Boxing presents good gambling opportunities

Sports gambling remains one of the most popular pastimes for many people in Ireland and the UK, with horse racing and football the top two sports primarily due to the television coverage they receive. It is however important to take note of the gambling opportunities presented by other sports, where substantial odds can often be found even when the actual result of the match or contest is widely predicted and may even be odds on. Gambling on boxing is one of these opportunities, best illustrated by the upcoming fight between Floyd Mayweather and Victor Ortiz in September. Mayweather is of course widely regarded as the best pound for pound boxer in the world, and in spite of his opponent being ten years younger he remains a clear odds on favourite to retain his crown, so much so that Paddy Power currently have him at 1/12 to win with Ortiz at 11/2. At first glance these may not seem particularly attractive gambling odds, but if we take a closer look at the gambling opportunities presented by this fight, Ladbrokes for instance will give the sports gambler 1/8 on a Mayweather  win, but if you think that the fight will be won on points then you can get 4/7 on Mayweather and as much as 14/1 on Ortiz. Gambling on boxing also provides the sports gambler with the opportunity to predict how long the fight will last, and it is here that the most attractive odds can be found even if you are betting on the odds on favourite. For those boxing fans gambling on a Mayweather win inside the distance, a correct prediction of which round the fight will finish can pay odds as high as 40/1 with Ladbrokes, with a minimum of 20/1 for rounds 9 or 10. Considering that a selection of one number in twelve on a roulette table will only pay odds of 12/1, many people gambling on boxing may think this is worth a bet particularly as they would be betting on the odds on favourite.