Boxing Betting Odds Explained

If you’re not familiar with betting on boxing, you might need a little help in having boxing betting odds explained. That’s what we’re here to help with. On this page, we not only explain how to read betting odds, but we also go over how to bet on boxing. At boxing betting odds explained, we go over the most common wager types and the odds associated with them, so that by the time you’re ready to wager on a boxing match, you’ll feel like an expert.

No matter what side of the bout you choose to bet on, remember that anything can happen in boxing. Major underdogs are known to be punching bags for the title holders and favorites but this isn’t always the case. Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson, giving bettors 42 times their money in 1990. More recently, a 33-1 Andy Ruiz Jr. beat Anthony Joshua in a heavyweight championship.

How To Read American Boxing Odds

When it all comes down to it, boxing betting odds are not that different than any other odds. One way to present boxing betting odds is in the standard American format. In this form, fighters will have a number associated with their name. This is their line. When it has a (-) symbol next to it, it shows they are the favorite. When it has the (+), it shows they are the underdog. A number with a (-) symbol denotes how much you would have to pay in order to make $100, while a number with a (+) symbol shows what you stand to gain based on a $100 wager.

• Manny Pacquiao -650
• Jeff Horn +425

In this situation, Pacquiao is favored. This means oddsmakers think he has a better chance to win. If you bet on him, you would have to wager $650 to win $100, if he wins the fight. If you bet on Jeff Horn, you only have to bet $100 to win $425 if he wins the match. This is because he is perceived as “less likely” to win.

Understanding Boxing Betting Odds In Fractional Form

Fractional betting odds are another common way to have a fight’s betting odds presented. Figuring out your payout when odds are in fractional form is pretty simple. The denominator (bottom number) will always show what you have to stake, while the numerator (top number) will denote what you stand to gain. You can tell a competitor is favored when the denominator is higher than the numerator.

• Manny Pacquiao 3/20
• Jeff Horn 17/4

We used the same example from before for continuity. Pacquiao is the favorite in this fight, and you would have to bet $20 just to win $3, or about .15 cents for every $1 wagered. So if you bet $100, your profit would be $15. On the other side of that, Horn is a 17/4 underdog. For every $4 risked, you earn $17, or $4.25 for every $1 wagered. On a $100 risk, you’d gain $425 if Horn were to win.

Fractional and American odds denote the same payout, you just have to calculate it a different way. 3/20 odds are the same as -650 and would earn you the same payout. Most online sports betting sites will allow you to change between the two different types of odds, as well, so you can read a boxing betting line however you’d like.

There is one more incredibly important thing to remember when it comes to reading boxing betting lines – odds are not a reflection of actual chance. Odds and betting lines are influenced by public opinion more than anything. Oddsmakers will use basic stats to formulate who is more likely to win a match, but after that, the lines move based on how bettors are wagering. So if you do your research and everything you see points to Horn being able to beat Pacquiao, don’t be intimidated by his underdog status. Your ability to read odds and truly understand how they’re formulated can help you win big.

Betting On A Fighter To Win The Fight

This is the simplest way you can bet on a fight. This is a bet on the outright winner of the match, much like a moneyline bet in other sports. This is as straightforward as you can get when betting on boxing. They’re also the most common boxing betting odds. No matter what, a match will at least have odds on who will win the fight, even if there’s no other way to wager on the fight.

Article: How To Wager on Fighters

Boxing Prop Bets Explained

Prop bets are bets made on individual aspects of a match, rather than just on the winner of the fight. So when you bet on props, you have the option to bet on the number of rounds a match will go, who will win in which round, or the method of victory by which they win. Some matches will be very high profile, and on those, you’ll generally find even more props like if the fight will go the distance or how many viewers there will be. Below are the most common boxing prop betting odds, explained.

Round Betting

Sometimes, boxing matches will have rounds betting odds. This means that you can bet on which round you think the fight will be decided in. This allows you to get a little more detailed with the wagers you’re placing. Generally, you’ll have betting odds on each round for each fighter, as well as odds on the match going to a draw or a decision. Rounds betting generally yields a much higher payout but is also a bit trickier to win. If you bet on Fighter A to win in the 12th round and he wins in the 11th, your bet is considered a loss.

Round Group Betting

If rounds betting odds are a little too adventurous for your taste, but you have an approximation of when a fighter will win, try rounds group betting. Odds for these will be assigned to a set of rounds, usually in groups of three. Betting on a rounds group yields less of a payout than just a regular round betting, but in exchange is easier to win. Betting on Fighter A to win in the 10th-12th gives you three chances to win your bet. It’s like a little safety cushion when betting on boxing.

Betting On The Fight Outcome

When betting on boxing, you will more than likely see lines on the fight outcome. This is a general way to wager on how the fight will end, and only has five options. Each fighter will be given odds to win by knockout, technical knockout, or disqualification. Each fighter will be given odds to win by decision or technical decision, and the match will be given odds to end in a draw or technical draw.

Total Rounds

Boxing totals are pretty much the same as any other betting totals, but instead of points, you’re betting on the total number of rounds the match will last. For fights that seem to be more one-sided, oddsmakers will probably favor the under, as the underdog probably won’t be able to keep up. A more even fight might see the over favored. Boxing totals betting odds can be found alongside prop bets at most sportsbooks. A subset of a total rounds bet is betting on whether the fight will go the distance. This is offered much less often, so you shouldn’t expect to see it on every fight. It’s a yes or no proposition bet, wherein you bet on whether or not the fight will last through every round.

Parlays

When you are betting on boxing, you can create a parlay card. When you wager on a parlay card, you can generally combine anywhere from 2-15 different wagers on a single card. Doing so makes the payout much more appealing than a whole bunch of singular bets. However, parlay bets are incredibly hard to win. If you’re wrong on even a single element of a parlay card, your entire bet is considered a loss.

If you do decide to create a boxing parlay bet, it will have to be a parlay card made of moneyline bets. Sportsbooks won’t create a boxing parlay with prop bets due in large part to wagering limits. So if you are ready to watch a match and like all of the fights on the card leading up to the main event, you can create a small or large parlay of all the fights to try and win a nice sum of money.

Live Betting On Boxing

While you are able to bet on boxing events before they begin, you are also able to wager of them once they have heard the first bell. With live betting, bettors can see updated odds as each second of the clock ticks off. Live betting can be tricky in boxing, as the favorite who seems to be winning can get knocked out the second after you place your wager. However, with other prop bets available, it creates more entertainment on top of the actual fight.