As we count down the days to the biggest night of the year in boxing, betting action surrounding the mega fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao is taking a life of its own.
Ever since sportsbooks opened the lines for the fight – well before it was officially announced, there has been a steady stream of bets being taken it. Most have been on the side of Pacquiao, which largely explains why his opening line of 3/1 has dropped to as low as 7/4. By contrast, Floyd opened as low as 3/10, but all the action on PacMan has moved Money Mayweather’s odds to as high as 1/2. The odds for both fighters are still expected to fluctuate depending on the betting market so if you still haven’t put money down on the fight, now’s the time to start paying attention.
When’s the best time to bet on Manny Pacquiao?
Ideally, you should have bet on Pacquiao when the odds were first offered because it’s unlikely that you’re going to get higher odds than 3/1 at this point. Granted, the current 7/4 odds isn’t that bad since your $100 will still net you $175 in winnings, or $275 if you count your $100 bet. You could still wait it out and let the late money on Mayweather to arrive, which could push Pacquiao’s odds back up to as high as 2/1, maybe even 9/4.
It’s a risky wait, but since you already missed out on those juicy 3/1 odds, 2/1 or 9/4 may be the best you can get at this point.
When’s the best time to bet on Floyd Mayweather Jr.?
If you made an early bet on Floyd, you’re probably kicking yourselves in the foot right now. I can’t blame you, but I wouldn’t sweat it that much since he’s still the favorite to win the fight. Just be prepared to win a little less than what other stand a chance to win with later bets.
If you haven’t made a bet yet, consider yourself in prime position to take advantage of the increased odds on Money May. The question is: are you going to settle for the current 1/2 odds or wait a little longer to see if the odds go up a little higher? Here’s the thing: unless there’s another wave (or two) of Pacquiao bets coming, I don’t think Floyd’s odds will move high enough to justify waiting for it. Don’t expect him to get 10/11 odds because that essentially makes the fight a pick ‘em, but are you ok waiting for it to get up to as high as 3/5?
That would be a $10 difference on a $100 bet at the current 1/2 odds compared to 3/5. A more likely scenario would be for Floyd’s odds to drop as the fight approaches. Sharp money will be on Mayweather for this fight and those bets won’t be just $100. Once those bets arrive, they could be enough to swing the odds to Floyd’s favor again.
So if I were you, Mayweather at 1/2 odds is probably as good as it’s going to get for the favorite.
If I’m not betting on the fight odds, are props a good way to go?
Of course props are a good way to go! In some cases, prop betting is even more exciting than straight-up fight bets. One, they offer better odds than what you’d get if you just picked between Mayweather or Pacquiao. Two, it gives you a chance to root for something to happen during the fight, be it a knockdown, a DQ, or a straight-up knockout.
With a fight of this magnitude, there won’t be any shortage of prop bets so I’d check what props are being offered now and see which ones are appealing enough to make a bet.
Don’t be surprised if sportsbooks offer out-of-the-ring props as the fight draws nearer. You know how everyone’s saying that this fight has a Super Bowl-feel to it? That hype could extend to Super Bowl-like prop bets, too. National anthem, anyone? Ring entrances? A Justin Bieber cameo?
Anything could be on the table for this fight.
What props should I at least consider?
This is a little more difficult to project since I’m confident that oddsmakers will have more to offer in the next few weeks. But for now, over/under round props are always good longshot bets to make. You’re not going to wager a lot on this prop, but you could end up with a golden ticket if it cashes.
Take the over/under 2.5 rounds, for example. Current odds are at 18/1 so if you make a bet of $100, you stand to gain $1,800 out of it. Make that bet and the hope the fight ends in under three rounds. It’s unlikely it’ll happen, but it still could make for a pretty nerve-wracking 10 minutes for you.
The key with prop betting, especially with betting on high odds like 18/1, is to keep your wagers low so that if you don’t win, you’re not going to feel that much of a dent on your pockets.
