How Does Boxing Betting Work?

An ancient sport that still enjoys a huge following in the present day, boxing is also a big draw for the betting community. There’s always a bet to be had at Unibet and we’re here to walk you through your options.

Let’s sound the opening bell by asking two questions:

1. What are boxing odds and what do they tell us?
2. What boxing betting options can I choose from?
   

OK, let’s start in that order.

What are boxing odds and what do they tell us?

Boxing Odds provide information about two key elements of boxing betting.

1. The probability of an event happening such as one boxer winning.
   
2. The payout we receive if our boxing bet is successful.
   

Here’s a boxing bet from our sportsbook.

In the fight between Stephen Fulton and Daniel Roman, we have two possible outcomes. Choose your boxer and bet on them to win.

Fulton’s odds have a minus symbol in front of them. This tells us that he is the favorite. Roman, with that + prefix, is the underdog for this fight.

We’ve just answered the question about probability. According to that bet, Stephen Fulton has the higher chance of winning the fight.

Remember the second question about payouts? The answer is outlined by the specific figures.

At odds of -625, you would need to stake $625 on Stephen Fulton to win $100. With Daniel Roman, odds of +350 would lead to a payout of $350 in return for a bet of $100.

The fighter has to win for the payout to land. Remember too that the suggested stakes are just illustrations. You can bet what you like between the minimum and maximum levels.
Odds clear up questions relating to probability and payouts but who decides what those numbers would be?

Public betting in Boxing

Boxing Odds are not random. Unibet decides on the final figures, but we get a little help from the betting community. As fights are announced and bets are released, the early bets go to the boxer who the public thinks is more likely to win.

That’s probability for you. The public thinks it’s more probable that one fighter will win against the other. Our odds setters aren’t sitting around drinking coffee all day. They will step in to confirm the final odds.

• If you bet with the public, you are betting on the favorite.
• If you bet against the public, you get behind the underdog.

What boxing betting options can I choose from?

There are many different bets you can place when you’re betting on boxing online. Here are some of the popular ones:

#1: Boxing moneylines

You’ve seen the fight result bet. This is known as the Moneyline and it has those two options. There is an alternative to this and here’s an example from that same fight.

Known as the Moneyline (3-way), there are three possible outcomes. You can bet on a win for Fulton, a win for Roman or a tie.

Draws are relatively rare in boxing but they can happen. Remember that incredible tie between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury in December 2018? There have been a few of those but draws don’t happen very often. That’s why the odds here are so high at +1300.

The odds for each fighter will also change in the 3-way bet. Fulton is now -480 to win and Roman is +380.

Unless you think there is a good chance that the bout will end in a draw, the regular Moneyline bet may be the better option.

#2: Total rounds bets in Boxing Betting

Totals bets exist in most sports and boxing is no different. Here’s another real-life example from our sportsbook.

For this bout, the Total Rounds line has been set at 4.5. You can either bet Over or Under that line. If you bet Over, there must be at least five rounds for your bet to win.`

Bets of Under 4.5 rounds will be paid if there are four rounds or fewer.

In both cases, the odds have been set at -115. Winning bets will be paid at $100 for a $115 stake.

#3: Method of Victory in Boxing Betting

How will a fight end? There are a number of ways in which this can happen. With Method of Victory betting, you get to test out your knowledge.

Depending on the importance of the fight, there will be a number of betting options. Each boxer will be named and you have to decide whether they will win by.

• Knockout
• Fight Stoppage
• Points Decision

Method of Victory betting won’t appear for all contests but it’s an interesting option for the bigger fights.

#4: Fight to go the Distance bets in Boxing

Will the bout go the distance? There are only two possible answers to this question. When this bet appears, you can stake on ‘Yes’ or ‘No.

Once again, this is a bet that appears for the bigger fights.

#5: Baseball Futures

Wait a second, let’s rewind. What’s a Parlay?

A parlay is a multiple bet containing at least two picks. There is no upper limit but the mechanics of a parlay bet are important here. For the bet to win, all of those picks must come in.

If you have five picks, it doesn’t matter if four win. If the fifth loses, the stake is also lost.

There are two types of Parlay. Here’s an example of the first:

In the fight between Alen Babic and Adam Balski, we are betting on Babic to win and Over 4.5 rounds. This is a single-match parlay because the two picks come from the same event.

As picks are added to the betslip, the odds will update. This parlay has odds of +126. When a stake is typed into the white box, a potential payout will appear. The Place Bet button in the bottom right corner will then turn yellow.

If you’re happy with it, click on the button and the bet rides.

The second type of parlay can be spread over two or more fights: Just like this one.

This is called a 3-leg parlay as there are three picks over three bouts. We’re still behind Alen Babic and we’ve added Jamel Herring and Joe Joyce to win. Odds have been calculated at +446 and we want a stake of $10.

Potential payout is shown and the button is yellow. Nothing will happen until you hit ‘Place bet’ so you have time to assess this and make sure that you are happy. If it looks good, click away.

Tips and Strategies for your Boxing Betting Journey

Now you have essential knowledge of boxing betting options. We could let you run free now, but we don’t want to do that. Instead, we’d be happier if you took some of our advice on board.

After all, we’ve been involved in boxing betting since 1997. We can’t give you any guarantees but please follow some tips to benefit from that all that experience.

#Tip 1: The Public Voice

The public won’t get it right all the time. There would be no point watching a sport if the favorite won on each occasion. But when it comes to betting on boxing bouts you do need to remember that they are working with probability. You could just blindly bet with the public and back the favorite. It may be a successful approach but it’s better to make up your own mind.

We know you don’t like to blindly follow the herd. Crunch the numbers and you can decide if the public are right or wrong.

#Tip 2: The Value of Research

Research is the most effective way to prove or disprove the public’s voice. Here are some key points to consider when you’re betting on boxing fights:

The Tale of the Tape:

This is a bit of boxing jargon which refers to the boxers’ overall records. Look at their career and assess how they have performed. Are they undefeated or has there been a string of defeats?

Most recent results are more telling. Look at returns from the last two years. Is that fighter improving or is their form getting worse? Records such as these are easy to locate.

Head to Head Results in Boxing

Rematches and trilogy fights are popular in modern boxing. Once a fight has been decided, the two men are usually keen to step back into the ring.

If they have fought before, you can use those results. Will we see the same outcome or will the defeated fighter gain revenge?

Methods of Victory in Boxing

The method of victory bet is also one where research can be your friend. Does your favored boxer like to end contests early via knockout or submission? Do their fights tend to go the distance?

Answers to these questions can offer pointers moving forward.

#Tip 3: Parlays or no Parlays?

Parlays have pros and cons in boxing betting. There is the opportunity to enhance the boxing fight odds and any payouts will be higher than single bets. But you must remember the mechanics. There is a balance to parlays, and it comes with a higher exposure.

If one pick loses the bet loses.

If you’re just starting out, we suggest that your first boxing bet is a Moneyline pick. It’s very simple to understand - which of the two fighters will win?

Use all of the research tips mentioned above to come to a conclusion. If you think that the boxers are evenly matched, you can think about a bet in the Moneyline 3-way alternative.

Additional bets such as Method of Victory require slightly different research. Look at a boxer’s record to see how their fights end.

As you become more comfortable with your boxing betting, you’ll know just how you want to approach those bets. Start with the Moneyline bet and take time to establish your preference.

#Tip 4: Let Unibet Boost your Boxing Betting

You’ll always find competitive fight odds for boxing at Unibet. We realize that you have many choices when it comes to your boxing betting and that’s why we are crazy about those excellent odds. You can also get some extra value through the life of your account.

A welcome bonus will be published to get you moving. Ongoing promotions may include price boosts, free bets and matched bonuses, Don’t miss out on these: Opt in for notifications and keep checking our promotions page for full details.