The recent boxing match between Jake Paul and former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson may not have been the most competitive, but it certainly captured the attention of fans and bettors alike. The fight, which saw Jake Paul emerge victorious over the 58-year-old Tyson, set a new record for betting activity.
BetMGM, one of the leading sportsbooks, reported that the Paul-Tyson bout was the most-bet boxing or mixed-martial arts fight in its history. The event attracted three times the number of bets and four times the amount of money compared to any other combat sports event on BetMGM's platform.
Craig Mucklow, the vice president of trading at Caesars Sportsbook, likened the betting interest in the fight to that of an NFL Monday night game. Mucklow noted that the matchup between the YouTube star and the aging Tyson appealed to a wide range of demographics, with fans of Tyson's prime era experiencing nostalgia and younger viewers rallying behind Jake Paul.
While it's challenging to directly compare the betting activity for this fight to past major bouts due to the evolution of sports betting regulations, the showdown at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, still generated a significant amount of wagering.
Most of the bets placed at BetMGM Sportsbook were on proposition bets, with many favoring Tyson to win by knockout, decision, or a first-round KO. Despite Paul being the -175 favorite, a majority of the bets (67%) and money (53%) at BetMGM were placed on Tyson.
Reflecting on the outcome, BetMGM senior trader Alex Rella stated that Paul's victory was a positive result for the sportsbook. The fight may not have delivered a competitive spectacle, but it certainly made waves in the world of sports betting.
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