Nenana Ice Classic Lottery Deadline Nears

The Nenana Ice Classic celebrates its 95th year and is still anyone’s guess as to when the ice will crack.

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By KTVA CBS 11
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Story Created: Apr 3, 2011 at 8:06 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Apr 3, 2011 at 8:53 PM AKDT

Time is running out to put down your guess in the Nenana Ice Classic.

The annual version of Alaska's lottery, the Ice Classic, is in its 95th year. It was started when a group of railroad employees placed bets on when the ice would go out on the Tanana River. Every year since, Alaskans have bought tickets to win jackpots that can top hundreds of thousands of dollars. The largest pay out was in 2000 at $350,000.

This year tickets are $2.50 a piece and the deadline is Tuesday, April 5th at midnight.

If you do take a guess...here's some information you may find useful:

According to the Nenana Ice Classic office, the ice is about 41 inches thick right now which is the thinnest its been since 2006.

Last year the ice was a full 9 inches thicker, and it went out on April 29th at 9:06 a.m.

But don't read too much into the numbers as locals say Mother Nature still rules this race for spring.

“There are people that do use computers and percentages and snowfall and all these different things that can be used to try and figure this out,” said Cherrie Forness, Manager of the Nenana Ice Classic, “But as far as I know, nobody's ever won that has come up with a scientific answer.”

 

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Clare Price said on Tuesday, Apr 12 at 4:27 AM

That class is in Pottstown,Pennsylvania

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Clare Price said on Tuesday, Apr 12 at 4:26 AM

My 7th grade science class is watching this and they each put down a guess as to when the tripod will fall. We are planning a party when it happens.

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