The betting lines are in for the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight, and they reflect the controversy that has surrounded the bout from its announcement. Tyson, the former heavyweight champion of the world, takes on Paul, a former YouTube star, on Friday evening in Arlington, Texas.
The betting odds for the fight have generally gone in favor of Paul since the bout was announced, and that trend has continued as the main event has gotten closer. On Friday afternoon, BetMGM had Paul at -200 to win the fight, with Tyson an underdog at +160 and a tie sitting at +900.
The odds reflect a basic fact of the matchup, and a big reason why it has been so controversial. Tyson, at 58 years old, is 31 years older than the 27-year-old Paul, who is presumably in his physical prime.
The prospect of many millions of worldwide viewers tuning in to Netflix to watch an old man get beat up has lended a dark undertone to the bout, which is expected to draw extensive attention from boxing fans and non-fans alike. Bookmakers have said that the fight is on pace to be the most heavily-bet boxing match in years, despite its status as an amateur context between two fights who are not currently pros.
Despite being the underdog in the numbers who risks major physical damage if he loses via knockout, the betting public has overwhelmingly sided with Tyson. Sportsbooks have reported that 90% of bets placed on the fight have been on Tyson to win, handing Paul his second loss in 12 fights since taking up boxing.
“It’s pretty surprising to see how many people are still willing to take a shot on Mike Tyson at this age,” Andrew Babakitis, a risk manager for the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas, told ESPN on Wednesday.
The concerns about the fight are not solely related to Tysons age, but also his health. The much-publicized matchup has already been delayed by a few months due to a health scare, as Tyson suffered a medical emergency on a flight and a stomach ulcer.
Netflix has the exclusive rights to show the fight, with coverage beginning at 8pm ET and several undercards, including the womens super lightweight title bout, the womens WBO super-middleweight title, and five other warm-up acts. The exact time of the Tyson-Paul fight is not known exactly, but it is anticipated that it will begin around midnight ET, or 9pm PT.