Mayweather Vs. McGregor: Who's The Early Favorite?

The highly anticipated dream boxing match between undefeated former boxing champion Floyd Mayweather and UFC Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor is finally official. After rumors of negotiations between the two sides swirled for months, Mayweather announced on social media Thursday that the fight is officially set for August 26 in Las Vegas.

The fight will take place at the T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip and will likely make for a huge weekend for strip casino and hotel operators such as Las Vegas Sands Corp. LVS, MGM Resorts International MGM, Wynn Resorts, Limited WYNN and Caesars Entertainment Corp CZR. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority estimates that the highly-publicized fight between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao back in 2015 injected more than $150 million into the Vegas economy in a single weekend.

Related Link: Mayweather-McGregor Would Bring Big Money To Vegas, But Not Necessarily Casino Stocks

The early odds put Mayweather as an extremely heavy favorite. According to the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, McGregor is a +700 underdog to beat Mayweather, the -1,100 favorite. In other words, a $100 bet on McGregor would potentially win $700, while a $1,100 bet on Mayweather would potentially win just $100.

Benzinga readers are a bit more optimistic about McGregor’s chances. Only 53 percent of respondents to a Benzinga Twitter poll expect Mayweather to win, while 42 percent are anticipating a McGregor victory.

In terms of the potential outcome of the fight, Bovada lists a Mayweather victory on points as the most likely scenario at just +130 odds. Bovada lists rounds four through eight of the 12-round fight as McGregor’s most likely window of opportunity. The payoff for a bet on a McGregor win in each of those rounds is currently listed at +2,800.

Bovada lists the over/under for total rounds in the fight at 9.5. The over/under for total pay-per-view buys for the event stands at 4.99 million. PPV coverage will air on CBS Corporation CBS’s Showtime.