I was there several times in 1989-1992.

They had legal U.S. Sports Betting there, along with off-track Horse Racing, from every track you can think of.

It was called the LF Race and Sports Book which had several betting locations around Tijuana. (and all over Baja California)

Fred Lamb mentioned about going to a casino in Tijuana. I'm not sure where that location was, but it wasn't at the Fronton and I doubt it was at Agua Caliente.

So basically LIVE Jai Alai wagering, and a Race and Sportsbook..no casino gambling that I know of.

A couple of side notes of the Fronton and the LF Race and Sports Book, while I am reminiscing:

1) The most popular bet was the "Keenella". (Quinella) A decent strategy was to bet on what the older regulars were betting on..or bet on the players with the biggest mustaches.

2) They had "choose your odds" wagering for horse racing. This was tremendous and reason alone to make the trek across the border, instead of going to Del Mar for off-track betting. It was a HUGE advantage when betting on the Kentucky Derby or Breeders' Cup Day.

Back then, around 1990, each track had their own payouts..not like it is today. Say I liked a horse that was based in California. I would bet in the New York, Kentucky, or Florida pools, because the California pool payout would typically pay considerably less. I, and many others, used this to our advantage many times on Breeders' Cup Days.

2) I was there the very first day the LF Sportsbook opened..it was an NFL Sunday. They were so unorganized the first day, they forgot to close the betting windows and I remember some games they were still accepting wagers midway in the 2nd quarter until someone realized it and stopped taking bets. I remember betting a Raiders-Jets game when the score was 10-0 in the 2nd quarter, with the same odds as before the game started.

3) The odds on both straight sports bets and parlays were a little better than you would typically find in Las Vegas. However there was a 1% tax they charged on winnings. If you had a winning ticket for $100, you would only get paid $99.

4) The food and drinks were very good and very cheap. A bucket of Coronas, Sols or Bohemias were $5, or less.

5) Sometimes I would drive there on a Sunday morning, park on the US side, take a taxi downtown to the Fronton on Revolucion and bet the Sunday NFL games. Then I would go home to watch the games and return the following week to cash winners and make more bets. One day I hit a $10 8 team parlay that paid around $1,500. To a poor college student that was just about all the money in the world. Well, I didn't want to wait a week so I had the bright idea to drive down by myself Sunday night to collect the money. After getting paid I became nervous that I would get jumped on my way back to the border. I really thought I was being followed. The last hundred yards or so I ran to the border crossing. Man I was dumb back then. lol

I haven't been down there since before 9/11. Major hassle now to cross the border and crime has risen dramatically. Like Las Vegas and most places, TJ isn't what it used to be..