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Story: Gambling

Skittle balls

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Skittle balls

These two wooden skittle balls were used around 1870 in the skittle alley in Russell, in the Bay of Islands. The game was a forerunner to tenpin bowling. Nine skittles were used and balls were 20 centimetres in diameter. Players and spectators would bet on a game's outcome.

Using this item

Russell Museum

Reference: HFC21

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How to cite this page

David Grant, Gambling – Cards and games, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/object/39426/skittle-balls (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by David Grant, published 3 December 2012.