Goiko to make Farewell USA Appearance at Dania Jai-alai This Weekend

Goiko to make Farewell USA Appearance at Dania Jai-alai This Weekend

One of the top players to ever play the sport of jai-alai will be making his farewell appearance in the USA this weekend at Dania Jai-alai.

As we reported a few months ago, Inaki Osa Goikoetxea, better known as “Goiko”, is retiring from playing jai-alai.

Arguably, the best player in the world for the past twenty (20) years, and certainly one of the top 3 players of all-time (if not the greatest), Goiko will be at Dania Jai-alai this entire weekend – Friday night, Saturday matinee and evening and then on Sunday afternoon.  Wagers can be placed in person or on Watch and Wager and you will be able to place pari-mutual wagering on him. 

Goiko made is pro debut in Milan in 1996 and then moved to the United States the year later and was first playing at Newport.  Shortly afterwards, he was a star player at Miami. 

How did this whole unpredictable scene take place? 

Well, it started in June when Goiko called Benny telling him to take a look at a player from his town – Uranga.  Benny of course had been actively seeking 22 young players from Spain/France to play in the 3-month tournament, which is now under way.  Nearly half of last years roster was unable to make it again for the longer season, and there were several openings on the roster.

At the end of their conversation, Goiko mentioned to Benny that he was retiring in February of ’24 and thought it would be a good idea to come and play in Dania for a weekend when his busy schedule in Spain allowed for it.      

The conversation kind of died out at that point until this past weekend, when Benny’s phone rang again.  It was Goikoetxea.  He has the coming weekend off after the semifinal match was played just yesterday.

A couple of conversations later and it was finalized.

Goiko wanted to give a proper farewell to his fans in the USA and it all starts this Friday night at 7pm, at Dania Casino and Jai-alai.