Boxing and Betting

Boxing is arguably one of the oldest and most widely-recognized sport fighting competitions around the world. Some would say that part and parcel of the sport is its gambling and betting component. Betting on boxing is pure, to a certain degree. I mean what can be clearer than a direct head-to-head between two individuals, vying to achieve victory over one other.

Given that, you’d think that a straight up bet would be simple. Well if you’re like me, things need to be learned the hard way. So I asked around and decided to learn and give it a shot.

Boxing in the Philippines

It turns out, asking around proved to be a reliable and quick method of getting a crash course on betting in boxing. I know that the Philippines is into boxing because of Manny Pacquaio, Elorde, Velasco, Donaire, and others. It’s just overwhelming how from the time that “Thrilla-in-a-Manila” happened up until now, the interest in the sport has only grown exponentially.

With that, the audience and following is also proportionately large. So it really wasn’t hard to get a friend to explain the rules and procedures and help me try it out.

Types of Betting in Boxing

There are several types of bets that can be made on a boxing match. There is also a lot to consider when placing a wager, but ultimately it will and should be your call. Here is a list of the types of bets that can be made and a quick explanation on the mechanics of how they work (some of the types of bets may have different names but it’ll pretty much follow the same format with slight variations, if any.)

Fight Winner

This one is the clearest and simplest category of betting. You pick a fighter to win and wait for the result – either your pick wins or losses. That’s it.

Result Method

This category covers the types of resolutions that a fight or bout can have. From knock-out, technical knock-out (TKO), draw, judge’s decision, or however way the boxing match should end. Only slightly more complex than the first category, you simply have to bet on who will win and add how they are going to achieve victory.

Round Betting

This category encompasses a selection of subcategories focused on what transpires based on the rounds. This is where you will see a lot of combinations of bets. A popular example of this would be over/under which is when you bet on whether the fight will last over a certain round number or under it. For example the line for the fight you want to bet on is set at 7, you will wager whether the fight will be resolved within rounds 1-6 (under) or rounds 8-12 (over). The line is determined by the house by looking at the fighters in the match and the likelihood of an early finish or a prolonged exchange. Some other examples of round betting subcategories are: odd/even, judges scores, round knockdowns, round winners, etc.

Conditional

This fourth category is where I will place all other peculiarities or arrangements. Personally, I’d leave these types to the more seasoned bettors as it can get quite specific and complicated. Some examples of this would be bets on punches landed, number of knockdowns,  group-fighter wins, and many more.

Summary

Betting in boxing can be quite fun, and if you’re interested enough is easy to learn. If you’re already into watching the sport and feel that you have good insight into how a match turns out then you may find this to be up your alley. Just remember, after all the odds and favorites are given out, ultimately it’s your decision and how much to bet and what to bet on.