Coin Person Side Toss Eslpod Money Heads Calls

In a "coin toss," a "coin" (a metal piece of money) is "tossed" (thrown gently) into the air so that it "flips" (changes between positions of which side is up) back down and lands with either "heads" (the side of the coin with an image of a famous person) or "tails" (the other side of the coin) showing. While the coin is in the air, one person "calls it" (says whether he or she believes heads or tails will be showing). The person who calls it correctly wins. If the person calls it incorrect, the other person wins.

Because a coin is equally likely to land as heads or tails, a coin toss is considered a "fair" (just; not favoring one person over another) way to make decisions when people disagree on two different "outcomes" (possible results). Many American sports, including football and volleyball, use a coin toss to decide which team will play at which end of the "field" (the flat area where a game is played) or which team gets the ball first. The "NFL" (National Football League) "mints" (creates or prints money) a special coin for each game, and those coins are later sold to "collectors" (people who like to gather objects for sentimental value or for profit).

Some parents and schools encourage children to "resolve disputes" (end arguments) by flipping a coin. On the playground, children often find it easier and faster to accept the results of an "arbitrary" (based on chance) coin toss and go on playing than to resolve a dispute through discussion.

Sometimes adults flip coins for unimportant decisions. For example, if two people share a meal at a restaurant and each offers to pay for the bill, they might flip a coin to determine who actually pays.