Mayweather vs. Pacquiao Odds: Highlighting Hype and Lines from Las Vegas
Even Las Vegas bows before the might of Floyd Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao.
The hype alone draws all sorts of bets both big and small. This is the fight the globe has clamored for, and even if it seems a few years too late, the betting action is big all the same.
But forget the hype for a second—the actual in-ring matchup equates to unpredictable lines and lots of action on both sides. Pacquiao's an offensive juggernaut who is easy to get behind, while Mayweather's style is the exact opposite as he bobs, weaves and shoulder rolls out of the way.
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The complexities of everything surrounding the fight have an impact on the lines, so here's a look at the latest.
Mayweather vs. Pacquiao Fight Odds
| Mayweather (4-9) | Over 11.5 (4-13) | Yes (1-3) |
| Pacquiao (7-4) | Under 11.5 (43-20) | No (23-10) |
Odds via Odd Shark as of April 28 at 7 a.m. ET.
Latest Hype and Lines
Oddsmakers knew that this would be a wild month or so, but some in the know are still shocked at just how much attention Mayweather-Pacquiao continues to receive.
Jimmy Vaccaro, sportsbook runner at South Point Casino, spoke on the matter with David Mayo of MLive.com:
"I've never seen as much action as this on a major fight with eight days to go," Vaccaro said Friday. "This will be crazy. I've witnessed this for a long time and I've never seen the interest in anything like this."
The endless amount of bets flowing in helps to explain why the lines don't change much for each fighter, if at all. As Vaccaro notes, it's not just about how they compare in the ring, but loyal, lifelong fans throwing down money behind their guy.
ESPN's Arash Markazi put it best:
It helps that casual fans aren't the only ones with a major interest in the fight.
Celebrities such as Diddy and Mark Wahlberg help to hype the bout as well, as Showtime Sports captures on Twitter:
What should we make of these odds that never seem to move?
Preference.
In all seriousness, it's hard to go wrong with either fighter. Pacquiao touts a crowd-pleasing style and doesn't take his foot off the pedal. Even better, he comes from awkward angles out of a southpaw stance to overwhelm his opponents.
By now, a two-fight losing streak, of which folks most remember a devastating knockout at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez, seems a distant memory. Pacquiao seems back to form and the Kryptonite to Mayweather's elusive ways.
Mayweather is a great bet, too, and the lack of a loss on his record in large part helps to explain the odds weighing in his favor. "Money" hasn't lost and, by betting standards, there's little reason to start going against the grain now.
No one has hurt Mayweather as of late, with his last two fights against Marcos Maidana, who is heavier than Pacquiao, quite lopsided on the scorecards. The odds suggest that people believe that his head movement and shoulder rolls will be as effective as ever, even in the face of an opponent with a non-standard style.
For those looking to go the extra mile, the odds are right to favor this bout to go the distance, as Markazi helps to explain:
Call it an interesting chess match.
Pacquiao might remain his usual aggressive self, as a trip to the scorecards doesn't seem to ever end well for Mayweather's opposition. Money's strategy won't change because it doesn't need to, which makes Pacquiao a bit of a wildcard.
No matter how Pacquiao comes out and attacks and no matter how Mayweather handles the onslaught, it's hard to imagine that either one rediscovers knockout power. There's always the chance someone gets caught in a mistake, as Pacquiao did some years ago, but again, betting is about minimizing risk, and it's a big one to assume that someone slips up in the biggest fight of his career.
This is why even overwhelming fanbases can't significantly push this one in either direction, nor can Las Vegas seem to believe the hype of a fight many deemed too late to matter.
It does, as Las Vegas continues to find out by the hour.
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