Most years the rivers in Alaska freeze over (hey - it's cold up there!) Including the Tanana river near Fairbanks. (The Tanana also flows past North Pole, but that's another story).
Every year - when the snow melts - Alaska becomes a raging mud-bath. Everything gets dirty. And the enterprising folks of Nenana (pop: 352) have set up the nearest thing to a state lottery Alaska has - the Nenana Ice Classic. A Tripod is anchored to the ice in the middle of the river and when the Tripod goes over a camera is triggered and the time is recorded. The nearest time/tickets win the money. Best months are March-April-May.

www.nenanaakiceclassic.com/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nenana,_Alaska

Google map: tinyurl.com/32258pd

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Despite the fact that gambling is very much illegal across the UAE, there are still opportunities for a little flutter now and again.

At the camel races, one of the country's most traditional events, it is possible to have a cheeky bet without the authorities finding out simply by wearing the right coloured clothing. If you head down to the front of the racetrack sporting a vivid red t-shirt (football tops won't do) then within a minute or two you should feel a tug on your arm by one of the local 'shirka' boys. They don't speak fantastic English but should be able to give you a brief run down of the odds. Choose your winning camel and give the boy your stake (not too obviously) and he'll scarper off.

If you lose you'll never see him again and it'll be like some bizarre dream, but win and he'll eventually come scampering back with your money (make sure you are still wearing the red t-shirt).

It is widely believed that the police know about this activity but keep quiet for their own gambling desires, but whatever the truth, it's one of the only ways to have a little bet while remaining out of trouble.

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It is a branch of the harbour in the city centre containing wonderful restaurants, a shopping centre, a convention centre, a glamorous casino, a maritime museum, an aquarium, chinese and japanese gardens, an IMAX cinema, and the Powerhouse Museum (a power station converted into a costume museum and other wonders).

via Monorail from the shopping district

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Good for the Vegas beginner. The rules are simple, just place your chips on your lucky number and hope for the best. You can also shorten the odds by betting on the ball landing on odd or even numbers or red or black.

Unlike poker or blackjack, it's pure chance, so the novice is as likely to win as a Vegas veteran.

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Gambling is off limits for under-21s, and there's a good chance you'll be asked for ID if you look under 30.

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Approaching one of the poker tables can be quite intimidating if you don't know the rules. However, nearly all the casinos offer free lessons for beginners - anything to start you losing your money.

Any of the big casinos

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