BOXING · Fri (12/15) @ 8:00 pm ET
| Andre August | at | Jake Paul |
| Caribe Royale Resort, Orlando, FL | ||
Everything he touches turns to money.
Thus, when social media influencer Jake Paul talks, bookmakers listen. Casinos listen. Networks listen. And then they try to be around that money.
It did not take FanDuel Sportsbook long to list Paul as a -550 chalk and Andre August as the +360 dog once their Dec. 15 fight in Orlando, Fla, was announced.
Early bettors on August may grab those odds, while Paul backers will likely seek future prop-betting opportunities.
The Paul camp may jump on the victory method once that’s posted for this eight-round cruiserweight battle (200 pounds) earmarked for distance. Paul is 7-1 with four knockouts, compiled primarily against YouTubers, MMA stars, and athletes from other sports. August is 10-1-1 with five knockouts against pros.
A full-distance fight may have the shortest price. But it’s a realistic outcome.
The full prop menu will materialize between now and the fight. All that matters now for the parties involved is that the fight is announced and that it’s up.
It also did not take DAZN long to announce that this event would be live-streamed to more than 200 countries.
That’s the mystique of Paul, who carves a powerful link between gamblers, networks, sportsbooks, and casino operators. He brings legions of younger generation, social media eyeballs to his activities.
Because this one involves a fight, it’s good news for the overall casino and sportsbook community.
No less an icon than Mike Tyson, one of the greatest heavyweight champions of all time, has praised Paul for “saving boxing.” Tyson, who fought before the age of widespread, mobile-driven legalized gambling, says Paul has done more for boxing than many champions by attracting viewing masses.
Iron Mike is right.
Paul’s pre-fight trash talk against early opponents hit an untapped revenue gusher. It entailed social media implications, like how many subscribers opponents had won or lost, not their skill level.
That narrative sparked interest in the events.
Paul managed to keep most of that money for himself and has become rich from these fights. Published reports peg his 2021 revenue from three bouts at $21 million. 30 years ago, these events would not have been televised and they might have netted him $2,000.
Here’s a look at Jake Paul vs Andre August odds, props, and predictions.
Paul vs August Betting Overview
Paul lost his only battle with a seasoned pro, Tommy Fury, by split decision earlier this year.
That may entice backers of the unheralded August, who does have a fairly good left hook and has promised to “knock Paul all the way back to YouTube.”
Bettors on Paul believe he will learn from the Fury fight and come back stronger. He has generally been a straight-ahead stalker. Paul, at 26, is nine years younger than August.
Paul backers will also be emboldened by the fact that in a career dating back to 2013, August has only fought 12 times. He has never gone eight rounds.
August was off for four years before returning in August.
There’s just enough doubt about his stamina to coax some Paul bettors to plop money down on a late stoppage. Paul further encourages that concept by having dropped Fury in the 8th round of his loss. Perhaps he’ll be the strong fighter late in this one.
Either way, Paul is being developed at a level he is expected to win at.
A boxing community that once scoffed at Paul slowly gives him respect. Noted fighters like “Sugar” Shane Mosley, J’Leon Love, and BJ Flores have trained him.
Few expect Paul to achieve his goal of a world championship, but the boxing world is content to watch him play out the dream.
How Jake Paul Gained Acclaim in Boxing
It hardly matters that August is a club fighter. This event boils down to five words: Jake Paul is doing something.
His unprecedented odyssey reflects a unique age. For decades, athletes established themselves in their selected sport before branching into television, commercials, radio, or the big screen.
Paul has reversed the process. He was baptized on platforms like Vine, YouTube, and the Disney series “Bizaardvark” before becoming an athlete. He even hit the recording world with a slickly-produced 2015 rap video called “It’s Everyday Bro.”
According to Wikipedia, the video has over 297 million views and over 5.4 million dislikes, making it one of the most disliked YouTube videos of all time.
Likes or dislikes, who cares? It’s attention. And attention is money.
At a young age, Paul has grasped the link between revenue and eyeball$. He knows how to reach consumers, creating his own paradigm in the social media age.
To a younger generation, Paul is a performer. The boxing ring just happens to be his new stage.
To the older purists, he has the market knowledge of a Muhammad Ali, the business savvy of a “Sugar” Ray Leonard or Floyd Mayweather, and mastery of a medium created during his time.
Paul has also used his money and influence to expand his boxing footprint. Through his Most Valuable Promotions company, he signed female superstar Amanda Serrano two years ago and made her a millionaire by supplying a younger fan base.
He also founded Boxing Bullies to instill self-confidence, leadership, and courage within the youth through the sport of boxing while using its platform, voice, and social media to fight back against bullying.
Paul has far more money than people in his sport with more advanced talent. That speaks to his marketing savvy.
Paul may be relatively new to the sport of boxing. But as a media presence, he is well ahead of his time.
That’s how an eight-round fight for no title gains instant betting odds.
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