Ending Soon! Save 33% on All Access

Brain Break: How to Find and Play the Basketball Game Hidden in Facebook Messenger TGIF, ballers. This sporty brain-drain's a slam dunk when it comes to wasting time.

By Kim Lachance Shandrow

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Facebook | Entrepreneur

Related: How to Create a Facebook Messenger Chatbot For Free Without Coding

Heya, player. How about a quick pickup game of basketball at your desk? C'mon, it's Friday. It's not like you're really working anyway.

Big Brother Facebook knows all, and it knows this, too. Maybe that's why the social giant tucked a fun little basketball game into its mobile Messenger app late yesterday.

Layup for layup, this baby's a slam dunk when it comes to wasting time. Predictably, the emoji-loaded hidden gem is a mindless brain-drain minigame (but we're so not above playing it). Plus, it arrives just in time to feed March Madness mania.

Facebook screengrab
Image Credit: Lindsay Friedman

Finders keepers
To get in on the FB b-ball action, double-check that you have the latest version of the mobile version of Facebook Messenger. Then send one of your Facebook Messenger friends a basketball emoji from the Messenger conversation window. (Crucial tip: Select the basketball emoji from your phone's native keyboard.) Next, tap on the basketball emoji to initiate the game and you're good to go.



Let's play
To start playing, swipe up on the basketball at the bottom of the screen and try to put it in the hoop. Your goal: to score as much as possible, obviously. Watch out for that moving backboard -- and, checkmate, prepare to accomplish nothing but this junk the rest of the day.

Remember the last time Facebook tucked a fun Easter egg such as this into mobile Messenger? The simple chess game debuted on the sly late last year. To give it a spin, type @FBChess into your chat. Good luck, and happy Friday, slackers.
Kim Lachance Shandrow

Former West Coast Editor

Kim Lachance Shandrow is the former West Coast editor at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was a commerce columnist at Los Angeles CityBeat, a news producer at MSNBC and KNBC in Los Angeles and a frequent contributor to the Los Angeles Times. She has also written for Government Technology magazine, LA Yoga magazine, the Lowell Sun newspaper, HealthCentral.com, PsychCentral.com and the former U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. C. Everett Coop. Follow her on Twitter at @Lashandrow. You can also follow her on Facebook here

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Leadership

How to Break Free From the Cycle of Overthinking and Master Your Mind

Discover the true cost of negative thought loops — and practical strategies for nipping rumination in the bud.

Growing a Business

Want to Expand Your Market Overseas? Here's Everything You Need to Know About Global Logistics in 2024

With rising geopolitical tensions and changing market conditions it can be hard for businesses to navigate supply chain logistics even in a post-pandemic world. Here are three tips from the CEO of an international customs brokerage.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

Elvis Presley's Granddaughter Fights Graceland Foreclosure, Calls Paperwork 'Forgeries'

The 13.8-acre estate was scheduled to be sold in a public foreclosure auction on Thursday. Presley's granddaughter and heir, Riley Keough, is fighting to save Graceland in court.

Business News

Target Is Lowering Prices on Thousands of Items — Here's Where You Can Expect to Save

The news was announced ahead of Target's Q1 2024 earnings call, expected to occur Wednesday at 10 a.m. EST.

Business Culture

The Psychological Impact of Recognition on Employee Motivation and Engagement — 3 Key Insights for Leaders

By embedding strategic recognition into their core practices, companies can significantly elevate employee motivation, enhance productivity and cultivate a workplace culture that champions engagement and loyalty.