Once one of the most watched sports in the world, boxing has steadily declined since the mid-1990s. However, there’s still an enormous market for the big fights, and with this market comes a plethora of potential betting markets you can explore. Here are our top 5 tips for betting on boxing.
This point applies to all sports betting markets. It doesn’t matter if you bet on boxing, football, American sports, or other combat sports such as MMA—you must understand how the market works. Many sports betting platforms operate a one-stop shop where you can access the top betting markets on one mobile app or website.
Other sportsbooks offer different markets to bet on, including alternate payment methods such as Bitcoin. Thunderpick Sportsbook provides Bitcoin betting options and boxing betting markets, so when we say research the market, we mean to branch out and find markets, payment methods, and sportsbooks that best suit your gambling style.
Many experts offer free predictions and tips for upcoming games but remember that these should only be taken as opinions. Although research often goes into these picks, that doesn’t mean that the tip is a guaranteed winner.
Each sports betting market will have a group of odds specific to their sport. For instance, here are some of the main ones you will find in boxing betting markets:
Over/under
Usually detailed as .5 options, such as a fight to go over 6.5 rounds. Most championship fights will take place over 12 rounds, but some smaller undercard fights take place over eight or ten - so be sure to look into this before you place your bet.
Group round betting
Usually displayed on sportsbooks as four groups of three rounds, 1-3, 4-6, etc.
Method of victory
There’s a key difference between a TKO and a KO victory. If you bet specifically on a KO, you are betting on a fighter to be counted out, such as when Daniel Dubois knocked out Anthony Joshua earlier this year. These odds will be higher as this is a rarer type of KO win.
Usually, referees wave off the fight, or the corner stops it by throwing in the towel or pulling their fighters out between rounds, such as the fight between Canelo and Billy Joe Saunders. Both go down as a KO win on the fighter record, but they are two different betting markets.
This may sound rather obvious, but the number of people who bet on sports or casino games they do not understand is pretty concerning. Given the many markets for people to access online, there’s a new wave of people itching to check out new sportsbooks.
Boxing certainly fits into that bracket as a niche sport, but those who bet on it must ensure they follow it to know how it works, what fighters to look out for, and how they could shape up against each other.
Other niche sports growing into the betting market include combat sports, such as MMA, and professional video gaming, also known as eSports. While eSports betting has a different set of markets and appeals to a different market, the rule remains the same: make sure you watch the sport and know it well before you place your bet.
Although the big events will often involve one big headline fight, many mega events have started to spread half a dozen world-level fights across the undercard. Many of the recent Riyadh Season events fit into this category, with the recent Bivol and Beterbiev rematch having an astonishing seven world title fights lined up on the undercard.
This type of event can inspire boxing fans to combine their odds and try to win a greater amount. Accumulator betting is also popular in other sports, such as football, when multiple games kick off at the same time. While this isn’t the case for boxing, those who want to combine their odds will often do so throughout the whole event.
Responsible gambling should lay at the foundation of any bets you place online. This doesn’t just apply to sports betting markets like boxing. It applies to all sports betting and all casino gaming, too.
Keep your bets within a manageable framework, ensuring you stick to any time or deposit limits you set yourself. Sports betting websites have a range of tools you can use, including cooling off periods and time-out limits - but if you feel like you are struggling, you should reach out to a problem gambling charity like Gamblers Anonymous, which can provide further assistance.
As you can see, many of these tips are interchangeable with those of other sports betting markets. They do not guarantee a return, nor do they offer a way to develop a strategy that will give you an advantage. Understand the sport, understand the markets, and bet within your means. They’re the biggest tips you can take away from today’s article.