www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I have been a heavy user of offshore sportsbooks since their online proliferation. Currently have about 20 accounts, most of which are based in San Jose. Many times when dealing with customer service I have been invited to visit the facilities at various books. Making my first visit soon and will stay most likely at the Presidente if they have rooms when I get the dates finalized. I guess this is an off the wall question to most mongers, but is there a sportsbook headquarters in the area? I have had accounts with most all of them and been booted from a few, but always wanted to visit a couple. Looks like CRIS is a sponser here, great book with an impeccable rep....Thanks

Sports books are scattered all over San Jose, some in San Pedro, some in Heredia, at least one in Rohrmoser, etc.

However there are a lot of them centrally located in Sabana Sur. There is an office complex called Oficina Central located right behind the Contralora building (the large pyramid shaped building next to the Costa Rica Tennis club). Many sports books are located in those buildings.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Hi Randy. I am visiting SJCR on 6/24. I have also been a long time better on line. This past year I used Bodog and was happy with all of their service with the exception of their football lines. (they would have a prohibitive money line on the favorite even on games with the spreads. I always want a -110 line when betting on games involving the points.) Anyway, I plan on visiting CRIS Sportsbook while I'm there. I phoned them and they gave me a local number and told me to please stop by while I'm there. I'm wondering if you visited any of the physical locations while you were there and how it went.

Separate question, where is the best place to watch the games with the ladies while in SJ? Is there a place like the Stardust in Vegas? Somewhere that will show all of the baseball games and you can enjoy beers and the added benefit of the ladies which doesn't really exist in Vegas. (at least not out in the open.)

Thanks Randy!

Larry

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New traveler to Costa Rica.

The best place I found to watch games is the Sportsmans Lodge. I was there during the football playoffs, great picture on all the the televisions. I saw some knockout chicas, enjoyed good food, cold beer, great hospitality from Bill, Margie and everyone. You can even get your bets down without ever leaving your barstool.

I agree, since the sportsbooks closed you have to bet online. The Sportsmens lodge is the best place to watch games. Bill is the ultimate host and will do whatever he can for you. There will be great service, booz and chica action.

http://www.sportsmenscr.com/

GG

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GG
"Last time I said no......I misunderstood the question!"

Last I heard the sports book at the Morazan was still operating, has that changed?

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Thanks for the great info guys. Looks like I'll be at the Sportsman's Lodge to watch the games.

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New traveler to Costa Rica.

I met the guy who runs the sportsbook at The Colonial. He explained that the original gambling law did not consider sportsbooks. A lot of them just openend. Last year the govenment decided the gambling law didn't allow books to operate for "walk up" business. The government didn't change the law to disallow books but determined that they had all been operating illegally from the get go.

I think you can still visit the book and bet once you have an account.

Rocco

The Municipality of San Jose shut down the sports books at the Colonial and Del Rey just in time for Super Bowl Sunday 2004. The reason they gave publicly is that there was no specific provision in the law allowing that activity. They never claimed there was any provision prohibiting sports books. Kind of like arresting you for standing in front of the Presidente while eating a POPS ice cream because there is no specific provision in the law that allows eating a POPS ice cream cone in front of the El Presidente hotel.

The interesting unexplained part of all this is that the casino in the Hotel Morazan, 100 meters west of the Del Rey and Colonial was not closed up and continues to operate.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine