It surprised many that boxing ranked as America’s 4th favorite sport in a recent poll, with 33% reporting they are fans of the game. Of course, the sport buy tickets has experienced many ups and downs through the centuries. Yet, the resurgence of boxing’s popularity owes a lot to betting.
Many years ago, boxing earned a reputation as the sweet science, with many drawn to the most basic competition between two individuals. Then, when rules became standardized globally, boxing grew in popularity for betting.
Today, there are more opportunities than ever for several types of boxing betting. If you love the thrill and fast-paced action of boxing, you might be interested in learning the advantages of boxing betting.
So if you ever wondered how boxing betting works, keep reading. This guide provides a detailed breakdown of the nuances of boxing and strategies for boxing betting.What is Boxing Betting?
It’s difficult to determine an accurate timeline for the history of boxing betting. But, the sport has roots dating back to the 18th century. Before the emergence of Las Vegas, the types of boxing betting differed around the globe. The sport suffered a decline in interest for most of the 19th century, but boxing betting has existed since the sport’s beginnings centuries ago.
Then, in the early 20th century, boxing began to gain popularity with bookmakers and casinos. Oddly, the surge in boxing betting coincided with the outlawing of the sport during the same period. Besides horse racing, bookmakers started reaping the benefits of boxing betting over team sports when Jack Dempsey became World Champion in the 1920s.
By the time Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) won the title from Sonny Liston in 1964, boxing betting had earned a reputation for ties with organized crime. Yet, as fighters started seeking title matches rather than fast money, the sportsbooks of Las Vegas took charge of regulating boxing betting.
Standards got developed for systematic betting as the sport gained interest with Liston, Ali, and other influential figures. Gamblers developed strategies for boxing betting based on rules set by reputable oddsmakers. Soon, boxers enjoyed the advantages of boxing betting with larger purses.How Does Boxing Betting Work
Sportsbooks generally feature various types of boxing betting around the outcome of the main event. The last fight on the boxing card generally gets fought for a title or chance to advance to a championship match. Fighters in these matches represent the top contenders in their weight division.
Each fight consists of twelve rounds lasting three minutes. However, a boxing match can end before the twelve rounds get completed through various means. For example, matches can end with knockouts where one opponent cannot get up after landing on the canvas.
A technical knockout gets awarded to a winner when their opponent is deemed unable to continue or stops on their own accord. On rare occasions, fights get stopped when one fighter gets disqualified for using illegal moves during the match. Unless the match gets stopped early, all fights get scored with a points system.Scoring Points
A bout that does go the distance of twelve rounds gets scored by three independent judges who use a standard scoring system for each round. The winner of each round gets awarded ten points against a points scale determined by the action in the round.
For example, in rounds where a boxer appears to have a slight edge, the fighter will receive a score of 10-9. A more dominating performance in the round gets a fighter a 10-8 score. If one fighter gets knocked down at least once in a round, the winner will receive a 10-7 score for that round.Scoring Rules
Referees can affect the scoring if they feel one fighter has broken a particular rule. For example, some fighters use the strategy of holding on to an opponent to last the round. If excessive holding interrupts the flow of a fair bout, the referee can order the judges to remove a point from the offender’s score.
Boxers can also lose points during the round by hitting their opponent below the belt or using tactics outside the rules of fair play. For example, hits to the back of the head or head butting are considered illegal moves.Odds For Betting
Sportsbooks will provide odds for several different possible outcomes of a single match. Of course, the most common odds will get based on the eventual winner. Yet, betting on a round-by-round basis with some sportsbooks is also possible.
You can also choose odds for matches ending in draws or by disqualifications. Oddsmakers offer lines on various scenarios regarding the round number the fight will end.Types of Boxing Betting
Besides the main event, secondary matches are worth studying to lay a bet. Sportsbooks offer odds on matches where the contenders have more at stake than a paycheck. In addition, taking a look at the evening’s boxing card will reveal bouts with varying degrees of skill.
Fights on the lower end of the scale usually don’t get offered for betting from sportsbooks. These fights generally involve new boxers or winding down a lackluster career.
Yet, some middle bouts involve young fighters trying to establish themselves against veteran opponents that have peaked in skill. Any of these types of boxing betting will offer lines in several ways.Moneylines
Much like lines offered on the outcome of team games, the Moneyline bet is a straightforward choice on the winner of the bout. All Moneyline values get based on $100 bets, but you don’t have to bet that amount. All sportsbooks list their minimum and maximum bet amounts.
As the oddsmakers determine, the favorite is represented by a minus sign and a value. For example, Mike Tyson might be -150 to win against Evander Hollyfield. The simple math on this wager is you would need to bet $150 to win $50 back plus your original bet.
If you wanted to bet $100 on Hollyfield as a +180 underdog, a winning bet would pay $180 plus your original wager. However, you sometimes see fight odds with significant ranges like -1200 or +2000. The oddsmakers feel the level between these boxers is so broad that you might want to try another form of betting.Spreads
When the highest quality fights occur, many expect the match to last the distance. So you can handicap the fight with spread bets. For example, you might feel Sugar Ray Leonard will win on points against Roberto Duran.
Oddsmakers set the spread at -3.5 to win the fight. As the favorite, Leonard would need to outscore Duran by four points or more to win the bet. In a twelve-round fight, a score of 120-116 will pay a bet on Leonard. On the underdog side, Duran could lose 120-117 on the scorecard, and your bet will still pay off.
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