Betting on a record: Anzac Day marked with two-up games

Thousands of Sydney punters have flocked to what's been dubbed the biggest two-up game in the world.

A large crowd enjoy a two up game being played

A large crowd enjoy a two up game being played on ANZAC Day at The Australian Hotel in The Rocks in Sydney, Tuesday, April 25, 2017. Source: AAP

Thousands of keen punters have flocked to northern Sydney for what was claimed to be the biggest game of two-up in the world.

An atmosphere of mateship and commemoration filled the Harbord Diggers club at Freshwater as bets were placed in an Anzac Day tradition.

The game, which has its origins in the trenches of World War I and is only legal in pubs on Anzac Day, involves two coins being thrown into the air before players bet on whether they will land on two heads, two tails or one head and tail ("odds").

Watch: Two-up at the Harbord Diggers



Resident ringmaster Matty Vandenbergh has called the two-up games at Harbord Diggers for 19 years.

"It's been in my blood all my life," he said.

"My grandpa used to play illegally, he got arrested and then played in his cell."

Watch: PM Turnbull posts ANZAC Day message



As punters cheered in the background, general manager Dale Hunt said he was sure the venue hosted the biggest two-up game not just in the southern hemisphere, but in the world.

"It's absolutely the biggest in Australia and New Zealand and honestly, it's the biggest in the world because it isn't played much elsewhere," Mr Hunt said.

"We've got the biggest number of people playing at the same time, with anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 at one game."
Every year crowds enjoy lighthearted fun with mates and strangers, but Mr Hunt said the game had a deeper significance to him and the club.

"The reason two-up is so important is simply that when these young kids went to war they went away thinking they would get an adventure, but found themselves in blood and tears," he said.

"This game is for them."

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This was echoed by many of the punters placing their bets in the Diggers' car park which had been transformed into a giant two-up ring.

Josh Hilliard, whose mates were flashing notes in one hand and holding their drinks in another, said he wasn't a big better and was happy to let his friends "throw it around" a bit before he gave it a go.

Watch: Anzac Day messages from the frontline



"Two-up is important on a day like today," the 27-year-old told AAP.

"To have a sombre service in the morning where we are reminded of what people sacrificed and then to be able to enjoy what these people left us in the afternoon, it's important to do both."

ANZAC coverage: Honouring ANZAC diggers the only way Aussies know how

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Source: AAP



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