Large bets for as much as $500,000 showed up on Gennady Golovkin at Las Vegas sportsbooks in the final hours before Saturday's title fight against Canelo Alvarez. They would all have to be refunded, after a controversial decision left both bettors and bookmakers disappointed and confused.
Heading into the decision, oddsmakers believed Golovkin had won the fight. International sportsbooks had Golovkin as high as a -500 favorite when live betting on the bout closed.
Shortly after the decision was given, lines formed at sportsbooks, with bettors looking for refunds. Straight bets on the winner of the fight were refunded in Las Vegas. Wagers on the method-of-victory props, which included an option to bet draw, were not refunded.
"There were some long lines, with some of the customers happy to get their money back and others disappointed," Frank Kunovic, director of specialty games at Caesars Palace, told ESPN. "They weren't yelling at us, but I think they were frustrated like we were about the decision."
Caesars reported taking a six-figure loss on the draw.
"We opened the draw at around 30-1 and closed at 16-1, so we got hurt on that," Kunovic added.
Golovkin began Saturday as around a -140 favorite, but the price grew throughout the day and closed at -200 at MGM sportsbooks. Significantly more bets were placed on the underdog Alvarez, who went off at around +160, but the larger bets were on Golovkin. Still, when the opening bell rang, most sportsbooks said they were rooting for Triple G.
"We needed Triple G by decision," Jay Rood, vice president of MGM race and sports, said. "The draw was a big swing for us."
The MGM took its biggest bet on the fight -- a $500,000 wager on Golovkin at -170 odds -- roughly three hours before the fight. The bet, placed by a "well-known casino player" was refunded in chips, Rood said.
"We took a lot of late money on Triple G," South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrew said. "And those guys feel like they got robbed."
Las Vegas sportsbook operator CG Technology said it took more than a million dollars in bets on the fight, including five wagers on Golovkin ranging from $50,000 to $80,000. The largest bet the book took on Alvarez was $20,000.
Statewide, bookmakers estimated $20 million to $30 million was bet on Golovkin-Alvarez in Nevada, roughly one-third of how much was estimated to have been bet on the Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor fight.
"A lot of people got refunds," Westgate SuperBook vice president Jay Kornegay said. "But thank God it wasn't a Mayweather-McGregor draw. We'd be refunding for a week."
BAD GGG/CANELO DECI$ION LED TO REFUND$ IN VEGA$
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Best Coast
- Welterweight
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- Joined: 07 Mar 2016, 22:53
BAD GGG/CANELO DECI$ION LED TO REFUND$ IN VEGA$
http://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/20 ... portsbooks
Re: BAD GGG/CANELO DECI$ION LED TO REFUND$ IN VEGA$
Another reason why that fight did more damage to the sport. If I see Oscar, I'll superman punch him.Best Coast wrote:http://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/20 ... portsbooksLarge bets for as much as $500,000 showed up on Gennady Golovkin at Las Vegas sportsbooks in the final hours before Saturday's title fight against Canelo Alvarez. They would all have to be refunded, after a controversial decision left both bettors and bookmakers disappointed and confused.
Heading into the decision, oddsmakers believed Golovkin had won the fight. International sportsbooks had Golovkin as high as a -500 favorite when live betting on the bout closed.
Shortly after the decision was given, lines formed at sportsbooks, with bettors looking for refunds. Straight bets on the winner of the fight were refunded in Las Vegas. Wagers on the method-of-victory props, which included an option to bet draw, were not refunded.
"There were some long lines, with some of the customers happy to get their money back and others disappointed," Frank Kunovic, director of specialty games at Caesars Palace, told ESPN. "They weren't yelling at us, but I think they were frustrated like we were about the decision."
Caesars reported taking a six-figure loss on the draw.
"We opened the draw at around 30-1 and closed at 16-1, so we got hurt on that," Kunovic added.
Golovkin began Saturday as around a -140 favorite, but the price grew throughout the day and closed at -200 at MGM sportsbooks. Significantly more bets were placed on the underdog Alvarez, who went off at around +160, but the larger bets were on Golovkin. Still, when the opening bell rang, most sportsbooks said they were rooting for Triple G.
"We needed Triple G by decision," Jay Rood, vice president of MGM race and sports, said. "The draw was a big swing for us."
The MGM took its biggest bet on the fight -- a $500,000 wager on Golovkin at -170 odds -- roughly three hours before the fight. The bet, placed by a "well-known casino player" was refunded in chips, Rood said.
"We took a lot of late money on Triple G," South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrew said. "And those guys feel like they got robbed."
Las Vegas sportsbook operator CG Technology said it took more than a million dollars in bets on the fight, including five wagers on Golovkin ranging from $50,000 to $80,000. The largest bet the book took on Alvarez was $20,000.
Statewide, bookmakers estimated $20 million to $30 million was bet on Golovkin-Alvarez in Nevada, roughly one-third of how much was estimated to have been bet on the Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor fight.
"A lot of people got refunds," Westgate SuperBook vice president Jay Kornegay said. "But thank God it wasn't a Mayweather-McGregor draw. We'd be refunding for a week."
Or maybe I won't.
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SaadOffTheDeck
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 19602
- Joined: 04 Jun 2009, 07:38
Re: BAD GGG/CANELO DECI$ION LED TO REFUND$ IN VEGA$
Draws are always refunds.
Re: BAD GGG/CANELO DECI$ION LED TO REFUND$ IN VEGA$
In other news.
Adalaide Byrd has been suspended.
https://sports.yahoo.com/controversial- ... 28784.html
Adalaide Byrd has been suspended.
https://sports.yahoo.com/controversial- ... 28784.html
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SaadOffTheDeck
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 19602
- Joined: 04 Jun 2009, 07:38
Re: BAD GGG/CANELO DECI$ION LED TO REFUND$ IN VEGA$
And in even more breaking news GGG still got screwed.good part of being old is it's less emotional, hearns waiting 8 years to get screwed by Leonard had me homicidal.
Re: BAD GGG/CANELO DECI$ION LED TO REFUND$ IN VEGA$
SaadOffTheDeck wrote:And in even more breaking news GGG still got screwed.good part of being old is it's less emotional, hearns waiting 8 years to get screwed by Leonard had me homicidal.
I feel like Golovkin needed the stoppage anyway for his legacy.
Re: BAD GGG/CANELO DECI$ION LED TO REFUND$ IN VEGA$
Byrd needs to be on a permanent vacation. Either she is corrupt or an idiot and you can't fix stupid.
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SaadOffTheDeck
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 19602
- Joined: 04 Jun 2009, 07:38
Re: BAD GGG/CANELO DECI$ION LED TO REFUND$ IN VEGA$
I was surprised how legit her boxing past was.
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Best Coast
- Welterweight
- Posts: 3133
- Joined: 07 Mar 2016, 22:53
Re: BAD GGG/CANELO DECI$ION LED TO REFUND$ IN VEGA$
SaadOffTheDeck wrote:I was surprised how legit her boxing past was.
Adalaide Byrd's scores (other than GGG-Canelo) have been very close to the norm on most of her fights. That leads me to believe that her horrible score on this one was not a matter of incompetence, but more likely corruption.
http://boxrec.com/en/judge/401967
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SaadOffTheDeck
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 19602
- Joined: 04 Jun 2009, 07:38
Re: BAD GGG/CANELO DECI$ION LED TO REFUND$ IN VEGA$
I'd go more incompetence, more people should be talking about the other dude. Even Byrd gave golovkins round 7!Best Coast wrote:SaadOffTheDeck wrote:I was surprised how legit her boxing past was.
Adalaide Byrd's scores (other than GGG-Canelo) have been very close to the norm on most of her fights. That leads me to believe that her horrible score on this one was not a matter of incompetence, but more likely corruption.
http://boxrec.com/en/judge/401967
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Thomastearns
- Super Lightweight
- Posts: 2403
- Joined: 26 Feb 2017, 11:11
Re: BAD GGG/CANELO DECI$ION LED TO REFUND$ IN VEGA$
Still hurts. A bit. At least Ray more or less admitted it.SaadOffTheDeck wrote:And in even more breaking news GGG still got screwed.good part of being old is it's less emotional, hearns waiting 8 years to get screwed by Leonard had me homicidal.
Re: BAD GGG/CANELO DECI$ION LED TO REFUND$ IN VEGA$
This. She should be fired not suspended and I agree that Trella needs looking at: every bit as corrupt just smarter.RScarf1 wrote:Byrd needs to be on a permanent vacation. Either she is corrupt or an idiot and you can't fix stupid.