Jake Paul-Mike Tyson expected to score record bets

The Netflix-made fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson on Friday evening has oddsmakers expecting record bets for a boxing match.

“We expect the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight to be the most-bet boxing match in BetMGM history,” said senior trader Alex Rella.

Paul, 27, will step into the ring against Tyson, 58, on Friday at 8 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The fight was postponed to July 20 due to Tyson suffering from a bout of stomach ulcers in late May.

Paul, the YouTube star turned professional boxer, comes into the fight with a 10-1 record that includes seven knockouts. The most recent was a sixth-round TKO of Mike Perry, who filled in for Tyson in July.

Meanwhile, Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) will fight professionally for the first time since his loss to Kevin McBride in 2005. Former undisputed heavyweight champion from 1987-90, Tyson began his career with 19 consecutive victories by knockout, 12 of which came in the first round.

Tyson's first fight since an appearance in November 2020 takes place on Friday.

The Tyson-Paul fight will consist of eight two-minute rounds instead of the regular three-minute rounds. Additionally, each fighter will wear 14-ounce gloves instead of the standard 10-ounce gloves to limit punching power.

Paul is the heavy favorite in most sports bets. That includes DraftKings, where he was backed at -275 with 64 percent of the money. Tyson has drawn 66 percent of the total bets at +210, with the book setting the over/under for the total rounds at 5.5.

Tyson was the most popular player at BetMGM, where his odds rose from +275 to +188 while he was backed by 59 percent of the bets and 76 percent of the money. Meanwhile, Paul's odds have moved from -275 to -190 since the market opened.

The most popular prop was a Tyson win by KO/TKO or disqualification at +250, followed by a Tyson win on points at +1100.

“Betters want Paul to get knocked out and love Tyson as the underdog,” Rella said. “The book will help Paul win.”

The highest-stakes fight in BetMGM history was Gervonta Davis' victory by TKO over Ryan Garcia in April 2023, followed by Paul's unanimous decision victory over Nate Diaz in August of that year. Paul has six of the 25 highest stakes boxing matches in the book's history.

–Field level media