Betting Industry Disgusted with Pacquiao

Betting Industry Disgusted with Pacquiao, Mayweather Big Fave for the Rematch | Article by Covers

Perhaps the only thing worse than shelling out $100 – or more – to watch Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao was putting your hard earned money on the underdog and learning Pacquiao fought despite a shoulder injury, something he purposely failed to disclose before the bell rang in Las Vegas Saturday night.

“This is just as bad as a fixed fight,” Peter Korner, founder of the Nevada-based odds service The Sports Club, tells Covers. “There was a lot of money on this fight. And a lot of money on Pacquiao. In this industry, we always want to make sure things are on the up-and-up. The whole purpose behind making the odds is to have balanced action and that everyone knows just what the situation is. But this is a very serious injury that he failed to disclose.”

Pacquiao’s reluctance to reveal his injury before the fight was undoubtedly a money move, under pressure to compete and not call off the fight – if his shoulder was that bad. His camp has stated that Pacquiao would undergo surgery and that he pretty much fought one-handed against Mayweather.

Some in the betting industry are buying it. Others are not, like renowned boxing oddsmakers Joey Oddessa, who’s been very vocal with his opinion of Pacquiao’s camp since this injury came to light.

“It’s nonsense. Sure it may have been injured but to what extent?,” Oddessa tells Covers. “When you swing at air and miss, it causes more problems to the joints too. He missed Floyd all night. It’s easy to make excuses in hindsight.”

The “was he healthy?” question is the major fuel behind a rematch between these two fighters – something that may have been the motivation behind revealing the injury in the first place. Some online sportsbooks have already posted odds on Mayweather-Pacquiao 2, with Mayweather listed as a -300 favorite versus Pacquiao at +450.

While a rematch won’t draw the casual fans into the world of boxing like this past weekend – and plenty of fight fans could be turned off by everything that’s happened since – the return bout would still be the biggest fight the sport could make at this point – even if it’s not the right one. Many boxing enthusiasts are calling for Mayweather to fight Amir Khan (30-3, 19 KOs), with odds also out already for this potential fight (Mayweather -300, Khan +230).

“No doubt the anticipation would be a lot less (for Mayweather-Pacquiao 2), from a betting handle, from a pay-per-view handle,” Jeff Sherman, assistant manager at the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook tells Covers. “There would be some people that would bet that price on Pacquiao, considering what we know… The first time around we had uncertainty with it. And now, after seeing a go-around, there’s less uncertainty.”

That’s not to say the sports betting industry wouldn’t welcome Mayweather-Pacquiao 2 with open arms. Las Vegas was buzzing with an atmosphere some have never seen. Sherman said just getting into his community where he lives was an hour wait at the gate and many friends coming over for the fight had to cancel because they were locked in traffic. Veteran sportsbook directors told Covers it was like going back to Mike Tyson’s heyday, coupled with the excitement of the Kentucky Derby and the Cinco de Mayo weekend. That same excitement was felt at online books as well, with many reporting record-shattering handles on the bout.

“I hope it does happen for my own selfish business reasons,” laughs Oddessa. “Floyd will beat him even easier in a rematch if that’s possible. Anything less than -300 would be a bargain just like the first bout.”

Korner agrees with the odds on Mayweather being 3/1 or higher but doesn’t see eye-to-eye on going through with a rematch with Pacquiao, especially after counting himself among the scorned millions who dished out $100 to watch Saturday’s fight on PPV.

“To do it again would be senseless,” Korner says. “People just wouldn’t care and I don’t think it gets the same look and the same excitement. It’s tarnished. I’m as infuriated as everyone else, with the way it played out and everything that’s come out afterwards. Integrity can’t get over the dollar, it’s too strong. But that’s the sport."

| Fighters: Mayweather-Pacquiao
| Article by: JASON LOGAN @CoversJLo
| Original Media: Click Here