who originally had the ring in the hobbit story
[This question refers to the major revisions made to the Gollum chapter, Riddles in the Dark, not to the multitude of minor changes made elsewhere.] In the original 1937 edition of The Hobbit Gollum was genuinely willing to bet his ring on the riddle game, the deal being that Bilbo would receive a present if he won. Gollum in fact was dismayed when he couldn't keep his promise because the ring was missing.