The highly anticipated Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul boxing match, held Friday night and streamed on Netflix, shattered betting records despite being a polarizing spectacle. The 27-year-old Paul defeated the 58-year-old Tyson in an eight-round unanimous decision, with reports of Tyson earning $20 million and Paul walking away with $40 million.

Betting Surge Across Platforms

Betting activity soared, with bookmakers reporting unprecedented numbers. According to Oliver Vickers, a trader with 888 Sport, the bout saw a notable increase in engagement, particularly from Canada and the UK.

“Most of the action focused on bout betting, though we saw moderate interest in rounds and method-of-victory markets.”

BetMGM reported even more dramatic results. The fight became the most bet-on combat sports event in the platform’s history, generating three times the bets and four times the handle of any prior boxing or MMA event. Popular wagers included Tyson to win by KO/TKO/DQ (+250), Tyson on points (+1100), and Tyson to win in Round 1 (+1400).

Senior trader Alex Rella called Paul’s victory a “good outcome” for the sportsbook, which benefited from heavy action on Tyson.

DraftKings and BetRivers Record Historic Numbers

DraftKings echoed the sentiment, announcing on X (formerly Twitter) that the Tyson-Paul fight became its most bet boxing match ever, with 3.5 times the bets and handle compared to its previous record-holder, Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia. Popular props included Tyson to win by KO/TKO/DQ, Paul to win by KO/TKO/DQ, and Tyson to take it in Round 1.

BetRivers also saw historic results. Vice President Terry Dugan stated that the fight brought in more money than the next four most wagered-on boxing matches of 2024 combined, calling it the most wagered-on bout in the platform’s history.

A Generational Betting Matchup

Craig Mucklow, Vice President of Trading at Caesars Sportsbook, compared the fight’s handle to an NFL Monday Night Football game, attributing the high interest to its cross-generational appeal.

“Older fans relived Tyson’s glory days, while younger bettors rallied behind Jake Paul,” Mucklow explained. Despite being a +180 underdog, Tyson accounted for 67% of tickets and 53% of the handle at BetMGM.

Marketing Masterstroke or Con Job?

Not everyone was impressed. Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy labeled the event a “marketing con job.”

“Tyson hasn’t been competitive in decades, but a brief training clip had people convinced he had a chance. Anyone betting on Tyson was delusional.”

While opinions on the fight’s competitive merit remain divided, there’s no denying its impact on the sports betting world, setting new standards for engagement and revenue.

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