Jeff Nybo's interactive beer pong table a social media sensation - Action News
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Saskatoon

Jeff Nybo's interactive beer pong table a social media sensation

Not any old beer pong table. This one has flashing LED lights, a ball washer and a touch-sensitive tabletop that keeps score.

Saskatoon man shocked with campaign's success: 'It's crazy'

RAW: Inventor shows off interactive beer pong table

10 years ago
Duration 0:46
Saskatoon's Jeff Nybo has developed an interactive beer pong table. He explains the rules to the game

Winning a game of beer pong is satisfying forJeffNybo.

A sweeter victory, however, is discovering that your Kickstarter campaign to create an interactive beer pong table has surpassed your goal by $40,000 and millions of people have seen it in action on social media.

"Wow," the Saskatoon man said. "It's awesome. It's crazy."

The drinking game, in whichtwo people attempt to toss a ping pong ball into cups of beer, is played on a table. But Nybo's playing surface is far from the standard kitchen tabletop.

Jeff Nybo takes a shot on the interactive beer pong table he created. (Don Somers/CBC)
His custom-made tables, which he calls the BPT X5, feature flashing LED lights, a ball washer and a touch-sensitive tabletop that keeps score.

His idea has gone from a Saskatchewan basement to the Facebook feeds of people around the word. A video featuring his flashy invention was posted to the CBC News Facebook page and has been viewed over 18 million times.

Over 177,500 peoplehave liked the post so far. Even CBS affiliate WINK News, 'Southwest Florida's News Leader,' picked up the story.

Not bad for Nybo, who launched the campaign on April 10to see whether there was any interestin his idea.

"There's maybe more of a market for this than I thought," he said. That's an understatement.

He woke up this morning to 20 new emails and has received more than 100 inquiries from across Canada and the United States, where the game originates and is hugely popular on college campuses.

Nybo is offering kits or fully constructed tables. (Steve Pasqualotto/CBC)
"And there's actually been a lot of people who have emailedme just saying, 'Hey, if you need help, I'm so and so, from thiscompany and I might be able to help you out here.'"

Nybo is selling do-it-yourself kits right now, which retail anywhere from $85 to $400 US.A fully manufactured tablesellsfor $1,800.

Ten people have signed up to buy full tables so far and he has a number of kit requests.

Nyboisamazed by the success of his idea, but he's not surprised his product is connecting with so many people.

"Everyone has a fun time playing [beer pong]," he said."When you see it, it probablybrings back good memories, you know, it's always a good time."