Strategies for Betting on Boxing Matches
Placing a bet is one of the best ways you can enhance the experience of watching live boxing matches, and you can also use it to test your knowledge of the sport and even win some money. Betting on the sport has become quite popular in recent years, and it’s made even more exciting by the inherent hype that usually surrounds big matches. But while boxing betting is quite straightforward, ensuring that you are successful is a different matter.
In this guide, we’ll share some of the best strategies you can use to increase your betting success.
Get a Proper Understanding of the Fighters
Knowledge is always the most powerful tool in sports betting. Most of the research work in boxing is cut out as there are only two participants, but you’ll need to do a thorough job to ensure you make the right decisions. Start by looking at the history of each of the fighters. The basics here are the wins, losses, and knockout ratios. However, go deeper than that to understand how a fighter performed against a particular opponent. A good place to get this information is Wikipedia as it gives details of each major fight.
From there, you can analyze the type of fighter each boxer is. Are they an aggressive brawler like David Benavidez, a defensive counter-puncher like Devin Haney, or a technician like Naoya Inoue? From there, you can look at general factors such as age, experience, and recent form.
Study the Matchup Dynamics
After getting a proper profile of each of the fighters, you now need to compare how they match up to get an idea of what will happen in the ring. There are many aspects to consider here. One is the physical attributes of each fighter, often referred to as the “Tale of Tape” in boxing. These include the height, reach (arm length), weight, age, and stance (orthodox or southpaw). What advantages does one fighter have over the other? Mismatches in height can give you an idea of the strategies involved. Weight is also crucial as one fighter moving up or down in weight can affect their speed, power, and endurance.
From there, you can look at how the different fighting styles compare. For example, if one fighter is aggressive while the other relies on elusive footwork and counter-punching, what mostly happens in such matchups? Also, how does each fighter adapt to the fighting style of their opponent?
Find Value in the Various Wager Types
While you can always bet on a winner or a draw, there are times when this type of bet won’t offer good odds. And even when it still does, there are lots of other wager types that you can explore to find more value in your bet. For this, the first thing you need to do is understand the different bet types. Besides moneyline bets, where you just pick a winner, there is also the method of victory, over/under rounds, and prop bets such as whether the fight will go the distance.
To find value in these types of bets, use the knowledge you gained to better understand how the fight may go based on the wager types available. If your research gives you a high chance of a knockout, you can wager on the fight not going the distance.
Manage Your Bankroll
Being successful in boxing betting will require you to go beyond the ring. Before you even start, ensure you have a bankroll management plan in place. This is important as it will help you have control over your money and gambling behavior.
The first thing you need to do is come up with a betting budget – ensure you consider it entertainment (not investment) money. From there, you can divide it into smaller amounts for the approximate number of wagers you want to place over a particular period. You can have a specific bet amount or use a percentage of your bankroll to determine the bet amount. Besides that, don’t just bet on any fight, and ensure you don’t fall into the pitfall of emotional betting and chasing losses.
