As the world waited with bated breath to see whether Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning, an occurrence that will singlehandedly determine whether we’ll have an early spring or six more weeks of winter, sports fans had more pressing concerns — whether the famous groundhog’s prediction will land them a whole lot of cash.
On Friday, Punxsutawney Phil, a groundhog, will announce his weather forecast.
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 1, 2024
If he sees his shadow, expect a winter blast. If he doesn’t, get ready for spring — fast. Since 1887, Phil was accurate about 40 percent of the time. https://t.co/IeD4YEEcM8
With today’s ceremony, several sports bettors have decided to make the repetitive holiday a little more interesting, putting money on the results of the holiday. As of January 26, Sportsbook Review had the odds of seeing a shadow at +225 (-350) and the odds of six more weeks of winter at -190 (+140), making the former a bigger risk … and a great way to nab some extra dough.
But the reason behind these odds aren’t just old wives' tales. Groundhog Day betting, much like any type of sports betting, comes down to a whole mishegoss of numbers, namely, just how often Punxsutawney’s finest has predicted each outcome.
Tomorrow is Groundhog Day.
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) February 1, 2024
As tradition goes, Punxsutawney Phil will predict six more weeks of winter if he sees his shadow. pic.twitter.com/toCtd8L3p0
Though some results have been lost to time, our favorite groundhog tends to be much like his namesake movie, seeing his shadow 85% of the time, per the Washington Post. But we can only hope that maybe this year will be different … both for our sake and for those betting on it.
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