Standing
The Tab
Stars banked, and what is still owed. Only a person closes a bet — the Inspector never does.
Alex
1
stars banked
Sam
1
stars banked
Level on 1 each, with 11 still on the table.
House rules
The Ratings
Michelin's ratings are already a travel scale, so the size of the wager and the size of the trip are the same number.
Worth a stop
The house bet
Wherever we already are
Loser picks up dinner next time you are in the same city anyway. No flights, no scheduling — it settles when it settles.
Worth a detour
The domestic
Anywhere in America
Winner picks any starred table in the country and you both fly. Worth a weekend, not worth annual leave.
Worth a special journey
The passport
Anywhere on the map
Winner picks a table anywhere on earth and the loser books it. The tier that makes the map worth building.
5 live
The Guide
Every open bet, soonest to close first. Open one to read how it will be settled — and where a term was never agreed, the book says so rather than inventing certainty.
Next closes 15 December 20262 with terms still to agreeNothing checked yet · counted 27 Oct 2026
Does the new space-opera sequel out-gross the original at the US box office?
Closes 15 Dec 2026in 49 daysHow it settlesDomestic box office gross, final tally, for the sequel exceeds the original's domestic total.A two-star dinner, winner's pick1 more noteWeatherNot settleable as writtenDoes April see more rainy days downtown than March did?
Closes 1 May 2026How it settlesNo rule a stranger could check.Coffee for a weekReadSports2 terms to agreeDoes either of them break four hours at the fall marathon?
Closes 25 Oct 2026How it settlesOfficial chip time from the race results page, either runner, sub-4:00:00.Anywhere in America — proposed1 more noteKitchenOpen-endedDoes homemade bread stay a weekly habit for the next five years?
No closing dateHow it settlesA loaf gets baked at home in six of any seven consecutive days, checked yearly.A bag of good flour, every year it holds1 more noteGamesSettleableWho wins more trivia nights over three seasons at the regular bar?
First closes 1 Apr 2026How it settlesCount of nights won, most correct as posted on the bar's own scoreboard, each season. Whoever has more wins that season takes the checkpoint.Three checkpoints, one star to three1 more noteThe Bill · settled
- Who wins more trivia nights over three seasons at the regular bar?9 wins to 6, the tighter of the three seasons everyone expected.
- Does a vegetarian chili win the neighborhood cook-off two years running?Vegetarian chili took first again. Lunch happened the following week.