SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Unibet is anticipating that the long awaited MMA battle this Saturday between Jose Aldo ‘Junior’ and ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor at UFC 194 will be a hugely popular betting market, but that it won’t come close to surpassing anything involving Alexander Gustafsson.
Postponed from its original date of 11 July due to an Aldo injury, fight anticipation has been brewing for months as UFC 194 sees a ‘stacked’ Christmas special which is expected to break all Pay Per View (PPV) and UFC ‘gate records’.
UFC President Dana White stated that at present the fight was tracking revenues of between $120 – 150 million with viewers wondering whether the wild Irishman Conor McGregor can continue the recent shock results in the world of fighting sports and end Jose Aldo five year reign as UFC Featherweight Champion.
UFC official betting partner Unibet has shared some market insights with SBC. The firm’s Ed Nicholson commented:
“Aldo-McGregor has been continually anticipated by UFC punters since before the fight was originally scheduled to take place back in the summer.
“Whilst it might not surpass the turnover of fights involving Alexander Gustafsson it certainly looks like being the biggest fight outside of Gustaffson whose October clash with Daniel Cormier is Unibet’s current record, surpassing even the much talked about Holm-Rousey fight of last month.”
“UFC 194 has certainly got the punters split, reflecting Unibet’s close odds of 8/11 McGregor to Aldo’s 11/10. Whilst punters are edging towards McGregor with nearly 60% of outright bets so far they are giving Also more than a punching chance with a Jose Aldo win by TKO or KO the most backed in the winning method market at 9/2.”
“At present Unibet has McGregor to win in round three (9/1) as the most backed round wager.”
Recent fight action has seen huge upsets as undisputed UFC Female Welterweight Champion Ronda Rousey lost by KO to +10/1 outsider Holly Holm in November. Whilst the start of December saw eleven year Heavyweight Boxing World Champion Wladimir Klitschko lose his belts to British underdog Tyson Fury.
