This post is brought to you by my huband…

Over the weekend we celebrated ANZAC day, ANZAC as in Australia New Zealand Army Corp, the day we celebrated veterans and their contribution. In Australia this means two-up! This is a game the “diggers” (read Soldiers) played. ANZAC day is the only day it is played (legally) in pubs and clubs throughout Australia, in part to mark a shared experience with Diggers through the ages. Both being Australia, my neighbor and I decided to to the the local RSL for our shared experience.

The game involves 2 coins and a spinner. The spinner is selected from the crowd, and puts the 2 coins of what looks like a wooden spoon and proceeds to “spin” aka toss the coins. The possible outcomes being: 2 heads, a head and a tail or 2 tails. This by itself would not be that interesting if it were not for the gambling on the outcome. So before the spin you pick an outcome, heads or tails then you look for someone, more than likely a complete stranger, to take the other side of the bet. There is not bookie involved, you simply shout out “10 heads”  and wait for someone who wants “10 Tails” to tap you on the shoulder and take the bet. Heads always holds the bet and then you wait for the spinner to do their part and based on the spin you either keep the cash or give it straight back to the other person!

I have to say the game in conjunction with the RSL having the cheapest beer in town made for a great afternoon! Notwithstanding that fact that this is tossing a coin, it is amazing how superstitious one gets, looking for streaks of the outcomes, changing the timing of placing the bet, changing the bet based on the spinner, right down to changing the person you gamble with based on the previous outcomes…..

So there you have it, gambling with complete strangers on the toss of a coin and cheap beer. Lest we forget…..