How to Bet on Boxing

Boxing and sports betting have always had a close relationship, even before online bookies took over the market.

Boxing is a very unique sport, as each fighter needs to have various skills to have any chance of succeeding—strength, technique, speed, and endurance.

So, if you are looking to start your betting adventure on boxing, this is the right place for you. Here, we at Betting.io will give you a complete guide to all boxing betting essentials, including types of bets, tips, and much more.

A Brief History of Boxing

The first recorded evidence of boxing has come much earlier than you might have expected. So, the first evidence of any rules for boxing is found in ancient Greece.

According to these rules, there are no rounds in matches, and the contests will continue until a fighter is unable to continue or they acknowledge defeat.

This went on for a long time until the introduction of Broughton’s Rules in 1743, which were the first boxing rules that protected fighters much more.

According to these rules, if a fighter went down and couldn’t continue after 30 seconds, the fight was over.

So, over time, the growing popularity and profitability of boxing forced a reconsideration of all rules and introduced the sport as it is today. After World War I, people had the impression that, if conducted properly, boxing could develop a fighter’s skill, courage, and character.

Boxing Rules and Gameplay

Boxing is a sport that sees two fighters fight each other in a boxing ring. They need to wear protective gloves, and they need to deliver punches within the strict rules of boxing. An overview of the boxing rules would be as follows:

  • Bouts take place over 12 rounds that last three minutes each.
  • Each round is separated by a one-minute break.
  • You can only attack with a clenched fist.
  • Strikes below the belt, in the kidneys, or in the back of the head or neck are not allowed.
  • Fighters cannot use ropes for any kind of leverage.
  • One cannot strike a fallen opponent.
  • A fighter can take up to a five-minute break to regain strength after taking a low blow.
  • If the match ends with an unintentional foul, such as a clash of heads, it ends as “no contest.”
  • Three judges at ringside score the matches.
  • Boxers are divided into different weight classes, such as featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, and heavyweight. In between, there are 12 other weighting classes.
  • Boxers have a ring where they are taken care of and get advice from their coaches.

So, with all that in mind, there are 5 ways in which a boxer can win a match:

  • By knockout
  • Technical knockout (TKO): When the opponent has a severe injury and cannot continue.
  • On points: The judges determine the winner.
  • If the other boxers admit defeat
  • Or the opponent may be disqualified for not following the rules.

Overall, the boxing rules are not that complicated. By learning its basics, you will be a step closer to making a much better and much more informed boxing bet.

Boxing in the USA & Around the World

Boxing is now a global sport with a lot of coverage and a big fan base. However, we can safely say that the US is where boxing really took off. The US is where modern-day boxing originated, and that is where some of the greatest boxers in the world come from.

There are hundreds of world champions from the US, with some names including Sugar Ray Leonard, Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather Jr., and so on.

Another country where boxing is very popular is Mexico. It seems like everyone in the country is crazy about boxing, and some would argue that boxing is way more than just a sport.

Mexican fighters use boxing as a getaway from extreme poverty and crime, and there are plenty of inspirational stories about boxers from the country.

Finally, we cannot overlook the UK, which is a boxing-crazy nation as well. It has a very long boxing history, and similarly to the US, plenty of world champions come from the UK. Prince Naseem Hamed, Lennox Lewis, Joe Calzaghe, and Anthony Joshua are just some of the most prominent names on that list.

Boxing Odds

There are three types of odds you need to know about when betting on boxing matches:

  • Fractional or British odds—written with a slash in between. As an example, odds of 7/1 would mean that you would win $7 if you wagered $1 on the boxing match.
  • Decimal or European odds—written as numbers, with the favorites having smaller odds compared to the underdogs
  • Moneyline or American odds—separated with “+” and “-” signs. The first is for the underdogs, while the second is for the favorites.

Popular Boxing Betting Types

Moving on, we will take a closer look at some of the most popular betting types for boxing that all newbies can use when starting their betting journey.

Round Betting

Round betting stipulates that you can predict a winner and the outcome of the fight in a specific round. There are two types of round bets you can make in boxing:

  • Grouped round betting: Here, you need to place a bet on a fighter you think will win and in which group of rounds.
  • Specific round betting: You need to predict the exact round in which a fighter will win.

Method of Victory

We already mentioned several ways a boxing match will end. Therefore, a method of victory bet means that you need to choose one of the ways a fighter will win the boxing match.

Outright Winner

An outright winner is the most common and simple bet in boxing. Here, you need to predict which fighter will win the match. Here, it doesn’t matter the method of victory.

Over/Under Rounds

Finally, we have the over/under betting type, which refers to the number of rounds the match will last for. With this bet type, it is not important which fighter will win the match; you only need to predict how long the fight will last.

Top Boxing Matches

As mentioned above, boxing is a sport that has been around for a long time. Part of why it is so popular is because of the iconic matches it has produced. Almost all boxing matches offer thrills and excitement, but there are some that will forever remain in people’s memories. Let’s take a closer look at some of them.

Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury III in 2021

This was the third fight between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury. Fury was the winner in the second round, and he was the clear favorite once again.

However, this fight saw five knockdowns before Fury eventually won at the end, so you can see why this fight is included on this list.

Zolani Tete vs. Siboniso Gonya in 2017

Sure, we all want a close fight, but this one was the complete opposite. Just five seconds into the match, Tete secured his win with a knockout.

The boxing match lasted for only 11 seconds, and we are not sure whether we will see another important match last for so little time.

Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton III in 1976

Back in 1973, Norton defeated Ali, which was the latter’s second professional defeat. Despite the defeat, he also broke Ali’s jaw, so he was eager for revenge.

Ali eventually got his revenge just in their third fight. Ali secured his win after 15 rounds, and he also managed to get $6 million from the fight.

Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko in 2017

Finally, we have a game many considered the future and the past of boxing. The great thing about this match is the fact that both Joshya and Klitschko nearly got a knockout. 

In the end, Joshua won with a great uppercut, and Klitschko never had any chance against such a clean hit.

Boxing Betting Tips

There is no winning strategy that will guarantee you a win whenever you place a wager on any boxing event.

However, that doesn’t mean that you should head into real-money boxing bets blindfolded. There are some tips and tricks that we can recommend so you have a better chance of coming out victorious with your bet:

  • Check the boxing style—you need to consider what the boxing style of the fighters is. Some aspects that you need to pay close attention to are whether their jabs are hard, whether they bounce around the ring, etc.
  • Don’t forget about the fighting history—check out how the fighters competed against each other in the past, as well as their scores against other opponents. It is also important to see what level of competition the fighters experienced before that particular fight.
  • Tale of the tape—this means that you need to check the hard facts about the fighters before you place a bet. Take a look at their height, age, record, weight, etc. and see how they compare against each other.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to research. If you are serious about placing real-money boxing wagers, make sure to do your homework and only make informed bets.

How To Bet On Boxing

It is now time to take a closer look at how exactly you can start your boxing betting adventure. Newbies might seem intimidated by the whole process, but we at Betting.io are here to wash off those worries. If you wish to start your boxing betting journey, just follow the below steps, and you have nothing to worry about.

Find a Licensed Bookie

First off, you need to know that the bookie you choose is reliable. Make sure to check whether that operator has a license from a trusted regulator. Reliable regulators like Bewill also impose strict security measures on boxing bookies, so your sensitive data is always protected.

Register and Make Your First Deposit

Now that you know the bookie is a reliable one, it is time to complete the registration process. It usually takes no more than a couple of minutes to get done, after which you can make your first deposit. Keep in mind that different bookies have different minimum and maximum deposit limits.

Claim the Welcome Bonus

All reputable boxing bookies will have a welcome bonus awaiting newly registered punters. So, check out whether you are fine with the terms and conditions of the bonus and claim it. Usually, you can expect a deposit match bonus of up to a certain percentage for your boxing bets.

Start Betting on Boxing

The boxing betting journey can now begin. Once you are done with the above-mentioned steps, you can browse through the betting markets and find boxing. See which events you have at your disposal and place your bet.

Most Common Boxing Betting Mistakes

We already mentioned some boxing betting tips, but what about some common mistakes that punters make? Let’s take a closer look at what you have to avoid if you want to bet on boxing.

Not Knowing the Fighters in the Game

The golden rule of boxing betting is that you need to know fighters in as much detail as possible. Sure, luck plays a major role in all boxing bets, but that doesn’t mean you should rely only on that. Do your homework on the fighters and make the most logical bet possible.

Picking Favorites

Everyone who watches boxing has a favorite fighter. It is only logical that you will always back your favorite fighter, but don’t always blindly bet on them. Sometimes, they will lose, and you can avoid losing money if you just stay unbiased when placing a bet.

Not Setting a Budget

Bankroll management is of the utmost importance when placing any boxing bet. You need to have total control over your boxing betting activities, so a monthly, weekly, or daily budget will do the trick just fine.

Picking the Wrong Bookmaker

Not all bookmakers are the same. You need to do some good research and see which bookies have the best boxing offers. Check out their odds, betting markets, payment methods, bonuses, etc. and choose one accordingly.

Is it Safe/Legal to Bet on Boxing?

The answer to this question is very simple: as long as you choose a reputable bookie and online betting is allowed in your country, you have nothing to worry about.

There are plenty of fraudulent boxing betting sites out there, so you need to make sure that you only wager at reputable ones. This is how you ensure a safe betting experience in boxing.

FAQ

Which is the best boxing betting type?

This mainly depends on what type of punter you are. If you are completely new to the betting industry, then we suggest you start with the simplest one: an outright winner.

How can I win my boxing bets?

There is no strategy that will guarantee you wins in boxing, but doing good research before all bets and setting a betting budget will enhance your odds of winning.

What type of odds should I look for at boxing bookies?

The odds format is not important as long as you understand how they work. Fractional, decimal, and moneyline odds are all common in bookies, but they all function very simply.