For some Canadians, cornhole is more than just a backyard game – it’s a competitive sport

It is Wednesday night at the Lion’s Gate banquet hall in Barrie, Ont., an hour north of Toronto. A Toronto Blue Jays playoff game is on the big screen, but Michael Ryan is focused on the task before him: getting a beanbag through the hole in a tilted board exactly 27 feet away.

He grips one of his Viper-brand beanbags, draws his arm back, plants his foot and throws, putting a slight spin on the bag to guide its trajectory. It lands on the board with a satisfying thump, slides forward and disappears – plop – through the hole. “Nice bag, Mike,” says a competitor.