Dana White spoke on the ESPN show, Daily Wager, to discuss sports betting.
White stated that he was a proponent of sports betting of course because he was “from Vegas.” He also spoke on the role of gambling plays growth in the sport.
He also discussed how there is “always a rooting interest” when people place bets on fights. He also was a proponent of ‘live lines,’ which show the current odds during a UFC broadcast. There is the potential for fans to place bets during fights on the outcome of the bout as well as proposition bets.
White said he always looks at the line on UFC fights.
He also confessed that he bet $1 million on Jermain Taylor to defeat Kelly Pavlik. However, Pavlik defeated Taylor. He also reflected on a win with George Foreman defeating Michael Moorer.
The UFC launched its own betting product with IMG Arena which would enable in-fight wagers on live bouts. The UFC owns the data, logos, player photos and fighter bios to build out its product. One might assume that it would license this information to other outlets for use.
Payout Perspective:
It makes sense that White is a proponent of in-sport betting. The trend seems to be on the horizon and since COVID-19 has kept many at home, the states/areas where betting is legal would likely see an upward trend in handle. The overarching concern is the integrity of the matches to ensure they are not compromised. There have been instances where certain fights were questioned when swings in betting patterns caused a concern by regulators. Assuming that fixing fights does not happen, sports betting will be a big revenue stream. As we’ve seen partnering with sports betting places can be a lucrative option.
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