(JUNE 3) Few sports rely as heavily on the
income derived from betting as the sport of boxing. Since the very beginning
of the profession, boxing has existed largely because people are willing to
bet on the outcome. For example, betting on boxing matches is a natural part
of Casino Gaming, just
like blackjack and roulette is. As a result, boxing matches rank as the
worlds most bet upon events, rivaling even the Super Bowl. From the boxing
hey-days of last century, with legendary fights like Ali vs. Frazier, to the
volatile world of boxing today, rife with controversy and scandal, betting
on the outcome of hyped events involves millions of dollars every year.
Boxing is similar to other sports in the way it is bet with a few notable
differences. Competitors are listed on a money line, as they are with other
sports, but other bets are available through sportsbooks as well. The money
line bets function as they do in other betting, with the favorite heavily
punished monetarily and the under dog rewarded with a much higher payout.
Because challengers to title-holders can be relatively obscure, the odds in
boxing can be astronomically different. Combine this fact with recurring
rivalries (title holders losing to challengers and then re-challenging) and
this sport ranks as one of the highest in money turnover.
Money line bets will often feature both opponents, as well as the option of
a draw. A draw can happen when neither fighter knocks out the other and when
the judges can’t decide a clear winner. When this happens, the bettor who
wagered on the draw will receive the payout.
Other betting options include proposition bets including specific round
endings, over and under round bets and combination bets: a winner as well as
the method of win (knockout versus decision). These bets are very common and
available with multiple possibilities. A bet on a specific ending round is
as simple as stating that the bout will not last more that x number of
rounds. An over/under bet is a bet that the fight will last more than or
less than a specific number of rounds. These bets can be placed as a side
bet to the winner and allow a bettor to double or triple his chances of
winning.
Because the outcome of a fight can depend largely on the training a fighter
undergoes before a match, it is important for bettors to keep tabs on a
fighter’s current status. It happens all too often that a favorite under
evaluates a challenger only to lose in an important fight. This leads to
bitter rivalries that are good for bookmakers, but hard on bettors picking
the more well known fighter.
Another common issue with boxing bets are the press bonanzas surrounding the
most popular fighters. These fighters occupy the public conscience to the
detriment of their awareness of other fighters. Because casual bettors may
only know the most prominent boxers, those boxers will see less favorable
odds. This leads to higher payouts for the underdog, but risky bets for
people who want to bet the favorite. For this reason, a smart bettor will
spread his money across proposition bets—while the bet for the winner may
not prove to be correct, a proposition bet might pay off instead. Look for a
sportsbook that handles wagers for multiple possibilities and you will be
better served in the end.
The world of boxing is insular—the trainers and the rabid fans know who’s
best prepared for a fight and the more attention you pay to the time leading
up to an event, the better you can judge who to put money on. If you only
read popular material, you may find yourself on the losing end of a bet
rather than collecting a payout. Boxing offers more opportunities for
betting than almost any other sport—and you can get in on the action!
