Miami: December 8, 2025 : The Cyclones will be taking on the Devils in the final “Jai alai Super Bowl” held at Magic City Jai alai this Friday night at 7pm.
With $200,000 at stake to the winning team, and tens of thousands to be dished out to the players, there is a lot at stake here.
Friday’s doubleheader featured performances that started at 2:30pm and 7pm. The first playoff round featured the Cyclones defeating the Warriors 4 games to 2 with Jairo and Stan securing the Game 6 Match with a perfect 6-0 win in game 3 of their set. Warriors team owner, Ray Lewis, watched the entire performance in the VIP area.
The second half featured the Devils defeating the Fireballs in “overtime” with Benetrix and Roque defeating Joseph and Ikeda 6-2 in a one game playoff. The teams were deadlocked at 3 games apiece and were decided by Division 5 players in a winner take all game to 6 points. An enthusiastic crowd of about 70 were in attendance including team owners. When opened to the public, it’s an entirely different atmosphere. The DJ cranks out songs on a phenomenal sound system right up till the serve is made and then resuming right after the point ends. Young girls and couple of boys did cheerleader-like dances between games to entertain the crowd. A huge difference then the sterile atmosphere from all other performances when no one from the general public is welcome to watch. Unlike Dania Jai alai, you can hear Stu and Andrew announce the games. Nice color programs were available to all and loads of gift baskets were given away to dancers in the crowd. Even former Dania pro and current Puryear Park regular Bob “Garby” got one!
As you likely know, Friday night will the final performance at Magic City Casino before moving two miles north to the original Miami Jai alai, which will be celebrating its 100th anniversary when the new season starts at “JAM Arena”.
A big press release came out yesterday giving us some good insight at what is instore for the future of Magic City Jai alai and the place it will move operations to.
As we all know by now, Magic City Jai alai had been operating out of a former music venue at what was previously known as Flagler Dog Track. When slot machines were added, the venue was rebranded as Magic City Casino. Dog racing was forced to shut down in the State of Florida by a public referendum and decoupled. The Havenick family, long time owners of the venue sold it to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in early 2023 for $96 million. The agreement allowed the Jai alai operation to continue the site until the end of 2025, forcing Scott Savin and his group to look for a new location. Several options were on the board with interested areas including Los Vegas and Rhone Island. But the most obvious and logical choice was just up the road that already had a full-blown jai alai court, 1500 seats along with pari-mutual infrastructure in place – just sitting there and rotting away. The original 99-year-old Miami Jai-alai fronton. The adjacent structure alongside it now hosts Miami Casino and its slot machines.
The Jai alai structure of it appears to be taken over by Scott Savin and his group in a press release that went out yesterday morning. Big plans appear to be in store.
The new operation will be called the JAM Arena. JAM stands for Jai Alai Miami. The “Arena” part is not “Fronton”, because it appears that it will become more than just a jai alai court. Yes,, the World Jai Alai League will resume operations there next starting in February. But there is a whole lot of other things planned. According to the press release, the “entertainment” space has experienced a multi-million-dollar reinvestment that will feature upgraded amenitites and family-friendly sports activations for a unique presentation of sports, comedy, concerts, and cultural programing with a jai alai court as its backdrop.
“Centrally located and family-friendly, JAM Arena will cast a bright new spotlight on South Florida’s top entertainers” Scott Savin was quoted as saying. The launch of JAM Arena marks a new era for the site, which will celebrate its centennial anniversary in 2026 and represents the latest example of South Florida’s expanding entertainment offerings.
All sounds good and with jai alai only consuming a small part of the calendar, filling in the “dead” time with concerts, comedy shows and other sports (boxing as already taken place there with Don King promotions) sounds like a winner to me. Just need to fix up that side of the building and I would like to see the parking lot fixed up and with better lighting outside to make the area feel safer.
As far as the new jai alai court is coming along, the new glass back wall is up with the side netting and overhead netting going up as we speak. We do not have any photos to share on that, but you can see the previous story and photos we did a couple weeks ago on this site. It also appears the court may be 6 feet longer than the normal one at Magic City, and pari-mutual wagering may be returning in the summer along with the sports betting format which will start in February.
November 19, 2025: Great article posted on Casino.org on jai alai in Los Vegas. There is some great information that I was never aware of at Vegas jai alai. This website is the best information guide in the world on gambling around the world and has been around since 1995. Do check it out. Everything is covered from financial, legislation, crime, sports betting, entertainment and more. Hundreds of articles that could keep you busy for hours. This article did have one mistake that I noted – it said N. Miami was the only school for the sport ever located in the US, which is false. Milford Connecticut had one at the same time. But otherwise, an informative story.
When Kirk Kerkorian opened the original MGM Grand Hotel (today’s Horseshoe Las Vegas) on December 5, 1973, he wanted more than slot machines and showrooms. He wanted spectacle. So inside what was then the largest resort in the world, he built a 2,200‑seat arena for the first sustained professional sport staged inside a Strip casino. The games began three weeks later.
Balls to the Wall
Jai alai, imported from Spain’s Basque country, was billed as “ballet with bullets.” Players hurled a goat‑skinned pelota at speeds topping 170 miles per hour using curved wicker baskets called cestas. Pari‑mutuel betting was allowed, just like horse racing.
Director Harry “Coon” Rosen — whose nickname derived from his jet-black raccoon hair — was brought in from Tijuana to lure gamblers with a new exotic thrill.
For a while, it looked like a hit. Celebrities James Garner, Michael Landon, and Pete Rose were spotted in the stands. The fronton even appeared in Hollywood: Jon Voight and Ann‑Margret filmed scenes for “Lookin’ to Get Out” there in 1980, with a seven-year-old Angelina Jolie Voight making her screen debut in the audience.
Dropping the Ball
Another postcard from the MGM Grand advertising its Jai Alai games. (Image: MGM Grand)
The glamour masked a mess. Players — mostly Basques, Spaniards, and Mexicans — scraped by on meager pay, with the Tijuana contingent earning a reported $126 a month after brutal currency conversions. Fights broke out in locker rooms.
Everything came to a boil In October 1975. That’s when the full roster of 32 players walked out, demanding union recognition and better wages. MGM warned that their work visas would be revoked if they didn’t return. Immigration officials backed the threat.
The strike reportedly ended with a slew of deportations in November 1975, and MGM restarted with a new roster in late December — after the old players’ contracts had expired anyway.
That new roster included Kenny Pyle. Plucked from North Miami Amateur Jai-Alai, the only school for the sport ever located in the US, he played thousands of matches over seven seasons and became the standout American player — though what he remembered most was being resented by his foreign teammates. (Bad feelings from the busted strike left scars.)
Meantime, the crowds had begun to wane. Admission fees were always steeper than for other frontons and there were no matinee shows for families. Also, Rosen refused to allow trifecta betting — a Florida staple that juiced wagering.
Nightly handles hovered around $50,000 — respectable but nowhere near Miami’s $350,000 highs.
Bye, Alai!
The 1980 MGM Grand fire, which killed 87 people, disrupted operations but did not directly end jai alai. The fronton reopened a few months later, yet the decline in interest intensified. By November 1983, jai alai proved to be one loss-leader too many for MGM, which shut it down.
For Las Vegas, it was a bold early experiment in pro sports that never found its audience. It was fast and dangerous, but too unfamiliar, too poorly managed, and too overshadowed by the Strip’s endless cavalcade of sexier entertainment at the time. It never returned.
On July 1, 2018, Magic City Jai-alai opened its doors for the first performance. Recruiting a bunch of former Florida college athletes who had never heard of jai-alai, much less pronounce it, were shocked to receive an email about becoming a professional jai alai player. Is this a joke they asked?
No, it wasn’t. Now over seven years later, the jai alai operations will have to move to a new location. The original owners sold the casino but were allowed to keep the jai alai operations going in what use to be a music venue for a couple more years. They are moving three miles to the north – ironically to the “Yankee Stadium” of jai-alai – Miami jai-alai! Yes, that Miami jai alai now called Miami Casino. Live jai alai came to an end about 4 years ago and the fronton has hosted Don King boxing matches.
There will be a different twist to this version of jai alai. Yes, the 100-year-old cancha is still intact with its granite front wall but a odd twist is now taking place. A glass wall has been installed – roughly the existing serving line – to make it closer to the 130-foot length of Magic City jai alai. The original cancha is around 175 feet long. The original side wall will be used and the front wall, but the back wall will be all glass. No one knows yet how the court will play – they are soon to be testing balls to see what works best.
Why don’t they just go back to “real” jai alai, detractors ask. Management wants a faster paced game to complete in the gambling world. Today, betters want instant gratification like a slot machine. They also like the camera angles you get thru the clear glass vs. a camera off to the side and up high.
There are only 4 weeks left at Magic City – counting the two playoff weekends, and with spectators only allowed in on Friday nights (lets hope this changes), the fronton is open this Friday November 21st, the 28th, and then the playoffs on December 5th and 12th. All starting at 7pm. So if you want to see it live and in person, time is quickly running out.
The opening at Miami Casino will be in February and is on schedule. A late summer tournament for the pros and amateurs is also in the works.
The 4th annual Dania Beach Invitational Jai alai Tournament starts up in little over 3 weeks from now with opening night starting on Thursday, December 4th.
The “season” will last thru the last day of February with a Saturday night performance. Performances will run matinees at 1pm on Tuesday, Saturday and Sundays at 1pm and evenings Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 7pm. Parimutuel wagering will be the betting option.
Everything is moving forward accordingly, and Benny is looking for sponsorships for the event.
In other news, they are looking at upgrading some of the cameras in the broadcast, which would be a nice welcome. Other than that, it’s “waiting for the planes to land”.
The Pelota Press will once again be there on Opening Night for coverage of the event.
Here is the latest PR release from the World Jai Alai League
MIAMI, Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The World Jai-Alai League (WJAL) Battle Court Fall 2025 season is heating up as teams battle for playoff positioning in the second half of the season. With weeks left before the double-header playoff on Friday, Dec 5 (2 p.m. and 7 p.m.), the intensity on the court is reaching new heights, with every match playing a crucial role in the race to the top. The top four scoring teams will advance to the playoffs: Currently the top four spots are held by the Cyclones, Renegades, Warriors, and Fireballs with less than two points separating the entire WJAL from top to bottom. The two winning teams from the playoff will face off at the final on Friday, Dec. 12 (7 p.m.).
Cyclones player Jairo launches the ball to his opponent. Credit: World Jai-Alai League.
“This is the closest race for the playoffs in the eight-season history of the WJAL. You can feel the urgency in every point played,” said Scott Savin, chief operating officer of the World Jai-Alai League. “These athletes are stepping it up across the board, and the second half of the season promises to be even more thrilling than the first.”
At the mid-season mark, the Cyclones team has emerged as the dominant force, led by team captain Emmanuel Romain Laduche, known courtside as Manú, and team owners Chris Cote and Mike Ryan, longtime producers of the “Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz.” This is especially exciting as this could be the team’s most recent championship title since 2022. Meanwhile, reigning champions, the Renegades, and the Warriors are keeping the pressure on, with the Fireballs not far behind. As the season progresses, the Devils and the Chargers will look to turn the tide and make a late-season push toward playoff contention.
Battle Court matches are played at the Magic City Fronton in Miami on Tuesdays through Thursdays at 5 p.m. and on Fridays at 7 p.m. Friday matches are open to spectators and present the world’s fastest ball sport in an exciting, family-friendly setting. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Admission and self-parking are free.
Florida-based fans can also enjoy seamless wagering and live streaming via the Hard Rock Bet app. Fans unable to attend in person can follow the action live on the Jai-Alai Network (WJAL’s YouTube channel), ESPN3, FUBO TV, or Jai-Alai TV (www.jaialai.live).
About World Jai-Alai League The World Jai-Alai League (WJAL) is dedicated to revitalizing the world’s fastest ball sport by modernizing gameplay, capitalizing on the international sports wagering market, and delivering the sport through social media to a new generation of fans across the globe. The WJAL plays at the Magic City Fronton in Miami, located at 450 N.W. 37th Ave.
I remember it like yesterday. It’s been almost 50 years ago. It was my first trip to Bridgeport Jai-alai on their grand opening night. Got off Exit 28 – a short drive from Greenfield Hills in Fairfield. Then a left and another left. I already had 3 years of experience going to Tampa, Orlando, Daytona, Miami, and Dania jai-alai.
I felt like I was the only one in there that knew the game. When I went up to the betting window, I was the only one there. It’s all on video and you can view it on this website under “History of Jai-alai”. I bet $2 on 1 to win. I was going to keep it no matter what – win or lose.
Earl “The Pearl” Monroe threw out the first pelota. I watched the NBA back then, and that guy was good. No one like him. What a thrill.
The first few games the crowd was quiet. By the end of the year, the place was packed with nearly 9,000 people filling the double deck fronton. The noise was deafening. And that crowd was rough. A dropped ball with someone losing out on a $1,000 plus trifecta and they would not be happy. The bets cost $3 on Trifecta’s, and the pools were huge. Always paid four figures – it seemed. Bridgeport was a dangerous city – perhaps the worst in the country. Bankruptcy would be later filed. The area was full of prostitutes and drug dealers. Parking inside their fenced area and you were safe. Outside was risky but on nights when you had to park on the streets, I never had an issue.
Over the years after jai-alai closed, it was a dog track (stupid) , and industrial operations and then most recently an off-track betting parlor. That shut down in 2021. The 16 plus acre site was recently appraised by Bridgeport at $4.7 million. In March of 2022, a limited liability corporation bought the property. They want to build a $1.1 Billion-dollar minor league soccer stadium on the site. Plans have been stalled over the past two years for a variety of reasons.
Sounds like a lot of money to me for a minor league soccer stadium in Connecticut largest city. But one thing is for sure, jai-alai will never return there.
Slot Machine Online Betting Now Operating in Florida
If you have the Hard Rock app and live in Florida, you may be one of the lucky ones (or shall we say unlucky ones) that now can bet all on which appears to be one of 21 slot machine games.
Quietly, the Hard Rock has expanded its sports betting under the term of “Powered by Past Motor Racing”. Yet, it looks and plays just like a slot machine.
This is a new form of “against the house” sports betting that the Seminole Tribe believes to be totally legal under the letter of the law in the 2021 gaming compact signed between the Seminole Tribe and the State of Florida.
The Tribe contents you are betting on past motor racing that is similar to the historical horse racing (HHR) concept – originally known as Instant Racing. Players bet on replays of horse races or dog races that already have been run using terminals that typically resemble slot machines. This unique type of betting premiered in Arkansas in 2000 and is used in several U.S. states.
When you launch one of the games and place a wager, the screen displays what appears to be a traditional slot interface: reels spinning with symbols like oranges, cherries, and similar icons. But beneath that slot-like image, something different is happening that – according to Hard Rock Bet – that makes this totally legal.
Each “spin” is determined by the results of one or more historical stock car races from several years ago. The random number generator that typically powers slot machines has been replaced with actual sporting outcomes that have already occurred.
“What you see on the screen are just entertaining depictions of what happens” a Hard Rock source was quoted.
Here’s how the mechanics of this conception work:
When you place a wager, you’re essentially betting on past racing results. If your selections — which correspond to racers from these historical events — finish in winning positions, you win. If they had longer odds, you win more. Hit a couple of first-place finishes from underdogs, and you might be looking at a jackpot.
If you want to see what is going on behind the scenes, try this: “Click to Enter Race View” button in the upper right corner of the screen. This will reveal the actual racing results that determined the outcome – the specific date, the race, which selections were correct, and how the historical results translated into your win or loss.
Also, according to the Hard Rock source “You can see kind of how it turned out, how many of your selections were correct.”
This whole thing sounds bizarre, but I believe it is available to a select group of the original Hard Rock app holders – those that maintained an account during the two-year hiatus when they were successfully shut down by Magic City Jai-alai. They don’t want their servers to crash on this initial release.
I don’t see anybody stopping them, either. Welcome to 24-hour a day slots – wherever you go.
I’ve heard from several people about getting limited or even being cut off from making Jai alai bets online. One person went to the extreme to get a response from the Hard Rock headquarters. Three separate responses were recently texted back after being cut off since Day 2 of Magic City’s latest season.
Here are those responses:
Thank you for bringing this to our attention! To help us investigate the error or limit you’re encountering on Jai Ali bets, could you please try entering the amount you wish to place? This will give us the details we need to look into the issue more thoroughly and escalate it to our team for further investigation. We appreciate your patience and are here to assist you every step of the way.
We apologize but these limits are being placed in line with Responsible Gaming regulations, and even we do not have the authority to go against it, and our hands are tied.
We are very sorry to inform you, and we wish we have better news, but it appears your wagering limits are correct. Please refer to our house rule below:
“1.2 Seminole Gaming may determine minimum and maximum wager amounts per patron on any events to include: all periods, segments, propositions, and future book wagers. Maximum wagers shall not exceed $10 million. Seminole Gaming typically sets the minimum wager at $.10 but reserves the right to change at its discretion. Maximum payout by sport and by market will be established herein.”
Yep, that’s their response. In other words, go F yourself!
Oh, so you think you can just walk into a casino in Hollywood or Tampa and make wagers? No way Jose. It ain’t happening.
October 29, 2025: A couple weeks ago, we showed you construction workers assembling the framing for the glass wall for the future home of Magic City. Today, the glass panels arrived at Miami Casino Jai alai. The glass panels – weighing 500 pounds each – were seen here with getting taking off the truck by three players – Benny, Ben and “my buddy” Roque – bringing them into the fronton.
Assembly will likely take a few days and then once that is completed, the next step will be to find the proper ball to play with on what will be a very unusual cancha. The side and front walls are same ones that were used for 95 years with full a full court and a goat skin pelota in use. The front wall is made from granite – one of the hardest of rocks on Earth. Now, a glass back will be added near the serving line area, giving the court a unique structure of two completely different materials.
We will keep you posted on as this project moves forward.
