Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul sets records for sportsbooks

The November 15 bout between Mike Tyson, a living boxing legend, and social media influencer-turned-fighter, Jake Paul, has been marked by an unprecedented betting interest.

According to multiple sources, including betting and gaming companies such as Entain’s own account, the Tyson vs Paul fight was the most bet-on boxing event in the history of the industry.

Tyson vs Paul sets betting record for sportsbooks

The heavyweight bought hosted in Arlington, Texas, saw the 58-year-old boxer square up against his much younger opponent in a TV and live spectacle that drew 65m viewers on popular streaming platform Netflix alone.

Soon after, sportsbooks started to report that this has been the most bet-on boxing match in their history, with a BetMGM spokesperson confirming as much in an official press statement. Yet, BetMGM was hardly the only sportsbook to have claimed so.

ESPN Bet, a fairly new arrival on the sports betting stage, has issued a similar statement, confirming that the fight has been a roaring success.

Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas also issued a statement through Executive Director John Murray who spoke with ESPN, the media outlet, and said that it was "unbelievable for business."

The fight did not really offer any upsets or surprises, with Paul maintaining a healthy lead of -290 well into the fight.

Although there was rampant speculation that the fight was somewhat fixed and more of a show than an actual competitive event, this has not curbed fans’ interest in wagering heavily on the outcome of the bout.

A clash of generations generates tidy revenues

Craig Mucklow, VP of Trading for Caesars Sportsbook, was among the industry insiders who had celebrated the significance of the event for operational results.

"We knew there would be tremendous interest in the fight, as the betting suggested it was a generational matchup in customer demographics," Mucklow explained, arguing that it was more or less a clash of generations.

On the one hand, there were those old enough to remember Iron Mike at his pinnacle, while on the other – there were the younger crowds fascinated by Jake Paul’s dual status as a celebrity and boxer.

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