The Palace is the new casino on San Pedro Ambergris Caye, and it is open six days a week. It is closed on Wednesdays and this might be because the country’s most famous gambling opportunity takes place that day on the San Pedro beach in front of the Pier Lounge bar at the Spindrift Hotel in the village of San Pedro Belize.

San Pedro Belize

Since 1988, supposedly, this popular watering hole has been the host to one of the strangest events Caribbean tourists might ever get the chance to participate in. It is called the Chicken Drop, and if things go well, you can turn on dollar into a hundred in just a few minutes. It is probably not a coincidence that the event takes place right after the popular 4 to 6 Happy Hour at the bar. After all, many things that sounds stupid before your first drink sound like a damn fine idea after two hours of discounted booze. And the San Pedro Chicken Drop is definitely one of those things.

Here is how it works: During the Happy Hour, bar patrons and other passers-by buy a number between 1 and 100, corresponding to a square on a 10 by 10 grid inside a net out on the beach. After all the squares are spoken for, the staffs bring out a basket with a couple chickens inside. A lucky gambler has the honors of tossing one of the chickens onto the board, but not before they are encouraged to shake it three times and they blow in its ass. The blowing party is supposed to be like blowing on dice to make them lucky, but it may actually help speed up the proceedings.

Belize Hotels

The chicken is then dropped onto the board and will mostly appear to be stunned for a short period of time; perhaps unaware that its next bowel movement will likely determine who is buying the next round of drinks, at least for that person’s friends. It takes however long it takes, but if the chicken seems constipated at all, another chicken is tossed in beside it to help motivate the first one, somehow. The crowd roars, each hoping the chicken will eject its waste on their numbered square. Then it happens and 99 hearts and broken while 1 person is suddenly the belle of the ball. And what is the reward of the lucky one? First, he gets to clean up the chicken poop while his photo is taken, and then you get the whole $100 pot to do with what you please.

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You would probably have to go all the way to Royal Ascot outside of London or the Longchamps racecourse outside of Paris to find a gambling event with more class than the Wednesday night Chicken Drop in San Pedro, but you will have a hell of a time finding $2 bottles of Belikin Beer at either of those places, so this is still probably a better way to spend an hour or two.