Betting Interest Surges on Jake Paul

Jake Paul's upcoming heavyweight bout against Anthony Joshua has prompted an unexpected betting trend. A notable share of bettors is backing the YouTuber-turned-boxer despite Joshua entering the contest as the overwhelming favorite.

Fight Details and Paul’s Boxing Record

The fight, scheduled for Dec. 19 in Miami and to be streamed live on Netflix, marks Paul's most demanding test since turning professional five years ago. His record has largely been built against former MMA champions, including Tyron Woodley, Ben Askren, Nate Diaz, and Anderson Silva, with only Tommy Fury handing him a split decision defeat two years ago. We break down the markets available in our Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua odds.

Paul also won a heavyweight boxing match against Mike Tyson in November of last year. Nevertheless, the size gap between them became apparent when he faced off with Joshua at a press conference for a launch event.

This fight will be fought for eight rounds, with each round lasting three minutes. It has received extensive coverage overseas due to Joshua's pre-existing reputation in boxing and Paul's swift rise to fame.

Early Betting Patterns and Odds

Early betting patterns across the best sports betting sites have proved surprising. Joshua is a strong betting favorite at -1600, and Paul is priced at +850; however, on Dec. 2, reports indicated that 50% of bettors had backed Paul to win.

The remaining wagers were split between Joshua at 34% and the draw at 16%. Although most boxing experts had anticipated a quick victory for Joshua, a large number of bettors have chosen to side with Paul.

Household names have also been pinning their bets on Paul. Former opponent Diaz placed $20,000 on Paul to win, while Hollywood producer Jon Peters placed a staggering $5 million bet on the ‘Problem Child.’

Paul's Growing Betting Influence Through Betr

The increase in betting activity surrounding his fights correlates with Paul’s growing involvement in betting markets through his company, Betr, which he founded two years ago with Joey Levy. This application focuses on pick-and-micro-betting.

Speaking to TMZ, Paul said Betr had focused on offering high payouts and an interface designed to keep users within a single ecosystem, allowing them to move from fantasy pick 'em to skill-based arcade games while playing for real money. Betr's early growth has drawn attention into the broader gambling market, which continues to expand as more states approve regulated wagering.

Levy added that Betr's trajectory had exceeded expectations, stating that entering the top four in a multibillion-dollar industry within two years was unusual. This was evident when he pointed out that users of the platform had already won more than a quarter of a billion dollars.

"Our customers have already won over a quarter of a billion dollars using the product [and] we're acquiring customers really efficiently. We're retaining them really well, and we're expanding revenue per user," Levy said in an interview from September.

As more states legalize a legal gambling structure, Betr looks to expand its reach and capitalize on this continued nationwide demand for sports entertainment.