Whether you’re a fan of boxing or sports betting, when you start betting on boxing odds the fights you unlock a new level of enjoyment. Suddenly it’s not just the fighters that take a legendary prize purse for their win – you do too!
Betting on boxing is becoming increasingly popular, but a lot of gamblers still don’t understand how boxing odds work and miss out on (potentially) life-changing money. Today, we’ll fix that. I’ve even included a real-life example with my favorite fight of the year at the end, so stick around for that!
What are Boxing Odds?
Whether you’re a fan of the sport or not, if you want to win boxing bets, you need to understand boxing odds. Thankfully, boxing odds are pretty much the same as sports betting odds in principle, the numbers simply adapt to the actual sport’s events and definitions. Let’s start with the basics for now
Moneyline Odds: The most straightforward form of betting, where you pick the winner of the fight.
Over/Under Odds: Bets on whether the fight will go over or under a certain number of rounds.
Round Betting: Wagering on the specific round in which the fight will end.
These odds are set by the bookmakers and fluctuate on several factors, like public betting patterns and any information about the fighters that can impact the outcome. Things like injuries, personal history between the fighters, information that might’ve been leaked, etc.
If you want to know how to read odds in sports betting, I highly recommend you check out our piece on it. It’s an excellent complementary read, once you’re done with this betting on boxing odds crash course.
Types of Boxing Bets
You also got your types of bets, just like in any other sport. Here are the most common types of bets in boxing:
Moneyline Bets: you bet on who will win the match. The favorite will have negative odds, while the underdog will have positive odds.
Round Betting: Predict the exact round in which the fight will end.
Method of Victory: Betting on how the fight will end, such as by knockout (KO), technical knockout (TKO), or decision.
Prop Bets: you bet on specific things happening during the fight, such as whether a fighter will be knocked down.
Futures Bets: you place bets on outcomes of fights that will happen in the future. You could bet on a championship fight that is months away, for example.
How To Read Boxing Odds
Boxing odds are typically presented in any of these formats: American, Decimal or Fractional.
American Odds
You’ll see positive and negative numbers (such as -150, +200). In a nutshell, negative odds represent how much you’d have to bet to win $100. Positive odds tell you how much you can win if you bet $100.
- Example: +200 means a $100 bet wins $200.
- Another Example: -150 means you need to bet $150 to win $100.
Decimal Odds
These are popular in European sportsbooks, and they show how much money you’ll get for every $1 you bet. Higher odds mean higher payouts, fairly simple too.
- Example: 4.00 odds mean a $1 bet will return $4 (including the initial stake).
Fractional Odds
Fractional odds are common in the UK and they show up as fractions (like 2/1 or 5/2, etc.). They tell you the profit you’ll get for each dollar you place on the bet.
- Example: 5/2 odds mean a $2 bet will yield a $5 profit.
How it All Comes Together
Now we know everything we need to know for betting on boxing odds. Here’s how it all works together.
Let’s say you want to place a Moneyline bet on a fight. The odds are -150 for Fighter A, the favorite and +200 for Fighter B, the underdog.
What this means is that you’ll need to bet $150 for the favorite if you want to win $100
On the other hand, you’ll have to bet $100 on the underdog to win $200.
All we have to do is predict who will win, since this is a moneyline bet.
You’ll see these odds in all types of bets: over/under bets (total number of rounds the fight will last), Round Betting (specific round the fight will end), prop bets (special occurrences such as a knockout), and many others.
All these bets will have their specific odds tied to them, and the harder they’re to predict, the higher the payout. For example, predicting the round that a specific fight will end is pretty difficult to do, but the payouts are well-worth it.
Let’s go one step further though. Let’s take (what I believe) was the best fight of 2023: Jaime Munguia vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko and see how we could’ve gotten the most bang for our buck, had we bet on the fight.
Betting on Boxing Odds: Real-life Example
Here’s how the boxing odds looked like for this fight:
Jaime Munguia vs Sergiy Derevyanchenko
Jaime Munguia – Open: -400 ; Closing: -500
Sergiy Derevyanchenko – Open: +275 ; Closing: +450
Munguia opened at -400, so you’d have to bet $400 just to win $100. This shifted to -500 later on, so you’d need to bet $500 to win $100 because more and more people were betting on Munguia, making him an even stronger favorite.
Derevyanchenko, on the other hand, opened at +275. If you bet $100 on him, you’d win $275 if he pulled off the upset. But his closing odds moved to +450, meaning that he was even more of an underdog as the fight continued.
He never really equalized thing because people didn’t think he could take it, but I gotta tell you, imagine you had bet on him, and he got a lucky shot in. He did surprisingly well, so it could’ve definitely happened.
Anyway, let’s imagine that you bet $100 on Munguia at the closing odds of -500. If he wins, you’d only profit $20 ($100 / 5), plus you’d get your original $100 back, so a total of $120.
Now, if you went with the underdog and bet $100 on Derevyanchenko at +450, and he pulls off the upset, you’d win $450, plus your original $100 back, making it $550 total. Now that’s a substantial payout!
So, that’s how betting on boxing odds work: you pick the favorite, you earn less, you pick the underdog and you win more (if they manage to literally overcome the odds). You shouldn’t bet on a sport you know nothing about, and this certainly applies to boxing too.
So, now that we have the results, how could we have made the most money out of this fight?
Method of Victory Bet:
Betting on Munguia by decision would’ve been a profitable bet. It would’ve had better odds than winning by TKO or Knockout (a lot would’ve expected him to send Derevyanchenko to the canvas).
Over/Under Rounds Bet:
Derevyanchenko’s reputation for being tough as nails might’ve been reason enough to bet on the fight going the distance or at least into the later rounds. The fight was brutal with tremendous up-and-downs that could’ve ended things right there and then, so that would’ve been quite a ride to endure. It also goes to show that reputation alone is no guarantee for these types of bets.
So, betting on the over 9.5 rounds (assuming that was the line), would’ve netted you some money.
Live Betting
If you were watching live and noticed that Munguia was dominating but Derevyanchenko was holding on, a live bet on the fight going the distance could have been wise. The fight was absolutely phenomenal, so quite a few would’ve bet on a late knockout instead of a decision win.
Round Group Betting (Munguia to Win in Rounds 9-12 or Decision)
Since Munguia didn’t get the stoppage, betting on him to win in the later rounds or by decision in a grouped bet would’ve been smart. You cover multiple outcomes and substantially increase your chances of a return.
You could’ve also just bet on the fight to “Go The Distance”. This bet usually provides decent returns, especially in a match where one fighter is known for knockouts (Munguia) but the opponent is durable (Derevyanchenko). It just further proves that understanding the fighters and how their style clash is exceptionally important to predicting outcomes. However, this would’ve been a riskier choice compared to round group betting.
As you can see, reading the odds would’ve already told you that Munguia was a clear favorite to win (he did), but that underdogs can sometimes still pull through. Like I said, the fight was absolutely phenomenal, and betting on Derevyanchenko could’ve netted some incredible results had he had gotten a devastating hit in. However, as the public betting showed, Munguia taking it was the right decision.
Anyway, that’s basically how betting on boxing odds works. I’ve found that it’s always easier to understand all of these concepts with practical examples rather than just theory. Mastering the odds requires both though, so remember to take a second look at our how to read betting odds piece to get that complete picture!
FAQs about Betting on Boxing Odds
How do I understand boxing betting odds?
Boxing betting odds represent the probability of an outcome. Positive odds (e.g., +150) show the profit on a $100 bet, while negative odds (e.g., -150) indicate how much you must bet to win $100.
What is the underdog in boxing bets?
The underdog in boxing is the fighter with less likelihood of winning, typically reflected with positive odds, meaning a higher payout if they win.
What are the odds on tonight’s boxing match?
Odds for a specific match depend on the fighters, their records, and betting trends. You can check sportsbook platforms like DraftKings or BetMGM for updated odds.
Where is the best place to bet on boxing?
Popular online sportsbooks like FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM are commonly used for betting on boxing, offering competitive odds and various markets.
Whether you’re a fan of boxing or sports betting, when you start betting on boxing odds the fights you unlock a new level of enjoyment. Suddenly it’s not just the fighters that take a legendary prize purse for their win – you do too!
Betting on boxing is becoming increasingly popular, but a lot of gamblers still don’t understand how boxing odds work and miss out on (potentially) life-changing money. Today, we’ll fix that. I’ve even included a real-life example with my favorite fight of the year at the end, so stick around for that!
What are Boxing Odds?
Whether you’re a fan of the sport or not, if you want to win boxing bets, you need to understand boxing odds. Thankfully, boxing odds are pretty much the same as sports betting odds in principle, the numbers simply adapt to the actual sport’s events and definitions. Let’s start with the basics for now
Moneyline Odds: The most straightforward form of betting, where you pick the winner of the fight.
Over/Under Odds: Bets on whether the fight will go over or under a certain number of rounds.
Round Betting: Wagering on the specific round in which the fight will end.
These odds are set by the bookmakers and fluctuate on several factors, like public betting patterns and any information about the fighters that can impact the outcome. Things like injuries, personal history between the fighters, information that might’ve been leaked, etc.
If you want to know how to read odds in sports betting, I highly recommend you check out our piece on it. It’s an excellent complementary read, once you’re done with this betting on boxing odds crash course.
Types of Boxing Bets
You also got your types of bets, just like in any other sport. Here are the most common types of bets in boxing:
Moneyline Bets: you bet on who will win the match. The favorite will have negative odds, while the underdog will have positive odds.
Round Betting: Predict the exact round in which the fight will end.
Method of Victory: Betting on how the fight will end, such as by knockout (KO), technical knockout (TKO), or decision.
Prop Bets: you bet on specific things happening during the fight, such as whether a fighter will be knocked down.
Futures Bets: you place bets on outcomes of fights that will happen in the future. You could bet on a championship fight that is months away, for example.
How To Read Boxing Odds
Boxing odds are typically presented in any of these formats: American, Decimal or Fractional.
American Odds
You’ll see positive and negative numbers (such as -150, +200). In a nutshell, negative odds represent how much you’d have to bet to win $100. Positive odds tell you how much you can win if you bet $100.
- Example: +200 means a $100 bet wins $200.
- Another Example: -150 means you need to bet $150 to win $100.
Decimal Odds
These are popular in European sportsbooks, and they show how much money you’ll get for every $1 you bet. Higher odds mean higher payouts, fairly simple too.
- Example: 4.00 odds mean a $1 bet will return $4 (including the initial stake).
Fractional Odds
Fractional odds are common in the UK and they show up as fractions (like 2/1 or 5/2, etc.). They tell you the profit you’ll get for each dollar you place on the bet.
- Example: 5/2 odds mean a $2 bet will yield a $5 profit.
How it All Comes Together
Now we know everything we need to know for betting on boxing odds. Here’s how it all works together.
Let’s say you want to place a Moneyline bet on a fight. The odds are -150 for Fighter A, the favorite and +200 for Fighter B, the underdog.
What this means is that you’ll need to bet $150 for the favorite if you want to win $100
On the other hand, you’ll have to bet $100 on the underdog to win $200.
All we have to do is predict who will win, since this is a moneyline bet.
You’ll see these odds in all types of bets: over/under bets (total number of rounds the fight will last), Round Betting (specific round the fight will end), prop bets (special occurrences such as a knockout), and many others.
All these bets will have their specific odds tied to them, and the harder they’re to predict, the higher the payout. For example, predicting the round that a specific fight will end is pretty difficult to do, but the payouts are well-worth it.
Let’s go one step further though. Let’s take (what I believe) was the best fight of 2023: Jaime Munguia vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko and see how we could’ve gotten the most bang for our buck, had we bet on the fight.
Betting on Boxing Odds: Real-life Example
Here’s how the boxing odds looked like for this fight:
Jaime Munguia vs Sergiy Derevyanchenko
Jaime Munguia – Open: -400 ; Closing: -500
Sergiy Derevyanchenko – Open: +275 ; Closing: +450
Munguia opened at -400, so you’d have to bet $400 just to win $100. This shifted to -500 later on, so you’d need to bet $500 to win $100 because more and more people were betting on Munguia, making him an even stronger favorite.
Derevyanchenko, on the other hand, opened at +275. If you bet $100 on him, you’d win $275 if he pulled off the upset. But his closing odds moved to +450, meaning that he was even more of an underdog as the fight continued.
He never really equalized thing because people didn’t think he could take it, but I gotta tell you, imagine you had bet on him, and he got a lucky shot in. He did surprisingly well, so it could’ve definitely happened.
Anyway, let’s imagine that you bet $100 on Munguia at the closing odds of -500. If he wins, you’d only profit $20 ($100 / 5), plus you’d get your original $100 back, so a total of $120.
Now, if you went with the underdog and bet $100 on Derevyanchenko at +450, and he pulls off the upset, you’d win $450, plus your original $100 back, making it $550 total. Now that’s a substantial payout!
So, that’s how betting on boxing odds work: you pick the favorite, you earn less, you pick the underdog and you win more (if they manage to literally overcome the odds). You shouldn’t bet on a sport you know nothing about, and this certainly applies to boxing too.
So, now that we have the results, how could we have made the most money out of this fight?
Method of Victory Bet:
Betting on Munguia by decision would’ve been a profitable bet. It would’ve had better odds than winning by TKO or Knockout (a lot would’ve expected him to send Derevyanchenko to the canvas).
Over/Under Rounds Bet:
Derevyanchenko’s reputation for being tough as nails might’ve been reason enough to bet on the fight going the distance or at least into the later rounds. The fight was brutal with tremendous up-and-downs that could’ve ended things right there and then, so that would’ve been quite a ride to endure. It also goes to show that reputation alone is no guarantee for these types of bets.
So, betting on the over 9.5 rounds (assuming that was the line), would’ve netted you some money.
Live Betting
If you were watching live and noticed that Munguia was dominating but Derevyanchenko was holding on, a live bet on the fight going the distance could have been wise. The fight was absolutely phenomenal, so quite a few would’ve bet on a late knockout instead of a decision win.
Round Group Betting (Munguia to Win in Rounds 9-12 or Decision)
Since Munguia didn’t get the stoppage, betting on him to win in the later rounds or by decision in a grouped bet would’ve been smart. You cover multiple outcomes and substantially increase your chances of a return.
You could’ve also just bet on the fight to “Go The Distance”. This bet usually provides decent returns, especially in a match where one fighter is known for knockouts (Munguia) but the opponent is durable (Derevyanchenko). It just further proves that understanding the fighters and how their style clash is exceptionally important to predicting outcomes. However, this would’ve been a riskier choice compared to round group betting.
As you can see, reading the odds would’ve already told you that Munguia was a clear favorite to win (he did), but that underdogs can sometimes still pull through. Like I said, the fight was absolutely phenomenal, and betting on Derevyanchenko could’ve netted some incredible results had he had gotten a devastating hit in. However, as the public betting showed, Munguia taking it was the right decision.
Anyway, that’s basically how betting on boxing odds works. I’ve found that it’s always easier to understand all of these concepts with practical examples rather than just theory. Mastering the odds requires both though, so remember to take a second look at our how to read betting odds piece to get that complete picture!
FAQs about Betting on Boxing Odds
How do I understand boxing betting odds?
Boxing betting odds represent the probability of an outcome. Positive odds (e.g., +150) show the profit on a $100 bet, while negative odds (e.g., -150) indicate how much you must bet to win $100.
What is the underdog in boxing bets?
The underdog in boxing is the fighter with less likelihood of winning, typically reflected with positive odds, meaning a higher payout if they win.
What are the odds on tonight’s boxing match?
Odds for a specific match depend on the fighters, their records, and betting trends. You can check sportsbook platforms like DraftKings or BetMGM for updated odds.
Where is the best place to bet on boxing?
Popular online sportsbooks like FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM are commonly used for betting on boxing, offering competitive odds and various markets.
Related Posts
Whether you’re a fan of boxing or sports betting, when you start betting on boxing odds the fights you unlock a new level of enjoyment. Suddenly it’s not just the fighters that take a legendary prize purse for their win – you do too!
Betting on boxing is becoming increasingly popular, but a lot of gamblers still don’t understand how boxing odds work and miss out on (potentially) life-changing money. Today, we’ll fix that. I’ve even included a real-life example with my favorite fight of the year at the end, so stick around for that!
What are Boxing Odds?
Whether you’re a fan of the sport or not, if you want to win boxing bets, you need to understand boxing odds. Thankfully, boxing odds are pretty much the same as sports betting odds in principle, the numbers simply adapt to the actual sport’s events and definitions. Let’s start with the basics for now
Moneyline Odds: The most straightforward form of betting, where you pick the winner of the fight.
Over/Under Odds: Bets on whether the fight will go over or under a certain number of rounds.
Round Betting: Wagering on the specific round in which the fight will end.
These odds are set by the bookmakers and fluctuate on several factors, like public betting patterns and any information about the fighters that can impact the outcome. Things like injuries, personal history between the fighters, information that might’ve been leaked, etc.
If you want to know how to read odds in sports betting, I highly recommend you check out our piece on it. It’s an excellent complementary read, once you’re done with this betting on boxing odds crash course.
Types of Boxing Bets
You also got your types of bets, just like in any other sport. Here are the most common types of bets in boxing:
Moneyline Bets: you bet on who will win the match. The favorite will have negative odds, while the underdog will have positive odds.
Round Betting: Predict the exact round in which the fight will end.
Method of Victory: Betting on how the fight will end, such as by knockout (KO), technical knockout (TKO), or decision.
Prop Bets: you bet on specific things happening during the fight, such as whether a fighter will be knocked down.
Futures Bets: you place bets on outcomes of fights that will happen in the future. You could bet on a championship fight that is months away, for example.
How To Read Boxing Odds
Boxing odds are typically presented in any of these formats: American, Decimal or Fractional.
American Odds
You’ll see positive and negative numbers (such as -150, +200). In a nutshell, negative odds represent how much you’d have to bet to win $100. Positive odds tell you how much you can win if you bet $100.
- Example: +200 means a $100 bet wins $200.
- Another Example: -150 means you need to bet $150 to win $100.
Decimal Odds
These are popular in European sportsbooks, and they show how much money you’ll get for every $1 you bet. Higher odds mean higher payouts, fairly simple too.
- Example: 4.00 odds mean a $1 bet will return $4 (including the initial stake).
Fractional Odds
Fractional odds are common in the UK and they show up as fractions (like 2/1 or 5/2, etc.). They tell you the profit you’ll get for each dollar you place on the bet.
- Example: 5/2 odds mean a $2 bet will yield a $5 profit.
How it All Comes Together
Now we know everything we need to know for betting on boxing odds. Here’s how it all works together.
Let’s say you want to place a Moneyline bet on a fight. The odds are -150 for Fighter A, the favorite and +200 for Fighter B, the underdog.
What this means is that you’ll need to bet $150 for the favorite if you want to win $100
On the other hand, you’ll have to bet $100 on the underdog to win $200.
All we have to do is predict who will win, since this is a moneyline bet.
You’ll see these odds in all types of bets: over/under bets (total number of rounds the fight will last), Round Betting (specific round the fight will end), prop bets (special occurrences such as a knockout), and many others.
All these bets will have their specific odds tied to them, and the harder they’re to predict, the higher the payout. For example, predicting the round that a specific fight will end is pretty difficult to do, but the payouts are well-worth it.
Let’s go one step further though. Let’s take (what I believe) was the best fight of 2023: Jaime Munguia vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko and see how we could’ve gotten the most bang for our buck, had we bet on the fight.
Betting on Boxing Odds: Real-life Example
Here’s how the boxing odds looked like for this fight:
Jaime Munguia vs Sergiy Derevyanchenko
Jaime Munguia – Open: -400 ; Closing: -500
Sergiy Derevyanchenko – Open: +275 ; Closing: +450
Munguia opened at -400, so you’d have to bet $400 just to win $100. This shifted to -500 later on, so you’d need to bet $500 to win $100 because more and more people were betting on Munguia, making him an even stronger favorite.
Derevyanchenko, on the other hand, opened at +275. If you bet $100 on him, you’d win $275 if he pulled off the upset. But his closing odds moved to +450, meaning that he was even more of an underdog as the fight continued.
He never really equalized thing because people didn’t think he could take it, but I gotta tell you, imagine you had bet on him, and he got a lucky shot in. He did surprisingly well, so it could’ve definitely happened.
Anyway, let’s imagine that you bet $100 on Munguia at the closing odds of -500. If he wins, you’d only profit $20 ($100 / 5), plus you’d get your original $100 back, so a total of $120.
Now, if you went with the underdog and bet $100 on Derevyanchenko at +450, and he pulls off the upset, you’d win $450, plus your original $100 back, making it $550 total. Now that’s a substantial payout!
So, that’s how betting on boxing odds work: you pick the favorite, you earn less, you pick the underdog and you win more (if they manage to literally overcome the odds). You shouldn’t bet on a sport you know nothing about, and this certainly applies to boxing too.
So, now that we have the results, how could we have made the most money out of this fight?
Method of Victory Bet:
Betting on Munguia by decision would’ve been a profitable bet. It would’ve had better odds than winning by TKO or Knockout (a lot would’ve expected him to send Derevyanchenko to the canvas).
Over/Under Rounds Bet:
Derevyanchenko’s reputation for being tough as nails might’ve been reason enough to bet on the fight going the distance or at least into the later rounds. The fight was brutal with tremendous up-and-downs that could’ve ended things right there and then, so that would’ve been quite a ride to endure. It also goes to show that reputation alone is no guarantee for these types of bets.
So, betting on the over 9.5 rounds (assuming that was the line), would’ve netted you some money.
Live Betting
If you were watching live and noticed that Munguia was dominating but Derevyanchenko was holding on, a live bet on the fight going the distance could have been wise. The fight was absolutely phenomenal, so quite a few would’ve bet on a late knockout instead of a decision win.
Round Group Betting (Munguia to Win in Rounds 9-12 or Decision)
Since Munguia didn’t get the stoppage, betting on him to win in the later rounds or by decision in a grouped bet would’ve been smart. You cover multiple outcomes and substantially increase your chances of a return.
You could’ve also just bet on the fight to “Go The Distance”. This bet usually provides decent returns, especially in a match where one fighter is known for knockouts (Munguia) but the opponent is durable (Derevyanchenko). It just further proves that understanding the fighters and how their style clash is exceptionally important to predicting outcomes. However, this would’ve been a riskier choice compared to round group betting.
As you can see, reading the odds would’ve already told you that Munguia was a clear favorite to win (he did), but that underdogs can sometimes still pull through. Like I said, the fight was absolutely phenomenal, and betting on Derevyanchenko could’ve netted some incredible results had he had gotten a devastating hit in. However, as the public betting showed, Munguia taking it was the right decision.
Anyway, that’s basically how betting on boxing odds works. I’ve found that it’s always easier to understand all of these concepts with practical examples rather than just theory. Mastering the odds requires both though, so remember to take a second look at our how to read betting odds piece to get that complete picture!
FAQs about Betting on Boxing Odds
How do I understand boxing betting odds?
Boxing betting odds represent the probability of an outcome. Positive odds (e.g., +150) show the profit on a $100 bet, while negative odds (e.g., -150) indicate how much you must bet to win $100.
What is the underdog in boxing bets?
The underdog in boxing is the fighter with less likelihood of winning, typically reflected with positive odds, meaning a higher payout if they win.
What are the odds on tonight’s boxing match?
Odds for a specific match depend on the fighters, their records, and betting trends. You can check sportsbook platforms like DraftKings or BetMGM for updated odds.
Where is the best place to bet on boxing?
Popular online sportsbooks like FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM are commonly used for betting on boxing, offering competitive odds and various markets.
Whether you’re a fan of boxing or sports betting, when you start betting on boxing odds the fights you unlock a new level of enjoyment. Suddenly it’s not just the fighters that take a legendary prize purse for their win – you do too!
Betting on boxing is becoming increasingly popular, but a lot of gamblers still don’t understand how boxing odds work and miss out on (potentially) life-changing money. Today, we’ll fix that. I’ve even included a real-life example with my favorite fight of the year at the end, so stick around for that!
What are Boxing Odds?
Whether you’re a fan of the sport or not, if you want to win boxing bets, you need to understand boxing odds. Thankfully, boxing odds are pretty much the same as sports betting odds in principle, the numbers simply adapt to the actual sport’s events and definitions. Let’s start with the basics for now
Moneyline Odds: The most straightforward form of betting, where you pick the winner of the fight.
Over/Under Odds: Bets on whether the fight will go over or under a certain number of rounds.
Round Betting: Wagering on the specific round in which the fight will end.
These odds are set by the bookmakers and fluctuate on several factors, like public betting patterns and any information about the fighters that can impact the outcome. Things like injuries, personal history between the fighters, information that might’ve been leaked, etc.
If you want to know how to read odds in sports betting, I highly recommend you check out our piece on it. It’s an excellent complementary read, once you’re done with this betting on boxing odds crash course.
Types of Boxing Bets
You also got your types of bets, just like in any other sport. Here are the most common types of bets in boxing:
Moneyline Bets: you bet on who will win the match. The favorite will have negative odds, while the underdog will have positive odds.
Round Betting: Predict the exact round in which the fight will end.
Method of Victory: Betting on how the fight will end, such as by knockout (KO), technical knockout (TKO), or decision.
Prop Bets: you bet on specific things happening during the fight, such as whether a fighter will be knocked down.
Futures Bets: you place bets on outcomes of fights that will happen in the future. You could bet on a championship fight that is months away, for example.
How To Read Boxing Odds
Boxing odds are typically presented in any of these formats: American, Decimal or Fractional.
American Odds
You’ll see positive and negative numbers (such as -150, +200). In a nutshell, negative odds represent how much you’d have to bet to win $100. Positive odds tell you how much you can win if you bet $100.
- Example: +200 means a $100 bet wins $200.
- Another Example: -150 means you need to bet $150 to win $100.
Decimal Odds
These are popular in European sportsbooks, and they show how much money you’ll get for every $1 you bet. Higher odds mean higher payouts, fairly simple too.
- Example: 4.00 odds mean a $1 bet will return $4 (including the initial stake).
Fractional Odds
Fractional odds are common in the UK and they show up as fractions (like 2/1 or 5/2, etc.). They tell you the profit you’ll get for each dollar you place on the bet.
- Example: 5/2 odds mean a $2 bet will yield a $5 profit.
How it All Comes Together
Now we know everything we need to know for betting on boxing odds. Here’s how it all works together.
Let’s say you want to place a Moneyline bet on a fight. The odds are -150 for Fighter A, the favorite and +200 for Fighter B, the underdog.
What this means is that you’ll need to bet $150 for the favorite if you want to win $100
On the other hand, you’ll have to bet $100 on the underdog to win $200.
All we have to do is predict who will win, since this is a moneyline bet.
You’ll see these odds in all types of bets: over/under bets (total number of rounds the fight will last), Round Betting (specific round the fight will end), prop bets (special occurrences such as a knockout), and many others.
All these bets will have their specific odds tied to them, and the harder they’re to predict, the higher the payout. For example, predicting the round that a specific fight will end is pretty difficult to do, but the payouts are well-worth it.
Let’s go one step further though. Let’s take (what I believe) was the best fight of 2023: Jaime Munguia vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko and see how we could’ve gotten the most bang for our buck, had we bet on the fight.
Betting on Boxing Odds: Real-life Example
Here’s how the boxing odds looked like for this fight:
Jaime Munguia vs Sergiy Derevyanchenko
Jaime Munguia – Open: -400 ; Closing: -500
Sergiy Derevyanchenko – Open: +275 ; Closing: +450
Munguia opened at -400, so you’d have to bet $400 just to win $100. This shifted to -500 later on, so you’d need to bet $500 to win $100 because more and more people were betting on Munguia, making him an even stronger favorite.
Derevyanchenko, on the other hand, opened at +275. If you bet $100 on him, you’d win $275 if he pulled off the upset. But his closing odds moved to +450, meaning that he was even more of an underdog as the fight continued.
He never really equalized thing because people didn’t think he could take it, but I gotta tell you, imagine you had bet on him, and he got a lucky shot in. He did surprisingly well, so it could’ve definitely happened.
Anyway, let’s imagine that you bet $100 on Munguia at the closing odds of -500. If he wins, you’d only profit $20 ($100 / 5), plus you’d get your original $100 back, so a total of $120.
Now, if you went with the underdog and bet $100 on Derevyanchenko at +450, and he pulls off the upset, you’d win $450, plus your original $100 back, making it $550 total. Now that’s a substantial payout!
So, that’s how betting on boxing odds work: you pick the favorite, you earn less, you pick the underdog and you win more (if they manage to literally overcome the odds). You shouldn’t bet on a sport you know nothing about, and this certainly applies to boxing too.
So, now that we have the results, how could we have made the most money out of this fight?
Method of Victory Bet:
Betting on Munguia by decision would’ve been a profitable bet. It would’ve had better odds than winning by TKO or Knockout (a lot would’ve expected him to send Derevyanchenko to the canvas).
Over/Under Rounds Bet:
Derevyanchenko’s reputation for being tough as nails might’ve been reason enough to bet on the fight going the distance or at least into the later rounds. The fight was brutal with tremendous up-and-downs that could’ve ended things right there and then, so that would’ve been quite a ride to endure. It also goes to show that reputation alone is no guarantee for these types of bets.
So, betting on the over 9.5 rounds (assuming that was the line), would’ve netted you some money.
Live Betting
If you were watching live and noticed that Munguia was dominating but Derevyanchenko was holding on, a live bet on the fight going the distance could have been wise. The fight was absolutely phenomenal, so quite a few would’ve bet on a late knockout instead of a decision win.
Round Group Betting (Munguia to Win in Rounds 9-12 or Decision)
Since Munguia didn’t get the stoppage, betting on him to win in the later rounds or by decision in a grouped bet would’ve been smart. You cover multiple outcomes and substantially increase your chances of a return.
You could’ve also just bet on the fight to “Go The Distance”. This bet usually provides decent returns, especially in a match where one fighter is known for knockouts (Munguia) but the opponent is durable (Derevyanchenko). It just further proves that understanding the fighters and how their style clash is exceptionally important to predicting outcomes. However, this would’ve been a riskier choice compared to round group betting.
As you can see, reading the odds would’ve already told you that Munguia was a clear favorite to win (he did), but that underdogs can sometimes still pull through. Like I said, the fight was absolutely phenomenal, and betting on Derevyanchenko could’ve netted some incredible results had he had gotten a devastating hit in. However, as the public betting showed, Munguia taking it was the right decision.
Anyway, that’s basically how betting on boxing odds works. I’ve found that it’s always easier to understand all of these concepts with practical examples rather than just theory. Mastering the odds requires both though, so remember to take a second look at our how to read betting odds piece to get that complete picture!
FAQs about Betting on Boxing Odds
How do I understand boxing betting odds?
Boxing betting odds represent the probability of an outcome. Positive odds (e.g., +150) show the profit on a $100 bet, while negative odds (e.g., -150) indicate how much you must bet to win $100.
What is the underdog in boxing bets?
The underdog in boxing is the fighter with less likelihood of winning, typically reflected with positive odds, meaning a higher payout if they win.
What are the odds on tonight’s boxing match?
Odds for a specific match depend on the fighters, their records, and betting trends. You can check sportsbook platforms like DraftKings or BetMGM for updated odds.
Where is the best place to bet on boxing?
Popular online sportsbooks like FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM are commonly used for betting on boxing, offering competitive odds and various markets.
