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Tickets for Nenana Ice Classic on sale in Alaska
Posted: Wednesday, February 09, 2011
FAIRBANKS — Tickets for Alaska’s richest guessing game are on sale as the Nenana Ice Classic marks its 95th year.
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports the event that began in 1917 when Alaska Railroad workers bet on when Tanana River ice would break in springtime has grown into Alaska’s version of the lottery.
Each year, thousands of people paying $2.50 per ticket to guess the exact time — to the minute — that a tripod set up on the Tanana River ice will move and stop a clock connected to it on shore.
More than $10 million has been paid since the Ice Classic started with more than 234,000 tickets sold last year. Organizers hope for at least a $300,000 jackpot this year.