Boxing Odds
If you are an avid sports fan, there will always be one or two moments you remember vividly and can recall exactly where you were watching it and who you were watching with. For me, one of those moments was in 2006 when Italy defeat France to capture their fourth World Cup. It was pure jubilation for not only myself but my family as well. It also helped that I had a legitimate side to root for being of Italian descent. For some, these vivid memories take place when you least expect it. Just look at the night of Feb. 11, 1990.
Mike Tyson was the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and was stopped dead in his tracks by some guy named Buster Douglas. Douglas was a 42-1 long shot, and for most people those odds seemed relatively low. Not only did Douglas stun the world and defeat Tyson, but he knocked him out.
When I talk to those who witnessed the fight, the memories are still so fresh. They can recall everything about the lead up to the fight, the fight itself, who they were with and where they were. The Tyson-Douglas boxing match was not just a fight that finished as a shocking upset, but it was a result that shook the sports landscape to the core.
Some would argue that in 2018 boxing is going the way of the dodo bird, but to them I say "not so fast". Boxing will always be a mainstay among the sporting world, and so will the opportunity to bet on it. For most, boxing is as simple as picking a winner, but for some – there are many advance betting options available to get your action in on.
Betting on the Moneyline
The moneyline bet in boxing is very much like any moneyline bet in any other sport. The bettor must correctly predict which boxer is going to have his hand raised by the referee and be declared the winner. However, the moneyline bet in boxing most replicates the money line option in soccer. In addition to the two combatants, sportsbooks offer a "draw" option, which can throw a wrench in your plans from time to time.
Example:
Mike Tyson -300 ML
Evander Holyfield +250 ML
Draw: +2500
In this example, Tyson is the favorite and you must wager $300 dollars in order to turn a profit of $100. If you believe the underdog can win this fight, you can make $250 for every $100 you decide to wager. And, in the off chance a draw does occur, "draw" players would rake in a cool $2500 for every $100 they bet, while bettors with Tyson and Holyfield slips will left ripping up their tickets.
Boxing Betting: Round Betting "Over/Under"
This betting option is similar to betting the total in other sports. Except there is one little caveat that most casual bettors are not aware of. With simple sports like hockey and basketball, the total either goes "over" or "under" the number. There is no in between (with the exception of a push).
Example:
Over 5.5 (-110)
Under 5.5 rounds (-110)
As you can see, both sides offer up the same odds. You must bet $110 dollars in order to profit $100.
However, most bettors don't understand that in boxing, if the "over/under" is set at 5.5 rounds, you can lose an "over" bet if the fight gets stopped in round five within the first 90-seconds of a three-minute round. The only way you win your "over" bet is if the sixth round of the fight starts.
Grouped Round Betting/Exact Round Betting
Some of the bigger sportsbooks offer up several different ways of betting on the total number of rounds. In addition to the method above, you can also bet on "grouped round betting" or "exact round betting".
Grouped round betting allows you to bet on the following options: Round 1-3, Round 4-6, Round 7-9 and Round 10-12 (or win on points). As you can see, each option gives you three rounds to successful cash your ticket. Often times these options are lined at +110 and better.
The other option available to round betting is the "exact round" betting option. This is pretty self explanatory. Bettors must correctly predict the round the fight will stop in. Each round typically has different odds, but looks something like this: Round 1 +300, Round 2 +330, Round 3 +400, Round 5 +220, Round 6 +420, etc.
Advanced Boxing Wagering Options
While boxing may be a simple sport – try and knock out your opponent – the betting options on a boxing match, especially a high-profile one, are almost endless. Here are some of the more advanced boxing betting options.
Method of Victory
This betting option is one of the most popular betting options amongst boxing handicappers. Not only do you have to correctly pick the winning fighter, but you must also correctly predict how said fighter is going to win the fight.
Example:
Mike Tyson by Stoppage: -150
Mike Tyson by Points: +150
Evander Holyfield by Stoppage: +1000
Evander Holyfield by Points: +350
Draw: +2500.
Now that we know our options, let's determine what each option means. The term "stoppage" refers to any fight that is stopped between rounds one and 12, where a fighter fails to meet the referee's 10-count. This is your KO's (knock out), TKO's (technical knock out) or your DQ's (disqualification).
The term "points" refers to a fight that has gone the distance and left up to the judge's scorecard to determine a winner. This is also known as a "decision" or "technical decision".
And lastly, sportsbooks add the draw option just to make things a harder to win
Total Knockdowns
This option is another variation of the "over/under" bet. This option takes into account the total number of times a fighter will be knocked down. There are two different variations.
Example 1:
Mike Tyson: Total Knockdowns "Over" 1.5 -110, "Under" 1.5 -110.
This means that Tyson will need to knock his opponent down at least two times in order for the "over" to be considered a winner.
Example 2:
Total Knockdowns: "Over" 3.5 +130, "Under" 3.5 -150.
This variation allows you to wager on the total number of knockdowns in a fight regardless of which fighter gets knocked down. Similar to a hockey total – as long as there is X amount of goals, no matter who scores, the "over" will win.
Here is a list of our other betting lines and odds pages.
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