Nenana Ice Classic: Alaska's Frozen Jackpot

0:00Halfway through April, the ice on Alaska's Nanana River is still rock solid, holding up the massive jackpot for the famous Nanana Ice Classic. This guessing game, kicking off back in 1917 with railroad workers betting on the melt, has turned into the state's biggest tradition, drawing hundreds of thousands of players every year. Folks by $3 tickets from February 1 through April 5, scribbling down their best guests on the exact day and time the ice breaks. The pot swells with every entry, hitting over $200,000 last year, and the closest guesser takes home the lion's share. It's more than just fun. It's woven into Alaska's fabric as a non-profit that funnels cash back to local groups, keeping communities strong through the support of all those guesses. This winch has been brutal, clinging on with fresh snow and ice measuring 50 inches thick in spots. Officials say it could smash records if it last past May 20th. The latest ever in the classics 110-year run.

1:00Now you can even watch it live on their site, so the tensions building as we wait for that big crack could be any day, or way later. This has been Anchorage News Today, powered by AI, I'm Corey with the story.