Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight draws record betting for a combat sports event
Associated PressLAS VEGAS — Jake Paul’s unanimous victory over former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson might have been disappointing from a competitive standpoint, but it drew record betting. “Those old enough to remember a prime Mike Tyson got to live the nostalgia one last time, while those not old enough to know Iron Mike were firmly on the Jake Paul side of the counter.” DraftKings sports operations director Johnny Avello said the fight also was its most-bet boxing match. “We’ll see who Jake Paul fights next, but his matches have proven to create immense buzz and unprecedented action on our platforms.” The amount of betting can’t necessarily be used to draw a direct comparison with betting on big fights in the past since so many major bouts, including Tyson’s biggest fights, occurred before sports betting was legalized beyond Nevada in 2018. “Paul winning was a good outcome for the sportsbook,” BetMGM senior trader Alex Rella said.