By Keith Idec
LAS VEGAS – Bettors have continued to place wagers on Mayweather-McGregor in record proportions as their heavily hyped fight nears.
According to an ESPN.com story posted Friday afternoon, by the time the opening bell rings Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena, more wagers will have been placed in Las Vegas on Mayweather-McGregor than any previous boxing or mixed martial arts match. Nevada bookmakers estimated that more than $60 million was wagered on Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s victory over Manny Pacquiao in May 2015.
Bets placed on Mayweather-McGregor are expected to easily exceed that amount, perhaps more than $80 million, according to sports betting experts.
“It’s going to be the biggest fight handle ever. Period,” William Hill director of trading Nick Bogdanovich told ESPN.com.
By Thursday night, William Hill sports books throughout Nevada had already taken more wagers on Mayweather-McGregor than Mayweather-Pacquiao, and with nearly 48 hours to go before the fight starts.
On Thursday alone, there were two $1 million bets placed on Mayweather at Las Vegas sports books. Each of those bets would bring back slightly more than $180,000 if Mayweather, a 5½-to-1 favorite, were to win.
ESPN.com also reported that there were two $100,000 bets placed on McGregor on Friday at MGM Grand’s sports book. Those bets, placed at odds of +400 and +375, would return $400,000 and $375,000, respectively, if the UFC superstar were to upset Mayweather (49-0, 26 KOs) in McGregor’s boxing debut (Showtime Pay-Per-View; $99.95 in HD).
Las Vegas’ Westgate SuperBook has already had more six-figure bets placed on Mayweather-McGregor than on New England’s epic comeback victory over Atlanta in Super Bowl LI earlier this year. Jay Kornegay, Westgate’s vice president of race and sports, told ESPN.com that through Thursday night approximately 92 percent of bets placed there were wagered on McGregor, whereas 77 percent of the money was bet on Mayweather.
The heaviest volume of Mayweather-McGregor action at Las Vegas sports books is expected Friday and Saturday. Odds in Las Vegas vary, with Mayweather favored by 5-1 to 6-1 margins (-500, -600) and McGregor listed as a 3-1 to 4-1 underdog (+300, +400).
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.