I definitely want to get in on this action. Back in the early 1900s, locals in Canada’s Yukon Territory placed bets on the exact moment when the river ice would melt. The stakes started as a round of drinks for the winner. Last year, the winner took home about $318,500. They use a specially constructed wooden contraption to determine ice breakage. When it moves a certain distance down the river, the clock stops.

Follow the headline link for all the details. Here’s a time-lapse of this year’s thaw, just to give you a sense of the process.