Boxing - Betting

Know what you are doing before you bet
People say you can find value by knowing boxing in-depth or finding out insider tips. Bookies mainly rely on the boxing trade press to work out the odds on a fight and they do often make mistakes. There are sometimes incredible odds - if you know boxing and find odds of 3/1 or 7/2, it's generally worth a bet because there are just two fighters.

We don't, however, recommend placing wagers on a heavyweight bout. 'Heavyweight contests are unpredictable. One big punch can change everything. You can have a safer bet with the lighter weights.'

Who's the idiot at ringside?
One thing you must always take into account when betting on boxing is the judging panel. Boxing is a highly political sport , so it would be unwise to overlook the potential for surprising decisions to be made if a fight goes to the judges after 12 rounds.

If you fancy a bet on a boxer fighting away from home, be advised you may find it is bad for your financial health. Some judges notably in Germany and Italy, are frequently accused of giving so-called 'home-town decisions'.   Germany's Sven Ottke, the 36 year old WBA and IBF super middleweight champion is a prime example.  If you want to read more on why Ottke is a 'home banker', click 'How to'. Frank Maloney has been quoted as saying, 'He's never fought outside Germany, and you can see why.'

What affects the judges decision?  Are they influenced by fanatical support for one fighter?  Could the number of so-called home-town decisions have anything to do with how the judges are paid?

In Boxing, the judge's fee is determined before a fight by the world sanctioning body.  Nevertheless, its up to the Show's promoter to pay the judges. The promoter will usually be sponsoring the local fighter. This can obviously lead to a conflict of interest. Sports followers reckon this is another reason why boxing lacks transparency.  They feel that it makes sense to put a bet on a fight that's likely to be decided inside the distance and not require the judges' input.

One more thing to contemplate is the nationality of the judges. Strictly speaking, the outcome shouldn't be affected, but its a good idea to check the pedigree of judges before you put on a bet., particularly if they're not well-known and are allowed to take charge in title fights. In September 1999, at the Mandalay Bay Events Centre in Las Vegas, the WBC welterweight world title fight took place between title holder Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad.  The fight was scored in favour of De La Hoya by most spectators, but Belgian judge Bob Logist thought otherwise. When questioned later about awarding rounds to Trinidad, when De La Hoya appeared to be in complete control of them, the hapless Logist replied: 'I guess I lost my concentration.'

There are good fighters are everywhere!
To confuse matters further, there's a multitude of world governing bodies. Gamblers shouldn't dismiss the champions of newly founded sanctioning bodies such as the WBU if they come up against title holders of the longer established bodies, however.

England's WBU light welterweight world champion Ricky Hatton has won 33 fights out of 33. As he puts it: 'The WBU may be regarded as Mickey Mouse, but I'm not Mickey Mouse.'

The career path of a boxer is also a something to take into account, because young, up-and-coming fighters are often fight hand-picked opponents to help them develop their skills. While a defeat would be unlikely, gamblers shouldn't rule out betting against rising stars in such contests - upsets do happen.

When the big events do take place, the serious punters will be piling in. Why? - because if you're "in the know", betting on boxing can prove extremely profitable. Be sure to check all available information, the form and style of the fighters, to the judges and weigh-ins. All these factors, as we've seen, can play a vital part in the outcome - and decide whether you'll have a winning night.