies to drivers, not passengers.[106]

Texas
No
Monday-Friday: 7am-midnight
Saturday: 7am-1am
Sunday: Noon to 12 midnight.
Some cities/counties permit sale until 2am (with license).
Beer/Non-hard liquor:
7 a.m. to midnight (Mon.-Fri.)
7 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. (Sat.)
Noon to midnight (Sun.)
Hard Liquor:
10 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Mon.-Sat.)
Yes
No
21

No alcohol cap but ABV > 15.5% requires additional license, so many places are beer/wine only.
Wet/dry issues determined by city/county election.
Liquor stores statewide closed all day Sunday.
An alcoholic beverage served (on-premises) to a customer between 10 a.m. and noon on Sunday may only be provided during the service of food to the customer. Eleven Texas counties are completely dry.[107] In many counties, public intoxication laws are vigorously upheld.[108] Texas law permits consumption by minors (any age under 21) if in the "visible presence" of a parent, guardian or adult spouse. (Section 106.04) Possession by minors is permitted as part of employment or education, or in the visible presence of an adult parent, guardian or spouse, or supervision of a commissioned peace officer. (Section 106.05) There are also exemptions for minors requesting or receiving medical attention.

Utah
Yes
Restaurants: Noon to midnight for liquor, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. for beer. Bars may serve liquor from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Varies by state liquor store hours

3.2 only
No
21

ABV > 4.0+% sold in state-controlled stores only. 3.2% ABW (4.0% ABV) beer may be sold at grocery stores and convenience stores. State-controlled stores close on Sundays and cease operations no later than 10 p.m. the rest of the week. Restaurants must buy from the state-controlled store (no delivery) at retail prices. No alcohol is served in restaurants without purchase of food. Sales of kegs prohibited. Importation of alcohol into the state by private individuals generally prohibited.

Vermont
No
Yes
8 a.m. – 2 a.m.
6 a.m. – midnight

Yes
No
21

ABV > 16% beer and ABV > 16% wine are only available through state liquor stores (most of which are integrated within grocery and beverage stores[109]). A 2008 bill allows the sale of beer in grocery and convenience stores up to ABV 16%.

Virginia
No
Yes
6 a.m. – 2 a.m. No restrictions at any time for club licensees.
6 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. except local blue law.

Yes
No
21

Licensed supermarkets, convenience stores, and gas stations may sell beer and wine. Off-premises sales no later than 12 midnight. Liquor stores are owned and operated by the Commonwealth and are generally open 10am-9pm Monday-Saturday and from 12pm-6pm on Sunday.

Washington
No
6 a.m. – 2 a.m. (A local government subdivision may establish later opening hours or earlier closing hours.)
Yes
21

Beer and wine are available in specialty stores, grocery stores, convenience stores, department stores, taverns, and other locations licensed by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. Spirits are available in stores greater than 10,000 sq ft (grocery stores, big box liquor chains). There are two exceptions to the 10,000-sq-ft rule: 1) Former State and Contract Liquor Stores that reopened under private ownership may also sell spirits provided they have been issued a new license from the state. 2) Cities, mostly in rural areas, that do not have a store that meets the minimum floor space may be allowed to sell spirits if the Liquor Control Board deems that there are no sufficient establishments within the trade area.

West Virginia
No
Yes
Beer/Wine: Mon-Sat:7 am-2 am, Sun:1 pm-2 am
Liquor: Mon-Sat:8 am-Midnight, Sun: Prohibited

Mon-Fri:7 am-3:30 am, Sat: 7A-3:00A, Sun:1 pm-3 am

Yes
21

12% ABV Cap on Beer. 75% ABV spirits Permitted. Liquor, wine and beer products that are not already in closed packaging must be bagged before exiting retail locations. State no longer operates retail stores (formerly State ABC Stores); Number of privately owned stores restricted according to county or city population. All stores are state contracted; Bars and clubs must purchase liquor from state contracted private stores in person. State retains monopoly over wholesaling of distilled spirits only.

Wisconsin
No
6 a.m. – 2 a.m. Sunday–Thursday, 2:30 a.m. Friday–Saturday, no closing time on New Year's Day.
6 a.m. – midnight for beer (some counties and municipalities only allow sales until 9 p.m. for beer), 6 a.m. – 9 p.m. for liquor and wine

By local ordinance
21

Wisconsin permits the consumption of alcohol by minors, provided they are being supervised by parents/guardians/spouses. Most municipalities have a uniform 9 p.m. restriction on all alcohol sales. Notable exceptions: Kenosha, Green Bay, La Crosse, Maple Bluff (near Madison), Baraboo (near the Dells). Supermarkets, liquor stores, and gas stations may sell liquor, wine, and beer. Law changed effective 12/7/2011 to allow all liquor sales to begin at 6 a.m.
Nonalcoholic beer is not regulated by state law.

Wyoming
No
Yes
6.00 a.m. – 2.00 a.m.

No
21

Clubs holding liquor licenses may be exempt from the hours of operation here specified by local ordinance or regulation of the appropriate licensing authority, but it does not seem to happen in practice

Puerto Rico
No
No territory-wide mandated last call
No territory-wide mandated hours of operation for liquor stores, but sales prohibited on Election Day and during hurricane emergencies; some municipalities prohibit sales after midnight weekdays or 2:00 weekends.

Beer, wine and spirits available for sale in supermarkets, convenience stores and drug stores as well as liquor stores.
18

Minimum drinking age is 18.

Drinking on the street is illegal in San Juan (except in designated areas during selected street festivals) but not in all cities.