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Lessons from Canelo/GGG: Bob Bennett secured likely rematch but did casinos lose enough $ to punish him?
By Zach Arnold | September 18, 2017
Self-financing is accelerating manipulation & political pressure on Nevada’s athletic commission.
I wrote that article a month ago to warn everyone that the new financial structure supporting the Nevada State Athletic Commission would make casinos even more powerful in controlling the way big fights in boxing are handled.
See: Rule changes on a whim (Mayweather/McGregor 8 ounce gloves). More emphasis and additional politicking on which referees & judges work certain fights.
Bob Bennett, the Executive Director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, did his job in overseeing the Floyd Mayweather/Conor McGregor and Canelo Alvarez/Gennady Golovkin fights. The casinos have never seen bigger paydays at the gate and at the sportsbooks. The public desire to see a rematch between Alvarez and GGG is high.
As long as the manipulation makes money for the major casinos financing the big boxing fights, everything is good. It’s when the manipulation costs casinos money that all hell breaks loose.
Keith Kizer had CJ Ross. Bob Bennett has Adalaide Byrd. Both female judges were involved in controversial scorecards involving Canelo Alvarez.
Byrd’s 118-110 score card in favor of Canelo over GGG assured a draw on Saturday night. Which means Las Vegas will get a re-match. The casinos will make even more money.
The fly in the ointment is that Byrd’s 118-110 score card just cost casino sportsbooks millions of dollars.
These are the words that should send a chill down Bob Bennett’s spine:
“We needed Triple G by decision,” Jay Rood, vice president of MGM race and sports, said. “The draw was a big swing for us.”
“We took a lot of late money on Triple G,” South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrew said. “And those guys feel like they got robbed.”
1) Will a rematch between Canelo Alvarez and GGG generate more money for Las Vegas than the money Vegas casinos lost in giving out refunds at the sportsbook?
2) Will less money be bet at the sportsbooks for the rematch due to fears of scorecard shenanigans?
These are the questions that will determine whether or not Bob Bennett keeps his job as Executive Director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission or if the casinos tell him to take a hike.
Topics: Boxing, Media, Zach Arnold | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |
why doesn’t my judging post show up?!?