How to bet on Tyson Paul fight: Preview, picks and best bets

Bet on the Tyson vs. Paul fight with the best bets and odds comparison across sportsbooks

WHO	Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson
WHEN	Friday, November 15, 2024 at 8:00 p.m. ET
WHERE	AT&T Stadium | Arlington, Texas
HOW TO WATCH	Netflix

One of the most improbable fights in professional boxing history is upon us with former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson taking on YouTuber-turned-pro fighter Jake Paul, and here are the best bets for this bout. While Tyson is three decades older than Paul, the fight is still widely expected to be a competitive one as Tyson at his peak was one of the greatest fighters of all time and has done a remarkable job of keeping in shape relative to his age.

As can be seen below, Paul is favored at most online betting sites to win this long-anticipated fight.

Market	FanDuel	Caesars	BetMGM
Jake Paul Moneyline	-235	-210	-225
Mike Tyson Moneyline	+186	+165	+180
Method of Victory: Paul by Points/Decision	+270	+275	+280
Method of Victory: Paul by KO/TKO	+135	+150	+140
Draw	+900	+800	+800
Method of Victory: Tyson by Points/Decision	+1000	+550	+900
Method of Victory: Tyson by KO/TKO	+280	+225	+275
Go the Distance – Yes	+140	+120	+138
Go the Distance- No	-180	-150	-175

How did we get here? Paul was a pioneer of the crossover boxing craze a few years ago, but he’s distinguished himself from the crowd because he’s displayed a serious interest in the sport; and a bit of talent as well. He’s now 10-1 as a professional boxer, although his only fight against another boxing pro under the age of 30, fellow social-media influencer Tommy Fury, accounted for his lone loss. He’s mostly beaten other social media stars, as well as a bevy of mixed martial artists and boxers past their primes.

Tyson requires little introduction. He got off to a remarkable start to his career, winning his first 37 professional fights including 19 by knockout or TKO. That stretch included a nearly four-year, 10-fight run as the WBC champion, during which he also picked up the WBA, IBF and The Ring belts as well. 

After losing his streak and his titles, he ripped off another eight-fight win streak, through which he earned back some belts. The latter stages of his career were filled with controversy, both in and outside of the ring, but he’ll always be remembered as perhaps the most imposing, dominant and erratic presence in the sport’s history. Now, after decades away from the professional stage, he’s set to make a return, likely for the final time.

This fight was supposed to take place back in July, but an ulcer issue forced Tyson’s camp to postpone the bout. All parties agreed to reschedule it for tonight.

Now, let’s dig into some of the key details of the fight itself, a special Netflix-exclusive streaming event that will take place in AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys and the biggest NFL stadium, with a capacity of around 80,000 spectators. To the surprise of some, the fight was sanctioned as a professional boxing event rather than an exhibition. However, the eight rounds will last two minutes each, as opposed to a more standard three minutes. The fighters will also be wearing 14-ounce gloves, slightly heavier than what is frequently seen in the professional ring.

Even though this fight is quite different from your average pro boxing bout, major boxing sportsbooks like FanDuel and Caesars are still offering some intriguing lines for the fight. Here is a case for betting on each side, along with a best bet.

Why bet on Jake Paul

This is a simple argument to make: Paul is in his prime at 27 years old, while Tyson is 58 and had to delay the fight because of a medical issue. Nobody is going to argue that Paul could stand in a ring with prime Tyson, one of the most fearsome versions of any fighter of all time, but with a 31-year age discrepancy, Paul is likely in much better shape.

The physical advantages don’t stop there. Paul is 3 inches taller than Tyson, standing at 6-foot-1 compared to 5-foot-10 for the former heavyweight champ. Tyson is heavier than Paul, and his bulk relative to height was part of what made him a lethal fighter in his prime, but it’s fair to wonder how he’ll move around the ring carrying extra weight in his current physical state. 

Perhaps most importantly in terms of physical stats, Paul’s 76-inch reach is 5 inches longer than Tyson’s at 71 inches. This could be vital, as keeping the relentless Tyson at arm’s length could be a difference-maker for Paul in this fight.

The younger also has an advantage in terms of sharpness because Paul has fought twice already this year and three times last year. Meanwhile, Tyson’s last professional bout was in 2005, his last pro win was in 2003. He last got into the ring in an exhibition capacity in 2020. Coincidentally, that card also included Paul’s second professional fight, a knockout of former NBA player Nate Robinson.

Say what you want about Paul’s fighting career, but he’s come a long way since that event. He’s now 10-1 as a pro with seven wins by knockout and, while he’s come under fire for only beating either non-boxers or boxers out of their prime, Tyson falls into the latter category.

Why bet on Mike Tyson

This answer is simple: it’s Mike Tyson fighting against a boxer who can barely call himself a pro. Even at his age, Tyson has far more technique up his sleeve than does Paul, who has come a long way as a boxer but is nowhere near a world-champion level.

Tyson has posted plenty of videos of himself prepping for the fight and, while he can’t return to his legendary peak form, he looks fantastic for his age and can still throw an extremely strong punch. He isn’t as well-positioned to go the distance as he once was, but at his best, that was rarely the approach. 

“Iron Mike” looks more than ready to throw the devastating power punches that made him the most feared fighter in the world. He’ll only need to catch the relatively inexperienced Paul with a couple of those blows to jolt him out of his comfort zone and knock him out.

Best bet on Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson: Tyson by KO/TKO (+270, FanDuel)

It’s worth noting that the Moneyline in this fight is a two-way market. So if there is a draw, bettors would be refunded no matter which side they bet. However, there is better value to be found elsewhere.

While there is a round-based over/under to bet on with some sportsbooks, it’s not available everywhere, though it’s worth noting that the under carries some value wherever one can find it. Still, the best bet is going to be with the champ. It’s advisable to avoid the money line because if this fight goes the distance, that already means that Tyson has failed to dictate the pace he wants. Therefore, the better value is to grab the slightly longer line at FanDuel for him to knock Paul out.

Simply put, Paul hasn’t taken punches like the ones Tyson can land. Paul struggled against Tommy Fury in his only loss and, while Tyson has lost some of the physical gifts that him special, he can likely still hit harder than Fury on a one-punch basis. Expect Tyson to hit Paul squarely with a few signature power punches and end this fight prematurely as the YouTuber fails to recover from the barrage.

Prediction: Tyson by KO (second round)