The upcoming boxing match between Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao is being billed as “The Fight of the Century” and “The Battle for Greatness.” By many estimates, the bout between these two great practitioners of the sweet science will be the highest grossing fight in history, and its substantial economic impact is already being felt in Costa Rica, where sportsbooks operators have been very busy taking wagers this week.

The nighttime match is scheduled for May 2^nd, 2015 at the Garden Arena of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The impeccable fighting record of Mayweather stands at 47-0 with 26 knockouts. Pacquiao’s fighting history is equally impressive at 57-5-2 and 38 knockouts. Mayweather is an orthodox fighter; Pacquiao fights southpaw.

Pay-per-view (PPV) records are expected to be greatly surpassed for this fight. In Costa Rica, expat boxing fans should check their cable and satellite channel lineups for the Azteca, Televisa and Golden networks and enjoy the exciting fight card without having to shell out nearly $60 for HBO PPV. More enticing options include local watering holes such as Tap House in Santa Ana or Croc’s Hotel and Casino in Jaco Beach.

At this time, a few sportsbooks are reporting greater interest on Mayweather as the favorite and Pacquiao as the underdog. Most bettors are banking on the fight going the full 12 rounds and the decision going to Mayweather. The big payday would be for those who bet on a draw, which has precedent in matches fought by Pacquiao. Prop bets are all over the place for this fight, they range from the first fighter to throw a punch to the first one to actually land one and score a point.

The bulk of the betting action taken by sportsbooks in Costa Rica for this match comes from the United States, where this kind of wagering is prohibited by law in most jurisdictions. Such is not the case in Costa Rica, but U.S. federal law prohibits international wire transfers for the purpose of gambling. For this reason, U.S. law enforcement agents and prosecutors are constantly investigating and cracking down on sportsbooks in Costa Rica despite being located well beyond their jurisdictional borders.