Come in, spinner: Where to play Two-Up on the lower north shore this ANZAC Day.
Neutral Bay Plaza: Smoking ceremony to launch $2.749m Young Street rebuild this Friday.

How to play Two-Up: Your complete guide to ANZAC Day’s most Australian game.

Published On: April 22, 2026

Want to know how to play Two Up ahead of ANZAC Day? We’ve got you covered.

By ANNA USHER

Two-Up is the classic Australian gambling game played in pubs and clubs on ANZAC Day. It’s straightforward, lively, and once a year, perfectly legal.

Whether you’re joining a ring on Sydney’s lower north shore or playing for the first time anywhere in Australia, here’s everything you need to know to master Two-Up, including rules, lingo, history, and bets.

You must be over 18 to play. Most venues won’t allow children near the ring, and some local clubs strictly enforce this.

What is Two-Up?

Two-Up is a coin-tossing game where a spinner flips two pennies in the air and the crowd bets on how they land.

The game dates to the 1850s on the Australian goldfields. It was played by Australian Diggers in the trenches of the First World War and has been a fixture of ANZAC Day commemorations ever since.

Two-Up uses two pre-decimal Australian pennies, usually issued before 1939. Older pennies are heavier and larger, making them easier to spin and call.

Remember to bring cash. Two-Up is strictly a cash game. ATMs are overwhelmed on ANZAC Day, so come prepared.

How do you play Two-Up? The rules

The rules are simple. The spinner puts two pennies on a kip, tossing them at least two metres in the air. The coins must spin.
  • Two heads: the spinner wins and retains the kip.
  • Two tails: the spinner loses and passes the kip to the next player.
  • One head and one tail (“odds”): no result. The coins are tossed again.
The spinner continues tossing until throwing two tails, then the kip moves to the next player in the ring. Anyone can become a spinner.

How do you bet on Two-Up?

Side betting creates most of the excitement. To place a bet in Two-Up, you find another player around the ring willing to bet against you on either heads or tails, and you both agree on the stake before the spin.

Hold up your cash, call your preference (“Fifty on heads!”), and wait for a match. Some wave their notes overhead for heads; others tap cash behind them for tails.

The tails bettor holds both players’ cash until the toss is complete. The cash goes to the winning player based on the toss result.
The ring organiser, known as the boxer, takes a small commission from centre-bet winnings. No commission is taken on side bets.

You’ll need cash; Two-Up is played with notes, not cards or phones.

Most venues play Two Up following the ANZAC Day March, often from midday until sunset at 6pm.

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Two-Up lingo: The words you need to know

Half the fun is the language. Here are the terms you’ll hear in the ring:
  • Kip: the flat wooden paddle used to throw the coins.
  • Ringie (ringkeeper): the MC. Runs the ring, calls the game, keeps order. Doesn’t bet.
  • Boxer: the game manager. Holds the spinner’s centre bet, sets the odds, and takes commission on winning spins.
  • School: the crowd of players gathered around the ring.
  • Tailed ‘em: two tails. Spinner loses.
  • “Come in, spinner!” The ringie’s call to the spinner to toss. It also signals that side betting has closed.

The ring organiser, known as the boxer, takes a small commission from centre-bet winnings. No commission is taken on side bets.

Why is Two-Up only legal on ANZAC Day?

Two-Up was illegal in most of Australia for much of the twentieth century. Police turned a blind eye on ANZAC Day out of respect for returned diggers.
The tradition is now law. Under the NSW Gambling (Two-Up) Act 1998, Two-Up can be played in licensed venues on three days:
  • ANZAC Day (25 April)
  • Victory in the Pacific Day (15 August), Remembrance Day (11 November) after midday
ANZAC Day is by far the biggest. The only place in Australia where Two-Up is legal year-round is Broken Hill, which has a special NSW licence.

Why does Two-Up use old coins?

Pennies used in Two-Up must be pre-decimal, minted before 14 February 1966, when Australia switched to decimal currency.
Most rings use coins from before 1939.

There are two reasons: Pre-decimal pennies are heavier and larger, so they spin more reliably. Also, old pennies display the monarch’s head clearly on one side and dense text on the reverse, making the call easy to read.

Some rings use pennies specially marked with a white cross on tails, for even faster calls.

The Buena in Mosman’s hosts the lower north shore’s busiest Two Up ring.

Two-Up etiquette: A few things to know before you go

  • You must be over 18. Most venues won’t allow under-18s near the ring, and some clubs strictly enforce this.
  • Bring cash. Two-Up is strictly a cash game. ATMs are overwhelmed on ANZAC Day, so come prepared.
  • The coins must fly at least two metres into the air, clear the spinner’s head, and land within the ring without hitting a person, object, or ceiling. If they don’t, the toss is void, and the spinner goes again.
  • Only the spinner touches the coins. Others don’t handle the pennies.
  • The boxer and ringie have the final say on every call. No arguments.
  • Take it seriously. Two-Up is an important part of remembrance.
  • Pause before the ring opens.

Where can I play Two-Up on the lower north shore?

Mosman Collective has published a guide to all confirmed Two-Up venues on the lower north shore for ANZAC Day 2026, listing times, addresses, and program details.

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Come in, spinner: Where to play Two-Up on the lower north shore this ANZAC Day.
Neutral Bay Plaza: Smoking ceremony to launch $2.749m Young Street rebuild this Friday.

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