Sports Betting Futures Odds: Mayweather Favored to Win Long-Awaited Showdown
by Ricky Dimon - 2/24/2015
At long last, a fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao has been agreed upon. Mark your calendars-if you haven't already-for May 2 in Las Vegas.
In the meantime, college basketball is sprinting toward March Madness, MLB spring training is underway, and Rory McIlory is back in action on the golf
course this week.
Odds provided by Sportsbook.ag unless otherwise indicated
.
Mayweather vs. Pacquiao
Mayweather to win (-240)
- Mayweather, of course, has never lost. He is 47-0 as professional with 46 KOs. Pacquiao comes in at 57-5-2 with 38 KOs. But at this point in their
careers, could a two-year age difference be a factor? Mayweather is 38; Pacquiao is 36. Pacquiao is +200 to win, while a draw is +1800.
Mayweather by decision (-150
)
- A majority or unanimous decision, regardless of whom it is in favor, would not come as a big surprise. Both fighters-especially Mayweather-are
outstanding defenders who are tough to knock down. Pacquiao is +450 to win by decision.
"Over" 11.5 rounds (-300
)
- This particular matchup has 12 rounds written all over it. Pacquiao packs a bigger punch (KOs in 59 percent of his bouts), but Mayweather is arguably the
best defender in boxing. Although Pacquiao has been known to go down, Mayweather has just a 55 percent KO rate against opponents presumably not as good as
the Pacman.
Pacquiao does not get knocked down (-135)
- Pacquiao getting knocked down is +105, which could be an enticing play for those who remember the blow he sustained from Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012.
Mayweather getting knocked down is +375, and he is -500 to stay upright the whole fight (knockdowns include a KO, TKO, or a disqualification).
NCAA men's basketball
Kentucky undefeated (+200)
- Twenty-seven down, 13 to go. The Wildcats are 27-0 with four regular-season games remaining followed by perhaps three in the SEC Tournament and six in
the Big Dance. A March 3 road trip to Georgia is arguably the Wildcats' toughest test prior to the postseason. They have won three straight by at least 18
points since a major scare at LSU.
Kentucky to win it all (-120)
- UK captured the national title in 2012 and came close to making it two in three years before losing to Connecticut in last season's championship game.
Willie Cauley-Stein is healthy this time around, but now it will be Alex Poythress on the sideline during the NCAA Tournament. Obviously the 'Cats have
successfully coped with the absence so far.
Wisconsin to win it all (+750)
- Wisconsin (25-2, 13-1 Big Ten) has a bad loss at Rutgers (67-62 on Jan. 11) but has otherwise only lost to Duke. The Badgers are positively loaded with
7'0'' Wooden Award candidate Frank Kaminsky getting support from Sam Dekker, Nigel Hayes, and Traevon Jackson. They may be somewhat untested, though, going
into the dance.
Duke to win it all (+1200)
- Duke is 24-3 with great wins all over its resume, including at Wisconsin, at Virginia, at Louisville, vs. Notre Dame, and vs. North Carolina. The team's
only two bad losses came back on Jan. 11 and Jan. 13 to N.C. State and Miami (FL), respectively. Jahlil Okafor has a minor ankle injury, but that might
only make the other guys stronger.
MLB divisions
(odds provided by BetOnline Sportsbook)
St. Louis Cardinals, NL Central (Even)
- Pitchers and catchers have reported to camp, and full-team practices are starting this week. St. Louis has won two consecutive NL Central titles and
bulked up this offseason by trading with Atlanta for Jason Heyward. A projected three-team race is also expected to include the Pirates (+275) and Cubs
(+300).
Seattle Mariners, AL West (+145)
- Generally one of the most competitive divisions in baseball, the AL West has not seen Seattle finish in the top two since 2007. However, the Mariners are
trending in the right direction after improving from 71-91 in 2013 to 87-75 last season. The Angels are +160 to win it and the A's are +400.
Detroit Tigers, AL Central (+170)
- Detroit has won the AL Central four years in a row, but questions abound heading into 2015. That's why Cleveland is a +170 co-favorite and the White Sox
are not far behind at +310. Max Scherzer signed with Washington, Justin Verlander stumbled to an alarming 4.54 ERA last season, and Miguel Cabrera has an
ankle issue.
Boston Red Sox, AL East (+175)
- Boston is no stranger to wild fluctuations in the standings, having gone from worst (2012) to first (2013, also won the World Series) and back to worst
(2014) in the AL East. So the potential is there for another change in fortune. Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez are on board to help in that effort.
Toronto is a +260 second choice.
Honda Classic
Rory McIlory (+300)
- McIlory has been out of action for a few weeks but he should still have plenty of momentum from recent success in Abu Dhabi (runner-up) and Dubai
(champion). He is no stranger to success at the Honda Classic, where he triumphed in 2012 and lost to Russell Henley in a four-man playoff last year.
Dustin Johnson (+1300)
- Johnson missed the second half of 2014 to focus on life off the course, but he has wasted no time trending in the right direction this season. After
missing the Torrey Pines cut, Johnson came in fourth at Pebble Beach. Proving that wasn't just because Pebble is a course he loves, he lost a playoff to
James Hahn last week at Riviera.
Justin Rose (+2000)
- There's McIlroy, there's Johnson, and then there's everyone else. Rose has not done enough of late to put him in the upper echelon of Honda Classic
favorites. He played some consistent golf in December and January but missed the cut at Torrey Pines earlier this month. The world No. 8 finished T4 at
this tournament in 2013.
Keegan Bradley (+2500)
- Bradley joined Rose at 3-under at the 2013 Honda and he finished T12 at last year's event, four shots off the pace at 4-under. It's clear the American
knows what he is doing around this course, even though he has never lifted the trophy. Bradley picked up some much-needed momentum with a T4 showing at
Riviera.
Read more articles by Ricky Dimon
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