Now that the Vancouver Winter Olympics are over, attention can turn to some other unique activities. How about this one: Alaskans have been betting on when the ice on the Tanana River in the town of Nenana will break each spring since 1917, placing their wagers in red cans in grocery stores, gas stations and other retailers around the state.
This lottery began in 1917 when a group of surveyors working for the Alaska Railroad whiled the time they spent waiting for the river to open and boats with supplies to reach them by forming a betting pool. Interest in the pool continued and spread through Alaska. This lottery has paid out nearly $10 million in prize money with the winning pool in recent years being near $300,000. The 2009 total reached $283,723.
In this Journey into Hidden America, we speak with Sherry Fourness about what they do there for fun, and how you can get involved in it – if betting on when the ice will break sounds like fun to you.
Recorded: February 9, 2010
At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=376
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