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Why Casinos Want to Sponsor and Host Boxing Events

Top online casino operators recognize that boxing is one of the most popular sports in the world and they are slowly looking to tap into it. Boxing has definitely stood the test of time and has managed to remain an unadulterated classic for centuries much to the delight of the millions of its fans.  

So, what is it about boxing that interests casinos all over the world?

Casinos — The New Home of Boxing

Casinos are no longer about only table games, slot games, live casino games, jackpots, roulette blackjack, and rewards. Nowadays all best online casinos have diversified their business models to tap into other popular sports, including boxing, which has particularly argued very well with the gambling popularity.

From the Las Vegas strip, Ireland, Malta, Gibraltar, and Macau to the United Kingdom, casinos offer more than just baccarat, as now there are plenty of interesting games like blackjack, live roulette, poker games, progressive jackpots, live dealers and many other online casino games-boxing. All these games are parts of the casino ecosystem, so a member of the casino has many options to choose from. How did casinos become boxing hotspots in the world? Why are casinos looking to host boxing events?

How Boxing Found a Home in Casinos

The culture of hosting boxing events in major hotels and clubs dates back to the 1920s in New York. New York is believed to be the cradle of televised boxing matches — in the early 1950s, CBS was televising live boxing matches on Fridays, which were very popular.

In the 1950s, the hotel and casino industry was budding in Las Vegas, Nevada. Run mostly by mobs, Las Vegas Casinos had conquered the world of gambling with the latest casino games and had a huge customer base. In a bid to expand their businesses, Las Vegas hotels and casinos borrowed a leaf from New York and started hosting boxing events promising large payouts to the boxers and drawing big crowds willing to wager on the live boxing matches.

The glamour fights were initially hosted in the Convention Center in Vegas and spread to the already established casinos in the Las Vegas Strip. Over time, the culture spread to other gambling capitals of the world like Macau, Sydney Australia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain, the Far East and other states in the United States.

Why Casinos Want to Sponsor and Host Boxing Events Today

Sixty years later, since the 1960s, casinos are still the home of boxing. Casinos don’t just host the events, they are willing to sponsor the exciting matches and draw the biggest crowds possible. The big question is, why are casinos ready to commit financially and sponsor boxing events today?

Here are some good reasons why casinos take a break from offering the best online gaming experience, spreading messages of responsible gambling and updating their privacy policy to sponsor and host boxing events.

Boxing is Huge Worldwide

Boxing has been around for centuries. Some people like boxing even more than football or any other kind of sport. Since the ancient civilizations, the ‘Sweet Science’ as many call it, has seen people from all walks of life gather around rings and vehemently cheer two professionals as they go at each other. From the fiery build-ups leading up to the fights, the adrenaline-filled weigh-ins, the tense atmosphere in the boxing arenas, the cold knockouts to the tap-outs, boxing is related with an environment that continues to endear to humans.

Today, boxing is followed by millions worldwide. By sponsoring and hosting boxing events, casinos make millions from ticket sales, broadcasting rights, and PPV sales. Successful fights usually are moneymaking, for example, the Mayweather vs Pacquiao fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena ranked in $410 million in PPV revenue. This fight beat the record previously set by Mayweather vs Canelo Alvarez in 2013 in the same Arena. Most recently, Mayweather squared off against UFC showman Conor McGregor generating 4.3 million PPV buys.

By sponsoring a boxing event with a headliner, casinos can comfortably earn a profit just from the ticket sales and PPV sales.

Boxing Matches Attract Gamblers

The money is not limited to ticket sales and PPV revenue. Boxing events attract the type of customers who wager on such occasions. Casinos are home to the daring gamblers willing to risk a penny or two while getting entertained by the boxers in the ring.

Each player can bet live in the casinos or on gambling sites, offering odds on the matches through the one click on android phone, iPhone or another device via the site of online casino. Licensed and regulated bookies provide excellent odds on boxing events for customers to bet on and these winnings stream back to the sponsors of the boxing matches.  

Players Stick Behind to Play Casino Games

Almost each casino website host and sponsor big boxing events and matches because they attract the big spenders and players to their casinos. Before the event kicks off, the players get a chance to try their luck in the myriad of casino games on offer with a great possibility to win a jackpot.

Casinos understand that such significant boxing events are perfect for marketing themselves and earning new clients and earning the loyalty of old ones. Before the main event, the casinos will offer free spins and bonuses for players to entice them to try other available casino games. Casinos will also take advantage of this time to market their exclusive promotions, encourage registration of players to their online platforms and guide each user on several featured games online. Sometimes they even provide their registered members with such features as decreased gambling commission or cashback. As a result, some users enjoy their gambling experience enough to decide to select the best casino, register there and later they will only need to log in again with their unique username, email, and password as loyal clients and maybe even get a premium account.

Casinos will take advantage of these boxing events to educate gamblers on new casino games, elaborate various terms and conditions of these games, and other aspects such as the privacy policy. Then, the casinos will let the players in and give them access to the different payment methods, encourage responsible gaming before allowing them to immerse into a variety of games like live blackjack, live roulette, European roulette, try their hands in the progressive jackpots, slot games, table games, and other casino games. Usually, if gamblers were playing responsibly, learned all details of terms and conditions, privacy and rules, they received good chances to win some cash.

During the event when the house is full, and all eyes are on the boxing match, the players can take advantage of their mobile devices, log in to their accounts with their login and password and continue betting live in the online casinos. Online casinos support top casino games thanks to powerful software and technology in the market. Players can access live video slots games, join blackjack tables, play bingo, chat with a live dealer, place as many bets as they want and collect winnings while the fight is going on.

Boxing and Casinos is a Match Made in Heaven

Casino players are more often than not, boxing fans. That is why it is not surprising that boxing found a home in the casinos. Boxing helps casinos to market their brand to the world while boxing as a profession benefits from the billions pumped into the sport by the sponsors and the concerted marketing efforts.

Therefore, the symbiotic relationship between boxing and casinos will thrive for ages and casinos will continue to scramble to host boxing events.

 

Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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