NEW DELHI: Mike Tyson is the betting favorite to win his exhibition match against Jake Paul on Friday night in Arlington, Texas. The fight, streamed exclusively on Netflix, features modified rules, including shorter rounds and heavier gloves.
DraftKings reports over half of the bets placed on the fight’s outcome favor Tyson winning by knockout, technical knockout, or disqualification. Odds for this outcome stand at +250. Nearly half of all bets predicting the method of victory are on Tyson.
While Paul is the younger fighter at 27, Tyson, the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion, has garnered significant betting interest. This surge in bets on Tyson has shifted the odds offered by bookmakers.
BetMGM, which initially offered odds of -275 for a Paul victory, has adjusted the odds to -190 as of Friday afternoon. They also report 54% of the money wagered and 69% of betting tickets purchased are on Tyson.
At DraftKings, over 70% of bets predict Tyson as the outright winner. Alex Rella, senior trader at BetMGM, stated: “Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight is on track to be the most bet boxing match in BetMGM history. We are starting to see action on Paul but Tyson is still popular with bettors. The worst result would be a first-round knockout by Iron Mike.”