If you haven’t yet taken advantage of the online registration extension to sign up for DraftKings Sportsbook in Illinois, you will want to do so before Saturday night. DraftKings’ action on the Mike Tyson fight against Roy Jones Jr. isn’t widely available outside of the Prairie State.
DraftKings is the official sports betting partner of the event. It could be a knockout for the growing market, even if neither fighter secures the winning punch.
Details on the Mike Tyson fight against Roy Jones Jr.
The eight-round exhibition pits these two heavyweight legends against each other at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The main card begins at 8 p.m. CST. Illinoisans can watch the fight on several pay-per-view channels.
True to the exhibition form, the rules of this fight include the stipulation that a knockout (KO) is a win. While Jones hasn’t been in the ring on a competitive basis since 2018, Tyson’s last competitive bout was back in 2005.
Tyson is currently a -220 favorite, with the odds on Jones at +170. The odds on a draw are +1200. The line on the number of rounds is set at 7.5, with the over sitting +150 and the under -180.
DraftKings will offer a free-to-play pool for customers everywhere. Additionally, betting on the undercard will be available in seven states, which includes Illinois.
IL is one of just three states in which DraftKings will offer markets on the main card, however. The other two are New Hampshire and New Jersey.
While the contest between Jones and Tyson may sell the event, there’s much more to enjoy, thanks to DraftKings’ sponsorship. That includes another celebrity fight.
DraftKings brings more star power to Saturday night
The event’s promotional company, Triller, secured musical guests, including DaBaby, Lil Wayne, French Montana, Wiz Khalifa and YG with Ne-Yo set to perform the national anthem. Due to the pandemic, Triller will not sell tickets to the event.
Highlighting the rest of the card, which begins at 7 p.m. CST, is another celebrity bout. YouTuber Jake Paul will face former NBA player Nate Robinson in a six-round cruiserweight bout.
This will be the third boxing match for Paul and his second as a professional. He won his first professional fight over AnEsonGib with a technical KO in 2019. Although Robinson had success in the NBA, he has no experience boxing.
Mario Lopez, originally of Saved By The Bell fame, will host the event. Here’s the rest of the card:
- Badou Jack vs. Blake McKernan — light heavyweights (eight rounds)
- Viddal Riley vs. Rashad Coulter — cruiserweights (six rounds)
- Jamaine Ortiz vs. Nahir Albright — lightweights
- Irvin Gonzalez Jr. vs. Edward Vasquez — featherweights
- Juiseppe Cusumano vs. Nick Jones — heavyweights
Also as part of the deal with Triller, DraftKings will develop a “DraftKings Tale of the Bet” original series for its streaming platform. That content will capture sportsbook trends such as the percentage of bets and handle, significant bet placements, and unique market offers.
This is just the beginning of the relationship between DraftKings and Triller For IL DraftKings customers, it could make the holiday weekend a bit more lucrative.
