Floyd Mayweather was denied the opportunity to make a $400,000 bet on his fight against Conor McGregor on Saturday because of concerns about the legality of the wager he wanted to make, ESPN.com reports.
After the fight, Mayweather told ESPN that a friend later made a bet on his behalf but was allowed to wager only $87,000, not the full amount Mayweather wanted.
While Mayweather won the fight by TKO in the 10th round, ‘under 9.5’ was a winning bet, with 25 seconds to spare.
Mayweather, cash in hand, walked into the M Resort in Las Vegas on Saturday and attempted to put $400,000 on ‘under 9.5 rounds’ at odds of -200 (a winning bet would have resulted in a $200,000 profit), but the bookmakers weren’t sure a fighter is allowed to bet on anything other than himself winning.
“I think that we bet 100 on 9½,” Mayweather told ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio after the fight. “I gave my guy six figures to go bet. I have to make sure he bet because earlier today I went to the sports book to bet and they wouldn’t let me bet.”
Denied his first choice of wager, Mayweather then wanted to bet on himself to win by knockout, but left the property because he had to wait too long to get that wager in.
“He was pissed,” a source told ESPN.com.
Mayweather’s guaranteed share of the purse was $100 million and with a cut of the anticipated record-breaking profits, he may end up making well over $200 million for the fight. We’re sure he’ll get over the fact he couldn’t get all his money down at the bet window.
