Who goes first in Dreadful Circus?
Portal Games English rulebook

The player who most recently visited a circus starts as the first Seller.
Rule details
With five to eight players, the player seated directly across from the first Seller starts as the second Seller. With four players, there is no second Seller.
Sellers make offers, all bids are simultaneous, and the first Seller resolves their offer first. At the end of a round, Seller tokens pass left.
Source & edition
- Dreadful Circus: English rulebookPortal Games · Setup, steps 8–9; Gameplay · Checked 2026-09-23Printed page references: 2, 4
Image: © Portal Games · Portal Games
If your rules call for a random choice, use the player picker.
If there’s a tie
The rulebook doesn’t say. If you need a tie-break, pick a player at random.
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