Betting on boxing can be fairly basic. Most important professional fights are offered by all major online sportsbooks. The most common bet is the one in which you choose the winner of the boxing match. However, if the fight is of major importance, then chances are you’ll be able to wager on any number of props.
Money Line and the Winner
The money line for boxing will offer the sports bettor specific information. It will tell you where the match is being held, the time it will take place, and who the fighters are. Along with the odds, you’ll be told which boxing organization is offering the bout and the weight class under which it is being fought.
A typical money line looks like this:
Rumours International, Toowoomba, Queensland,
Australia World Boxing Union (German Version)
Light Welterweight Title
Both Must Fight For Action.
5:00 a.m. Michael “The Great” Katsidis -1600
Graham “The Duke” Earl +800
The line listed above has Graham “The Duke” Earl as the underdog at +800. If you wager $100 and win, you’ll win $800. The favorite, Michael “The Great” Katsidis, is heavily favored at -1600. To win $100, a bettor must wager $1600.
Props
There are numerous props that may be offered on a boxing match. You may be given the chance to bet on whether a fighter will win by a knockout, technical knockout (TKO) or disqualification. You may also be given the chance to make group round wagers, such as if a boxer will win in rounds 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, or 10-12. Or you may bet on a fighter winning during a specific round. Each choice offered in every prop will have its own odds.
How to Prep
With professional fighting, you’ll have plenty of preparation time to make your bet. Lines for important matches are listed weeks ahead of time and for title bouts even further in advance. Lines tend to be soft when they are first posted at online sportsbooks. As time goes on and the possible outcome of the fight becomes clearer, those odds will tighten – so you might find some very good early value.
Research a fighter’s recent past performance (especially if it’s a rematch), how in shape they are and any possible injuries they may be battling, and if they are a streaky or consistent fighter. In your matchup, compare physical tools such as height, weight and reach, skills such as power, strength, and quickness, and techniques such as footwork and defensive abilities.
Choosing Your Fights
When deciding which fights you’re going to bet, consider a few points. First, you should bet only on fights when you can access enough information to make an informed choice. Also, make sure that you can find odds that offer you value. If you can find a prop that you think is solid, play it. Make informed decisions whenever betting on any fight.
Professional boxing offers bettors the chance to make wagers each week on matches that are held around the world. Many fights are carried on various pay networks and cable stations, and there is plenty of information available about each fighter and match. With two to six professional bouts held each weekend, boxing offers plenty of chances to bet.
Professional Boxing Basics
Professional boxing is fairly simple yet highly complex. In terms of skills and technique, the sport itself is as basic as can be. It is about harnessing and using strength and defensive techniques to dominate your opponent. Fights occur over a series of rounds, each of which lasts 3 minutes. A fighter can win a bout by the decision of the judges, by a pure knockout, or technical knockout (TKO).
For much of the early 20th century, boxing matches had an unlimited number of rounds. By the 1920s, however, round limits were instituted, and modern professional bouts have a maximum of twelve rounds. Although that is the limit, most boxing matches are fought over four, six, eight, or ten rounds. The number of rounds depends upon the experience of the boxers and the importance of the bout.
There are seventeen different weight classes under which boxers are classified. Boxers in the same weight division may fight one another. Some boxers will focus on fighting in one division, while others are able to float from one weight class to another.
Although some weight classes are standard across the various sanctioning bodies, some have different names. The Mini Flyweight is the smallest of all with a maximum weight limit of 105 pounds. By contrast, in the Heavyweight class a boxer must weigh a minimum of 200 pounds. Since the early 21st century, there has been a lot more interest in the lower divisions. Prior to this time, the heavyweight division was considered to be the most important. However, a lack of talent and interesting bouts caused fans, fight organizations, and promoters to turn to the lower divisions.
Disputes and Confusion
Unfortunately, boxing has become complicated over the years. With various disputes over governing bodies that determine champions in each division, as well as other controversies, the sport has lost its luster. The various sanctioning bodies include the International Boxing Federation (I.B.F.), World Boxing Association (W.B.A.), World Boxing Council (W.B.C.), International Boxing Organization (I.B.O.), World Boxing Organization (W.B.O.), World Professional Boxing Federation (W.P.B.F.), and United States Boxing Council (U.S.B.C.).
Scoring
Scoring in professional fighting is a simple process. The most common scoring system is based on what is called the “10-point system.” With the 10-point system, a judge must give at least one of the fighters 10 points for a round. The judge may give the other fighter 10 points too, or they may give them a lower number of points. Most rounds are scored 10-9, with 10 points for the fighter who won the round, and 9 points for the fighter who lost the round.
Deductions are made after the judge determines the initial score for the round. A one-point deduction is made when a fighter is knocked down. If he’s knocked down twice, then a total of two points are deducted. Also, if the fighter commits a foul, then one point is deducted.
As an example, if a round is scored 10-9 but the winner of the round committed a foul, then the score would be 9-9, as the one who was winning the round has lost a point due to his foul. If the fighter who won the round knocked down his opponent, the opponent would lose a point. The score for the round would be 9-8.
Boxing Technique
Although boxing technique is based on a few specifics, the combination of techniques can become highly complex. Fighters have to be able to fluidly attack and defend. The ability to jab and punch is obvious, and creating a combination of punches can devastate an opponent.
Footwork is essential – many boxers have won bouts with agility that allows them to quickly take and then dance away from their attackers. Blocking an opponent’s punches and ducking away are important techniques that ensure that the opponent does not do damage.
Prep and the Fight
Successful fighters must have stamina, strength, and quickness. They are able to take a strategy for a particular fight, developed by their trainer and team, and execute it during the match. Preparing and training for title fights is an intense experience involving months of hard work. Many fighters are known for totally immersing themselves in the training process when preparing for a big fight.
In today’s world of professional boxing, fighters train all the time, even when not preparing for a major bout, in order to be in the best shape possible. Advanced training techniques are utilized by trainers and staff, including those dedicated to healthy eating habits, maintenance and advancement of a fighter’s physical attributes, skill development, and mental conditioning.
The Boxers
Today, boxing is not as popular with fans or sports bettors as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). However, boxing matches still offer great value as long as sports bettors have done their homework.