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Most people who tuned in to watch Mike Tyson and Jake Paul face off ended up pretty disappointed in the bout that left plenty to be desired. However, there’s at least one sportsbook that was thrilled with what transpired due to the wagers it was able to drum up.
Mike Tyson was slated to face off against Jake Paul over the summer, but the fight was postponed until November 15th due to the medical setback the former suffered in the leadup to the original date.
That delay only allowed the hype to grow for a showdown between the 27-year-old social media star-turned boxer who boasted a 10-1 record heading into his clash with the 58-year-old Iron Mike, who brought a nearly 20-year hiatus to an end for the biggest spectacle the boxing world has seen since Mayweather vs. McGregor in 2017.
Plenty of people who hopped on Netflix to watch the fight on Friday were frustrated by the lag that plagued the stream, but I think it’s safe to assume the bulk of viewers who were able to watch it without any issues were just as underwhelmed by the lackluster and one-sided affair that saw Paul coast to victory via unanimous decision after lasting eight rounds where Tyson never even came close to landing one of the devastating punches he was known for in his prime.
It was a fairly predictable outcome when you consider Tyson was initially listed as a +275 underdog to Paul’s -275.
However, the odds shifted in the lead-up to the fight (Tyson was as low as +160 at one point against a foe who ended up at around -200) thanks to bettors who were able to convince themselves the former heavyweight champion still had some magic in the tank and others who simply wanted to see him knock the divisive YouTuber into another dimension and viewed a potential payday as a bonus.
According to the Associated Press, Paul’s victory was very good news for BetMGM, which says Tyson vs. Paul attracted four times more money and three times the number of bets than any other boxing match or MMA bout the sportsbook has taken action on since launching in 2018 (it wouldn’t be a stretch to suggest it was the biggest in the history of combat sports when you consider that launch coincided with the start of the legalized betting wave that’s swept the United States).
BetMGM didn’t release any specific figures concerning exactly how much money was wagered, but they certainly came out ahead when you consider 53% of the overall money was on Tyson to win compared to the 41% on Paul (6% of people were hoping it would end in a draw).
Tyson hinted he could get back in the ring following what most people assumed was his swan song, but it’s hard to imagine he’ll be a huge draw based on how he looked. Paul, on the other hand, improved to 11-1 as a pro and will likely have plenty of options to pick from when it comes to his next outing.