Punxsutawney Phil has spoken: six more weeks of winter are on the horizon. On Monday morning, the famed groundhog emerged from his tree stump on Gobbler’s Knob in rural Pennsylvania and, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, saw his shadow—a traditional signal that colder weather will linger before spring arrives. Phil’s forecast elicited a mix of cheers and boos from the bundled-up crowd, who braved the chilly conditions to witness the event. Handlers held signs reading “Brrrr! More Snow” and “Freezing Rain” to emphasize the prediction. Unlike in previous years, guests were not allowed on stage to photograph Phil after the announcement due to the bitter cold and concerns over keeping the groundhog exposed for too long. The tradition, which falls roughly halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, has roots in European agricultural practices but is widely regarded as folklore rather than science. Phil has predicted a longer winter in four of the past five years, and this year drew extra attention from gamblers on Polymarket, who collectively wagered more than $24,000 on the outcome.
The post Groundhog Day Gamblers Get Their Answer as Punxsutawney Phil Makes Prediction appeared first on The Daily Beast
