16 Pelota / Betfair Education / 18 March 2008 / Leave a comment

The game has been played for at least eight centuries in the Basque country. The first written documents on the game are French, and date back to the 13th century. With the "Conquista" of the new world, and the later migrations of Basques to America and Asia, the game spread as the Basque communities in South America, the United States, and Asia began to grow.

Today it's played in more than 25 countries around the world, including Argentina, Mexico, the United States, Macau and the Philippines, and wherever a game of pelota is played there's an improvised betting exchange formed in the stands. The passion for the game is such that in 1557 García Hurtado de Mendoza, Governor of Chile, had to import 3000 Basque pelota balls from the Basque country to satisfy the internal demand.

It is probably its suitability for betting, the swings in the score, and the vibrant pace which has made Basque pelota a popular game in several American states, including Florida, where 'basket' pelota is a popular gambling sport, and is still played at six Jai Alai ("Merry Festival" in Basque) courts across the state. Scenes from the Miami Jai Alai appeared in the title sequence to the TV series Miami Vice and the game has also featured in The Simpsons.

Basque traditional sports have always been closely associated with betting. In fact, pelota is the only sport in Spain in which betting has always been regulated.