Who remembers the game of Jai Alai?

H

helenbacque

Senior Member
Location
Central Florida
It was popular in Florida in the 70s but has virtually disappeared now. Did you ever see a game? Was the attraction the sport or the pari-mutuel betting?
 

Yeah. Lived in a San Diego suburb while in 9th grade during the surfing craze era. Father had a life long gambling addiction. So one night took a couple of we kids down to Tijuana where customers could bet and watched games. Very fast and skilled. I was also a not quite competition level table tennis player with a wicked forehand looping spin drive but like Jai Alai that requires excellent eyesight because it is so fast and my eyes I used for so much close up work at distance at 70/20 are somewhat weak.
 
Jai Alai action was shown during the opening footage of the 1980’s series Miami Vice, with a storyline involving it in the episode Killshot..and I miss these fashion police, with Sonny Crockett wearing an Armani suit and driving a Ferrari Testarosa… 😻

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We had a couple of frontons here in Orlando. We'd go because it was free to get in and you could make 50 cent bets. And the food was good.

I never understood the action and it was complicated to bet as the teams would change constantly. You had to figure out individual players and how they interacted with other players, to know which team of two players to bet on. I'd just go eeny-meeny-miney-mo and pick a team. I don't think I ever won a thing.
 
I read someplace that it was Ma and Pa from Omaha's introduction to pari-mutuel betting/gambling. A Florida vacation and chance to do something a little naughty without fear of running into a neighbor. It didn't seem as decadent as The Ponies and Puppies (horse and greyhound) races because it was based on a game and it was cheap and easy and a chance to mingle with the masses.

Gambling was a novelty to most small towners then .... no lotteries, legal sports betting, casinos, etc.
 
Growing up in Florida it was a big deal. I never got to go, my parents told us we couldn't because of the gambling.

Has it died off? Doesn't seem like we hear about it much anymore.

It was a very impressive game, lots of skill and athleticism involved. However it seemed to me it was sold mostly based on the gambling, like dog racing...
 
jujube said:
We had a couple of frontons here in Orlando. We'd go because it was free to get in and you could make 50 cent bets. And the food was good.

I never understood the action and it was complicated to bet as the teams would change constantly. You had to figure out individual players and how they interacted with other players, to know which team of two players to bet on. I'd just go eeny-meeny-miney-mo and pick a team. I don't think I ever won a thing.
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But, it 'sounds' like fun!😉
 

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