How many shots are in a bottle? A standard 750 ml bottle of liquor (a "fifth") holds about 17 shots at the U.S. standard pour of 1.5 oz. A 1 liter bottle holds about 22.5, and a 1.75 liter "handle" holds about 39. Change the pour size and the count changes with it.
Shot counts matter for party planning, but they matter for tracking too. At 80 proof, each 1.5 oz shot is one U.S. standard drink, so the number of shots in a bottle is also roughly the number of standard drinks inside it. This guide covers every common bottle size, different pour sizes, and how many mixed drinks you can expect from a handle.
How many shots are in a bottle of liquor?
The table below divides each bottle size by the pour size. A 1 oz pour is 29.57 ml, a 1.5 oz pour is 44.36 ml, and a 2 oz pour is 59.15 ml.
| Bottle | Volume | 1 oz shots | 1.5 oz shots | 2 oz shots |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miniature ("nip") | 50 ml | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.8 |
| Half pint | 200 ml | 6.8 | 4.5 | 3.4 |
| Pint | 375 ml | 12.7 | 8.5 | 6.3 |
| Fifth | 750 ml | 25.4 | 16.9 | 12.7 |
| Liter | 1,000 ml | 33.8 | 22.5 | 16.9 |
| Handle | 1,750 ml | 59.2 | 39.4 | 29.6 |
Bartenders usually round down (16 shots per fifth, 39 per handle) because some liquor is lost to spills and the last bit in the bottle.
How many shots are in a fifth?
A fifth is 750 ml, the most common liquor bottle in the U.S. The name comes from its old size of one fifth of a U.S. gallon. At 1.5 oz pours you get about 17 shots. At 1 oz you get about 25, and at 2 oz about 12 or 13.
How many shots are in a 1.75 liter bottle?
A 1.75 L handle holds about 39 shots at 1.5 oz, 59 at 1 oz, and about 29 or 30 at 2 oz. A handle holds 2.33 times as much as a fifth.
How many mixed drinks are in a 1.75 liter bottle?
The answer depends on how much liquor goes into each drink, not on the mixer:
- Highballs with 1.5 oz of liquor (rum and cola, vodka soda, gin and tonic): about 39 drinks per handle, or 17 per fifth.
- Stronger 2 oz pours: about 29 drinks per handle, or 12 per fifth.
- Cocktails with 2 oz of base spirit plus a liqueur (margaritas, Long Islands): fewer, and each drink contains more alcohol than a single shot.
Home pours are often larger than bar pours. In practice, a free-poured "single" is frequently 2 oz or more. If you are planning for a party, budget for 2 oz pours. If you are tracking your own drinking, measure at least once to see what your normal pour actually is.
For cocktails with several ingredients, see how to calculate the ABV of a cocktail.
How many standard drinks are in a bottle?
At 40% ABV (80 proof), a 1.5 oz shot contains about 14 grams of pure alcohol, which is exactly one U.S. standard drink. That makes the 1.5 oz column above a standard drink count for 80-proof liquor. Stronger bottles contain more.
| Bottle | 35% ABV (70 proof) | 40% ABV (80 proof) | 45% ABV (90 proof) | 50% ABV (100 proof) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 375 ml pint | 7.4 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 10.6 |
| 750 ml fifth | 14.8 | 16.9 | 19.0 | 21.1 |
| 1 liter | 19.7 | 22.5 | 25.4 | 28.2 |
| 1.75 liter handle | 34.5 | 39.4 | 44.4 | 49.3 |
Proof in the U.S. is simply twice the ABV, so 100 proof means 50% alcohol.
The formula
For any bottle or pour:
standard drinks = millilitres × ABV × 0.789 ÷ 14
The 0.789 converts millilitres of alcohol to grams, and 14 grams is one U.S. standard drink. For a 750 ml bottle at 40%: 750 × 0.40 × 0.789 ÷ 14 = 16.9 standard drinks.
If you would rather not do the math, the standard drink calculator accepts millilitres or ounces and any ABV. If you count in UK units, the alcohol units calculator uses the UK definition of 8 grams per unit.
Shot sizes are not the same everywhere
"A shot" has no single legal size in the U.S. Common pours include:
- 1 oz (29.6 ml): a "pony" or small shot, used by some bars.
- 1.25 oz (37 ml): common in some states and chains.
- 1.5 oz (44.4 ml): the usual U.S. reference and the size used in CDC and NIAAA standard drink examples.
- 2 oz (59 ml): a "double" at many bars, and a typical generous home pour.
Outside the U.S., measures differ again. UK pubs use 25 ml or 35 ml singles, and a 25 ml shot of 40% spirit is one UK unit. See how many units are in a bottle of whiskey or a bottle of vodka for UK unit counts.
Shot glasses also vary. Many decorative "shot" glasses hold 2 oz or more when filled to the rim. A jigger with marked lines is the easiest way to know what you are pouring.
Using shot counts to track drinking
A bottle-level number is useful for a quick reality check. Finishing a fifth of 80-proof liquor over a weekend is about 17 standard drinks. That is more than the weekly amount many people expect, and more than the U.S. *Dietary Guidelines* describe as moderate for one or two days.
A few practical habits make tracking easier:
- Measure your usual pour once. Use a jigger or kitchen measuring spoon (1.5 oz is 3 tablespoons) to see whether your "single" is really a double.
- Log the pour, not the glass. A mixed drink with 2 oz of vodka is 1.3 standard drinks regardless of how much soda is added.
- Note shared bottles. When a bottle is shared, log your own pours rather than estimating your share at the end.
Alcohol Tracker° lets you log a spirit pour by size and ABV and keeps a running total for the day and week. You can [see Alcohol Tracker° for iPhone and Apple Watch](/) if you want an easier way to keep that count.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many shots are in a 750ml bottle?
About 17 shots at 1.5 oz, 25 at 1 oz, and 12 or 13 at 2 oz. Bars typically plan for 16 per bottle to allow for spillage.
How many shots are in a pint of liquor?
A liquor "pint" is 375 ml, half of a fifth. It holds about 8.5 shots at 1.5 oz or about 12.7 at 1 oz.
How many shots are in a liter?
A 1 liter bottle holds about 22.5 shots at 1.5 oz, 33.8 at 1 oz, and about 17 at 2 oz.
Is one shot one standard drink?
A 1.5 oz shot of 40% (80 proof) liquor is one U.S. standard drink. A stronger spirit, such as 100 proof, or a larger pour contains more than one standard drink.
How many shots does it take to get drunk?
There is no reliable shot count. The effects depend on body size, sex, food, drinking speed, medications, and tolerance, and tolerance does not reduce impairment. Use standard drinks to track amounts, not to predict how impaired you will be, and never use a count to decide whether you can drive.
The quick answer
How many shots are in a bottle? A 750 ml fifth holds about 17 shots at 1.5 oz, a liter holds about 22.5, and a 1.75 L handle holds about 39. At 80 proof, each 1.5 oz shot is one U.S. standard drink, so those numbers double as standard drink counts. Measure your real pour size to keep the count accurate.
Sources: CDC standard drink sizes, NIAAA: What is a standard drink?, and U.S. standards of fill for distilled spirits (27 CFR 5.203).
Keep exploring
Use the calculator or continue with a related guide:
Put the guide into practice
Keep a clearer drink diary.
Track units, standard drinks, cost, calories, dry days and estimated BAC on iPhone and Apple Watch.
