PLACE YOUR BETS

Here’s what your 2Up pub suburb of choice says about you

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s almost time to be hitting those ATMs and exchanging your hard earned cash for small notes that you’re almost certain to lose in less than 48 hours. That’s right, ANZAC Day is approaching and it’s time we weighed in with our own two cents.

Whether you’re a first timer or 2Up veteran, every Sydneysider knows that after the dawn service on Friday morning, the next most Australian thing to do is get on the piss and gamble your money away. And as it turns out, almost every pub in town is here for it.

Now, with less than two days before the festivities kick off, it’s time to rally the group chat and finally plan where you’re going (if you haven’t done so already). Because the bets might be 50/50, but you can be 100% guaranteed that every good place in Sydney will be packed to the rafters come 11.30am.

Our second piece of advice? Once you’re locked in somewhere, don’t move. Honestly, this might as well be NYE for punters, so leave one venue for another and you risk being locked out for the rest of the day. Oh, and thirdly? don’t be a sore loser. It’s never a good look.

Let’s be real, every man and their dog have rounded up the best places to go in Sydney on ANZAC Day, and we’re not here to waste time feeding you the same information. What we will give you, however, is a suburb-by-suburb vibe check of each key area of Sydney: what to expect, how busy they get, and our top picks for each. The choice is yours, friend.

Eastern Suburbs

Vibe:

We’re lumping Surry Hills and Paddington in this one too, because let’s be real, the vibes are basically the same across the board. Any seasoned 2Upper will tell you that the East goes off religiously. Expect long lines from 11am, people asking what school you went to (you graduated eight years ago), and yuppies betting money that’s definitely not their own. Head further into the East and expect the crowds to kick on post ANZAC Day festivities and into the evening (whether that be a deterrent or incentive).

Crowds:

BUSY. No, but seriously, I had to climb a fence to get into The Royal Paddington once. Most places hit full capacity before 12pm.

Best Venues:

We’ve got to give it to the East, most venues are almost guaranteed to be good. The Cloey goes OFF, but honourable mentions also go to:

• The Royal Paddington, Paddington
• The Golden Sheaf, Double Bay
• The Clock, Surry Hills
• Woollahra Hotel, Woollahra
• Watson’s Bay Boutique Hotel, Watson’s Bay
• The Light Brigade, Paddington
• The Dolphin, Surry Hills
• Beach Road Hotel, Bondi
• Keg & Brew, Surry Hills

CBD

Vibe:

If you’re a traditionalist at heart, pubs around The Rocks are typically the choice of puritans, old people and actual war heroes. Most of the pubs are some of the oldest in Australia, so there’s that, too.

Crowds:

Busy, but still manageable. Most will allow entry throughout the day, excluding the Glenmore, which tends to attract a younger and bigger crowd.

Best Venues:

• Glenmore Hotel, The Rocks
• The Australian, The Rocks
• The Mercantile, The Rocks
• Fortune of War, The Rocks
• Literally any pub in The Rocks.

Northern Beaches

Vibe:

It’s wishful thinking to expect anyone from the Northern Beaches to cross the Spit Bridge on ANZAC Day. And honestly, when they’re hosting the self-proclaimed biggest 2Up game in the Southern Hemisphere at Harbord Diggers, you can understand why.

Crowd:

Highlight venues get packed and busy early. You have to pick your venue more carefully, but those that go off, go off.

Best Venues:

• Harbord Diggers, Freshwater
• Harbord Hotel, Freshwater
• The Mona, Mona Vale
• Hotel Steyne, Manly
• Felons, Manly

North Shore

Vibe:

Do I live here? Yes. Would I recommend going here for 2Up? Not unless you’re over 50, have a crippling gambling addiction and/or terrible taste in music. But not going to lie, in another way, all of the venues are lowkey iconic. You can also be sure to get a mixed bag of people, which is always kind of fun.

Crowd:

Don’t be fooled into a false sense of security, most places on the North Shore will still be packed and pumping. Especially the Greenwood Hotel and Crowie, who are likely to attract anyone within a 10km radius under the age of 20 years old.

Best Venues:

• Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney
• Minsky’s, Mosman
• The Crowie, Crows Nest
• Greengate Hotel, Gordon

Inner West

Vibe:

A place where progressives and lefties forget the ethics of gambling and war for a second and also take part in the ANZAC Day fun. Lol, I’m only joking. But seriously, the Inner West and its plethora of pubs honestly rivals the East – especially around Balmain.

Crowd:

I hate to sound like a broken record, but yes once again the Inner West gets packed. It’s a slightly more artsy and older crowd depending on where you go, but still a great vibe.

Best Venues:

• The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre, Marrickville
• The Sackville, Rozelle
• Public House, Petersham
• Vic On The Park, Marrickville
• Bank Hotel, Newtown

Western and Southern Sydney

Vibe:

Western and Southern Sydney on ANZAC Day is not to be played with. People take it seriously, and stakes are quite literally raised high. I’m not going even pretend to talk as if me and my $5 bets have ever stood a chance around here.

Crowd:

Like everywhere, it’s busy. Sadly that’s all we know on that.

Best Venues:

• Albion Hotel, Parramatta
• Castle Hill RSL, Castle Hill
• Log Cabin, Penrith
• Caringbah Hotel, Caringbah