Boxing Betting Ireland 2023

As one of the oldest combat sports known to man, boxing is a popular sport in Ireland and other places worldwide. 

The sport is even more popular in the betting market as tons of betting sites offer match betting opportunities on most major boxing matches across all the professional weight classes.

This ultimate guide to betting on boxing created by our team of betting experts covers everything an Irish punter needs to know about boxing and boxing betting. 

This article covers boxing in Ireland, how to engage in boxing betting, what types of boxing betting odds and market you can look forward to, and much more.

Written by

Siobhan Aslett
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Best Irish Boxing Betting Sites 2023

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Boxing in Ireland

There are plenty of sports betting websites out there that come with markets and odds for online boxing betting. Irish punters are free to use any of these sites to enjoy their favourite pastime, as long as they are an Irish site or a foreign site that accepts players from Ireland.

That being said, we should mention that our team of betting experts at Irishluck has reviewed many of these sites and have recommended the ones that offer the best in terms of markets, odds, and a better experience. You will find the information on these sports betting sites above.

History of Boxing

Much of the history of boxing started overseas, with the sport becoming an officially recognized sport in the British Isles in the early 1700s. Before this time, the sport was quite chaotic with no referees, weight divisions or round limits. A boxing match would only finish when the outcome is evident with the winner still standing and the loser no longer in the condition to keep fighting. 

After the sport became recognized, different rules came in gradually, making the sport more civil and no longer chaotic. Boxers in Ireland showed a lot of promise as the sport evolved over the years, with many Irish boxers becoming British Bare Knuckle Champions. 

1911 spelt a new era for the world of boxing in Ireland as the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) was formed to serve as the national governing body for amateur boxing in Ireland. The IABA's primary role was to develop, foster, and promote amateur boxing in all the 32 counties of Ireland. The body has done a lot for the world of boxing in Ireland over the years, including building the first purpose-built boxing stadium in the world in 1939. The establishment of the Boxing Union of Ireland (BUI), a body tasked with governing and sanctioning professional boxing in Ireland in 1980, also brought about a new turn for the Irish professional boxing scene.

Venues

Both the amateur and professional world of boxing has been gaining much traction in Ireland, which is significantly more so for the amateurs. Today, there are over 28,000 boxers in training in over 350 clubs in Ireland. When it comes to where boxing competitions take place in Ireland, there are two main venues.

  • National Stadium: Known as the first and only purpose-built boxing stadium in the world, ‘Ireland National Boxing Stadium’ (aka National Sporting Arena) is the stage for amateur and professional boxing in Ireland. This venue host over 55 days of boxing every year alongside other events.
  • National Basketball Arena: Another venue that has hosted its fair share of boxing events in Ireland is the National Basketball arena (aka Tallaght Arena).

Boxing Fights

Unlike sports like football, basketball, rugby, and many other spectator sports, boxing competitions do not have a fixed or regular season. Professional fighters challenge each other in non-title fights and title fights for championship titles. As such, there is a need for any boxing betting enthusiast to stay informed of the latest boxing news to know the events taking place anytime.

That being said, boxing is a combat sport where two fighters wearing protective gloves throw punches at each other in a boxing ring over a series of one-to-three minutes intervals called rounds. The ring of the bell signals the end of one round and the beginning of another. A referee who will be responsible for judging and controlling the fighters' conduct is usually in the ring with the competitors.

How Boxing is Won

While boxing is a pretty popular spectator sport and a favourite for many people across the globe, not everyone understands how boxing works, especially how the fights are won. That being said, the basic rules of how to win boxing events are pretty simple and not too complicated for a novice to understand. A fighter can win a boxing contest in one of three ways: by knockout (KO), technical knockout (TKO), and the judges’ decision.

The knockout is the first and most known winning method in boxing. It happens when a boxer knocks his opponent down to the floor, and the opponent is no longer conscious enough to answer the referee’s ten counts. 

The second method, the technical knockout, happens when the referee stops the fight altogether because he believes one of the two fighters has sustained too much damage and cannot safely continue the match. TKO can also be declared if one fighter’s corner throws in the towel or the attending physician at ringside stops the fight.

The third winning method happens when a fight is left undecided within the twelve rounds. In this case, the winner of the fight goes down to the judges' decision. Three neutral judges score each round on a 10-point scale throughout the fight during most boxing matches. 

So, when a boxing bout is left undecided, the winner will be the fighter who scored best with the judges. This decision can either be unanimous (when all three judges award the same boxer the win) or split (when two judges award the boxer fighter the win). It is also noteworthy that fighters can also win boxing matches if their opponents frequently break the rules and are disqualified.

Boxing Weight Divisions

During the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the world of boxing discovered the need for separating boxing into different divisions because of the apparent advantage that physically big contestants have over smaller contestants. This resulted in boxing being divided into different weight classes, which has increased to 17 weight classes today. Each boxer is allowed to only fight in their weight class, which creates a safer environment for boxing competitions and keeps the sport fair. The table below highlights all the different weight class divisions in the boxing scene today.

Weight Division


Limit (Pound)


Limit (Kg)


Notable Champions


Minimum weight

105

48

Ricardo Lopez, Ivan Calderon, Chana Porpaoin

Light Flyweight

108

49

Yoko Gushiken, Jung-Koo Chang, Myung Woo Yuh

Flyweight

112

51

Jimmy Wilde, Pancho Villa, Roman Gonzalez

Super Flyweight

115

52

Mark Johnson, Fernando Montiel, Roman Gonzalez

Bantamweight

118

53.5

Eder Jofre, George Dixon, Hozumi Hasegawa

Super Bantamweight

122

55

Marco Antonio Barrera, Kennedy McKinney, Manny Pacquiao

Featherweight

126

57

George Dixon, Naseem Hamed, Manny Pacquiao

Super Featherweight

130

59

Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Lightweight

135

61

Joe Gans, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Super Lightweight

140

63.5

Tony Canzoneri, Barney Ross, Kostya Tszyu

Welterweight

147

67

Henry Armstrong, Pernell Whitaker, Shane Mosley

Super Welterweight

154

70

Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Joya, Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

Middleweight

160

72.5

Jack (Nonpareil) Dempsey, Jake LaMotta, Sugar Ray Robinson

Super Middleweight

168

76

Nigel Benn, Roy Jones, Jr., Andre Ward

Light Heavyweight

175

79

Georges Carpentier, Joe Calzaghe, Bernard Hopkins

Cruiserweight

200

91

Carlos de Leon, Evander Holyfield, Oleksandr Usyk

Heavyweight

Unlimited

Unlimited

Muhammed Ali, Mike Tyson, Tyson Fury

Boxing Betting Odds

You will agree that a punter who doesn't know how betting odds work will not go far when betting on boxing odds. The odds determine the profit that a punter could earn from making a wager on any market, which will then inform a punter on whether a wager is worth it or not. Generally, the odds format used for boxing betting odds in Ireland is the fractional odds format which expresses the ratio of the amount of profit that will be won against the wager staked, and it is displayed in 3/1, 5/2, 5/7, and so on.  A 5/1 price odds on the market means that a punter will win €5 for every €1 wagered on the market.

That being said, when it comes to boxing betting odds, the market works the same as that of any other sports betting market. Favourites are priced lower, while fighters with low chances of winning have higher odd prices.

Sports Boxing Betting Ireland

Betting on Boxing

Gambling and boxing have always had a close relationship since as far back as the length of time the sport itself has in Ireland. Irish punters are always looking to place wagers on their favourite boxers to win in events.

While boxing betting markets don't have the same range of betting options as team sports like football, basketball, and many others, boxing fans have more than enough betting options to enjoy. Irish punters can place bets on many aspects of a boxing match, from who will win the fight to how the fight will be won, how long a fight will last, and many other areas. Our team of betting experts have gone through some of the more popular boxing betting markets and explained them in detail.

Match Betting

Match betting is the simplest boxing betting market available to Irish punters online. It involves a punter making wagers on the eventual outcome of a boxing event.

  • Win Betting involves placing wagers on one of the two boxers in a matchup to win the fight outright. These are the best bets to pick when you are 100% certain that a fighter will beat the opponent. The only downside is that when there is a clear favourite in these cases, the boxing odds are usually relatively low, and a punter will have to bet a large amount of money to win a small amount.
  • Draw Betting: Occasionally, boxing events can end up undecided with no clear winner, leading to a draw. As such, punters can also make a wager on the outcome of events being a draw. Since draws are not frequently seen in boxing events, these markets usually come with some of the best boxing betting odds.

Round End Betting

One of the most exciting things about boxing is that, unlike other sports like football, basketball, horse racing, and many others, a matchup doesn't have to take the full time allocated before completion. A boxing matchup can end with a knockout in a matter of seconds into the first round, and it can also go up to the very last round. 

So, another type of market that Irish punters can enjoy when it comes to betting on boxing is predicting when the fight will end. Here, a punter will have to predict which of the 12 rounds the fight will end or whether it will go the distance and end without a knockout, technical knockout, or disqualification. As it can be pretty challenging to predict which round a boxing match will end in, these markets often come with pretty impressive odds.

Round Betting

The Round betting market is similar to the round ending market in that it involves punters making wagers on which round a boxing event will end. However, in addition to this, a punter will also need to pick the fighter they think will win. So, it means that a player will pick the fighter to win the match and which round they will triumph. Within this market, punters also can place wagers on the match ending in a decision by the judge or a draw. Since these markets pack more heat than the round ending markets, it also comes with better and larger prices.

Group Betting

As is with most sports betting, you can never be entirely sure of what will happen in a boxing event. So, making predictions on specific single-round betting or single-round end betting like the match will end in the sixth round or Mayweather will win a fight in the seventh round can be challenging to get accurately. 

This is where the Group betting market comes in handy. In this market, punters are given a chance to predict a fight-ending within a group of rounds instead of predicting specific single rounds.

  • Round group Betting: Here, punters predict who will win a boxing event and what group of rounds the event will end between rounds 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12, by decision, or a draw. Some sports betting sites also offer their customers more groups like 1-2, 1-4, and 1-6 round groups.
  • Round End group betting: Like the round betting market, some sites offer their customers the opportunity of predicting which group of rounds a boxing match will end. This usually comes in ‘1-3’ groups, ‘1-2’ groups, ‘1-4’ groups, and ‘1-6’ groups.

Total Rounds Betting

As mentioned earlier, a boxing matchup does not necessarily last up to the final round. As long as there is a knockout, technical knockout, or disqualification, a matchup could end during any of the 12 rounds. So, another famous market with many Irish punters today is the Total rounds market, also known as the ‘Over/Under market. 

Here, punters predict if a match will last longer or less than a specified number of rounds. For example, let's say a matchup between Antony Joshua and Tyson Fury comes with an 8.5 Over/Under market price. Betting ‘Over’ means that you expect the fight to last up to nine rounds or more, and betting ‘Under’ means that you expect the fight to end within the first 8 rounds.

Method of Victory Betting

Another type of bet for betting on boxing is the ‘Method of Victory’ market. As we have mentioned earlier in this guide, a boxer can win a boxing event by knockout (KO), technical knockout (KO), or the judges’ decision. The market that capitalizes on this aspect of boxing is the ‘Method of Victory’ market. Here, a punter has to place a bet on a particular boxer to win a fight and how the said fighter will win the fight. 

This is often between winning by either knockout, technical knockout, or disqualification and winning by decision.With good knowledge about the boxing scene and solid boxing betting tips, punters can win consistently betting on these types of markets. As this market involves a punter making predictions on both the winner and method of victory, the odds price is usually higher than typical match betting.

Fight to Go the Distance Bets

Typically, boxing events will last for a certain number of rounds (usually 12 rounds in professional boxing), but this will only happen if there is no KO, TKO, or disqualification during the fight. So, another famous market in betting on boxing is the 'fight to go the distance' market, and it involves punters placing wagers on whether a fight will last the complete 12 rounds without a winner or not. Since this is a risky market, as fights can go any direction, you must do thorough research on the boxers involved before you take part in any betting on boxing events.

Other Boxing Props Bets

You should know that in the same way that some boxing matches attract more audiences than others; boxing online betting markets vary. The fights with more hype and attract more audiences will naturally have more betting markets. So, depending on the magnitude of the fight, many bookmakers create additional prop-based odds markets to attract more bets from punters. Standard bet props like this include the number of punches landed by a specific fighter, what minute a fight will be won, and many others.

Sports Boxing Betting Ireland

How to Bet on Boxing

Now that we have settled on the popular types of online boxing betting markets that are open to Irish punters online, we should glance at how to bet on boxing. 

This is a pretty simple process, and we have provided you with a step by step guide below:

  1. Sign up with a bookie: The first step to betting on boxing is to have a sportsbook account with a sports betting site. So, if you don't already have one, you need to find a site that catches your fancy and sign up with them.
  2. Fund your account: Online boxing betting requires the use of real money, so the next thing to do after successfully creating an account is to fund the account.
  3. Make your picks: Once you have funded your account, you will be good to go. So, you just have to go to the boxing section of the sportsbook and make your selection of fights as the case may be. This is the most crucial part of the process. So, make sure to do your research before picking any games to wager on.
  4. Add your stake: As you click on the selection or selections of the fights and markets you want to place a bet on, the market will automatically be added to your betting slip. Once you are satisfied with your picks, what is left for you to do is enter the amount you want to wager and submit the ticket.

How Did We Select the Best Betting Sites?

As we have mentioned, there are hundreds of online sports betting sites out there today, and while you may get a pretty decent experience betting on boxing at one site, you may get a better and more pleasant experience elsewhere. So, it is always essential for boxing fans, especially the ones new to boxing betting, to be selective whenever they are choosing where to engage in betting on boxing. 

Thankfully, our team of betting experts at IrishLuck has created a list of what you need to consider before choosing a boxing betting site to use.

  • Licensing and Reputation: The trustworthiness of a betting site is crucial when looking for an online boxing betting platform to use. Does the site have a spotless and credible reputation or a questionable one? Will your personal and financial information be safe and secure at the site? These are the questions you need to have an answer to before joining a betting site.
  • Coverage of Boxing Wagers: Perhaps the most important thing to consider is whether or not the site covers all the most important boxing events you are interested in.
  • Betting Markets: The best sports betting sites come with various boxing betting markets and prop bets. The more the boxing betting markets offered, the better.
  • Competitive Odds: As is with most sports, boxing betting odds vary from one betting site to another. So, when you are looking for a site to use for boxing betting, find the ones that offer the best odds, or at least competitive odds.
  • Betting Features: One of the best things about online boxing betting is the availability of different betting features that assist players in enjoying placing bets on boxing. These features include cash out, bet builder, live streaming services, and many others. So, target sites with this feature for a more pleasant boxing betting experience.
  • Customer service: Every punter will at one time or the other run into a situation that they can’t resolve on their own at a sports betting site and will need the help of the site’s customer support. So one of the things that you must consider when choosing the site to use is the availability of a professional customer support service that you can reach any time of the day through different communication channels.
  • Bonuses and Promotions: Although most betting sites offer some form of bonuses and promotions to their customers, the generosity of each site in this matter varies. Some sites offer serious cash bonuses to their players, while others offer less.

Boxing Betting Strategies and Tips

Much like MMA fights and other full-contact combat sports, there aren’t many well-known strategies that Irish punters can use to make sure wagers when they bet on sporting events. Instead, there are some essential practices that a punter must keep in mind before they place a wager on any sporting event. For your convenience, our team of betting experts has provided a list of some of the most popular betting tips that you should check out. 

While these tips cannot guarantee a sure win, they will improve your winning chances.

  • Don’t just wager on any fighter, and make sure you check out the current forms of the competitors in a fight to see who stands a better chance of winning before making a wager.
  • You should also consider the records and goals of each of the competitors in the fight.
  • Choose your bets wisely based on the ones with high chances of winning, and don't randomly select bets in the hope of landing a big payout.
  • When betting on boxing, always remember not to get emotionally attached to a fighter, but instead place your wager based on logic.
  • Wager only on the market you understand and don't just wager because you find the market attractive.
  • Stay up to date on the latest boxing news so that you will stay informed about things you won’t find on sports betting sites.
  • The best way to succeed in online boxing betting is to know everything you can about the fighters. Doing this will help you learn about the strengths and weaknesses of each boxer, which will give you an edge when you want to wager on boxing.

Closing Thoughts

To sum up, betting on boxing has drastically transformed from taking place in illegal boxing rings to being a massive industry thanks to online boxing betting sites. The best boxing sites continue to provide comprehensive range coverage of all professional competitions in the USA, UK, Ireland, and other places worldwide with great odds price offerings.

It is noteworthy that we mention that gambling on boxing should always only be a fun pastime and not an attempt to try and win some massive payday. So, do remember to always gamble responsibly and have fun.

Boxing Betting FAQs

Yes. In most countries across the globe, especially Ireland, it is legal to bet on boxing events.

Yes. Boxing and gambling have had a long relationship on the island of Ireland, and as such, Irish punters are allowed to place bets on their favourite boxing events.

A fighter can win a boxing event in three ways; by knockout (fighter knocks the opponent to the ground unconscious), technical knockout (when the referee thinks it is no longer for one of the fighters to continue, and by the judges decision.

Yes. As is with most sports today, Irish punters can place bets on boxing events using any of the hundreds of online sports betting sites that are out there today.

Boxing betting works the same way as other sports betting. Online casinos offer competitive odds for different markets on boxing events, and punters are free to make wagers on the ones they predict will happen. 

You can bet on a fighter to win, the way a fighter will win, which round the fight will finish, and many others.

Round betting in boxing involves punters making predictions on the outcome of a boxing event. Here, the punters will predict which boxer will win the fight and which round the fight will end.

Boxing betting odds work the same way as other sports. Sports betting sites will offer up odds based on the winning chances of the market. The market with a high chance of happening has lower odds, while those with low chances have higher odds.

Three neutral judges usually score boxing events in the event that the fight is finished with no knockout, technical knockout, or disqualification.

The judges score each round of boxing matches on a 10-point scale, with most rounds ending in 10-9; 10 for the more dominant boxer and 9 for his opponent. 

Any fighter that the opponent knocks down loses one point each time, and if a judge deems a round even, both fighters receive 10 points each.

Originally there were 8 main divisions in boxing, but this has increased over the years. Today, there are 17 weight classes in boxing, from minimum-weight division down to the heavyweight division.

Yes, most sports betting sites have no rules preventing punters from backing both fighters in a boxing event. 

However, doing this often than not leads to a loss for you, either way, so it is best to do your research, make your prediction, and back who you think will win the bout.

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Siobhan aslett

Siobhan AslettVerified

Irish Sportsbook Specialist

Casino & sportsbook expert of 8 years. Informing online sports betting lovers and Irishluck visitors about the latest and best sportsbook news. Since graduating from the University of Exeter, Siobhan... ...continue reading
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