Can You Bet On Yourself In Boxing? All the Legal Angles Here

The Law and Key Organizations

For many sports, you have a governing authority that either accepts or bans self-betting, but boxing in the US actually has 3 authorities that weigh in on this matter.

1. State Governments and Gaming Commissions
Each state in the US has its own laws regarding sports betting, and you’ll commonly see Floridians asking whether or not it’s legal to play casino games, or whether you can bet on sports in New York. The State gaming commissions are tasked with overseeing and enforcing these laws, regulating all forms of gambling (which includes betting on boxing).

2. Sports Governing Bodies:
So, you got your state laws, but there’s also the athletic commissions that oversee boxing in each state. For example, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) governs all boxing matches in Nevada and has its own rules regarding self-betting. We’ll talk more about Floyd Mayweather’s Jr. case and why his prop bet got rejected.

3. Federal Law:
There’s no specific federal law that directly addresses self-betting in boxing, but the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018 allows states to create and enforce their own sports betting laws.
In a nutshell, state laws and state athletic commissions work together to guarantee the sport remains untainted by gambling, and that every betting activity is compliant with the law.

Are you allowed to bet on yourself in boxing?

It depends on the state laws and the state athletic commission for that state. Let’s dive into what happened with Ryan Garcia to explain how this works.

The fight took place at the Barclays Center in New York, which is regulated by the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC). These guys oversee everything from safety protocols to the actual rules of the fight to ensure gambling does not get in the way of the event’s integrity.
As you might know, sports betting is legal in New York. A boxer is also allowed to bet on themselves as long as it’s done within the legal framework, so the wager must be placed through legal, regulated channels. A boxer can’t bet on themselves through illegal, unregulated bookies, that’s still illegal.

So, as you can see, Ryan Garcia did not break the law when he bet on himself to win the match against Davin Haney. It was all done through the proper channels and he created generational wealth in a single fight, which is incredible.

Floyd Mayweather Tried to Bet on Himself

But what about the famous Floyd Mayweather self-betting case? Why was it rejected?

Well, Ryan Garcia bet on a straight win, meaning that there were no additional conditions that could potentially muddy the outcome of the fight, or at least its specifics. Floyd Mayweather Jr. tried to place his bet at the M Resort in Las Vegas to bet on his fight against McGregor. Nevada and its State Athletic Commission allow boxers to bet on themselves, so what happened?

According to ESPN, he tried to bet $400,000 on winning the fight under 9.5 rounds, at –200 odds. We’ve gone over prop bets before, and we highly recommend you check out our piece on it to fully understand what the bet was about. As you’ll know, this bet had additional win conditions in order to pay out, so it was rejected.

The key difference is that Ryan Garcia strictly bet on himself to win, with no additional conditions specifying how he would win. Floyd’s wager gave further details and could’ve put the M Resort in serious trouble with the commission, so it was declined.

Now, is this a direct violation of the law? Maybe, maybe not. The M Resort, however, was not about to jeopardize their name and standing with the commission over this risky bet and simply declined it. Smart move.

Professional vs Amateur Boxing Betting

Here’s another very important distinction when it comes to self-betting in boxing. Professional and amateur boxing are two very different things, and the legality and ethics of betting on yourself often differ significantly too.

Amateur boxing is governed by different organizations, such as the *International Boxing Association* (AIBA), which generally prohibits all forms of betting by participants. They believe that the athletes focus should be on the competition and not financial gain. These young athletes are particularly vulnerable to exploitation and/or unethical practices due to their young age and inexperience, so they’re very strict when it comes to their no gambling policy.

Can a Boxer Bet on Himself?

Now that we know that boxers can legally bet on themselves, we should ask ourselves: should they able to?

Now, on one hand, betting on oneself can be seen as an expression of confidence and a personal commitment to victory. Boxing is an individual sport, so the athlete’s performance is the main determinant of who will win the fight, so how it this unethical?

Well, it’s unfortunately not as straightforward. Let me ask you this: does your attitude about something changes when there’s money on the line? I know that every time I place a bet for a game, my attention and overall pressure I feel during the event completely changes. Is it unreasonable to think that betting on themselves could affect a boxer’s mental state and performance, and even lead to reckless behavior inside the ring?

I think that’s perfectly possible; I could even see them withhold information about a potentially career-ending injury if there’s enough money on the line. Self-betting certainly reduces concerns about match-fixing or overall lack of effort, but it’s not like it completely negates it either. Boxers could agree to specific conditions and split the bet money amongst themselves, we all know just how good parlay and prop bets can be if you get your legs right.

Look, I know that the government looks at their bank statements like hawks, but when there’s enough money on the line, all sorts of things can happen. Is banning self-betting going to change anything? Probably not, the boxer can just ask associates to place all sorts of outlandish bets on their behalf and then throw the match.

It seems like the more we think about it, the more we realize that self-betting isn’t really the problem. It’s about trusting these organizations and the government to do their due diligence when it comes to preserving the sport’s integrity. Self-betting, if anything, is the least conspicuous of match-fixing activities you could think of, it’s the other trickery that they really need to look out for.

Anyways, that’s my take on this. Feel free to contact me and send me yours, I’m open to hearing from other boxing fans and gamblers that know the ins and out of sports betting!

FAQs About Betting on Yourself in Boxing

Can a boxer bet against themselves?

No, betting against oneself is illegal and very unethical. It’s the kind of betting that opens the door to match-fixing and corruption, something the sport fiercely tries to fight. There are strict rules that help maintain the integrity of the competition.

Is it common for boxers to bet on themselves?

While not extremely common, self-betting does occur in the boxing world, particularly among high-profile boxers who are confident in their abilities.
It sometimes happens among high-profile boxers who are confident in their abilities and want to make those purses just a bit juicier. Mostly happens in pro boxing.

What are the penalties for illegal betting in boxing?

Penalties for illegal betting can go from fines to suspensions or even a lifetime ban from the sport. Their reputation and career are also pretty much done for.

Why do some boxers choose to bet on themselves?

To increase the purse and overall earnings in each fight. The financial incentive might provide extra motivation while preparing and fighting the actual fight.