There are not many animal fights that are object of betting and big markets that I can think of other than dog fights. Today the NYT features an article about a more than a 1,000 year-old tradition: Cricket Fighting.
A bit of History:
It first started within the walls of the palaces of the Tang Dynasty (sometime between 618 - 907) and later popularized. It was banned during the decade-long Cultural Revolution that ended in 1976 and now it is undergoing a revival by younger Chinese men that are eager to maintain ancient traditions.
Some numbers:
Last year more than $63 million was spent on crickets (!!!).
Connoisseurs claim they are able to distinguish up to 260 different kinds of crickets.
A diet like Michael Phelps's: ground shrimp, red beans, and goat liver. "The truly spoiled might enjoy the occasional herbal bath, and a maggot or two just before the big fight."
Curious world we live in.
Curious world we live in.
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