Traditional Scottish Highland Betting Games

Glasgow and Edinburgh are the two largest cities in Scotland. Today, they are littered with many casinos that attract thousands of people every year. But long before these cities were formally established in the 12th century, games of gambling were already existent in the Scottish Highlands. In fact, the nature parks that you are visiting or camping out in may have been a site that was once used by ancient Scots to play traditional Celtic gambling games. The Scots' love for entertainment are matched by their love, concern, and preservation of nature. Thus, these games are preserved until the present.

But unlike traditional gambling games where people just sit around the table, Scottish Highland games are very physical. These forms of betting and entertainment allowed men to demonstrate their physical prowess in order to impress women and to improve their strength in battle.

"Tossing the Caber" is one such game. The competitor balances a huge pine log in his hands then tosses it so it will turn end-over-end through the air. The man who throws the caber farthest wins a large amount of cash and admiration. Another favourite Celtic game is called "Stone Put". Here, the competitors throw a large, weighty stone on a field and whoever throws the farthest wins. To make it even more challenging, some brave man may actually volunteer to stand in the way of the stone's arc. Thus, the competitor must be strong enough to throw the stone over the man's shoulder without hitting him! It is not just a gamble for money but also for life! Finally, there are other gambling games of strength such as the "Hammer Throw", which is similar to that in the Olympics.