In Vegas, it’s all about the Money

For a man who calls himself ‘Money’ without any hint of irony, it is perhaps not surprising that Floyd Mayweather loves a bet.

Anybody who chooses to follow the story of his scarcely believable lifestyle via social media will have noticed his penchant for gambling — on just about anything.

This is a man who has no problem putting $1m on a basketball team to win their game from his courtside seat during the half-time break.

But, as yet, it is understood that Mayweather has never bet on himself during his 49-fight career, although his friends and family all get rich by backing their boss.

However, that is about the change as he plans to break from usual policy and back himself with the biggest wager of his entire life in his fight with Conor McGregor here in Vegas tomorrow.

“Will it be my biggest ever?” Mayweather said. “Most likely. If all you guys had listened to me and bet on me to win all my fights, you’d all be rich like me.

“You guys will see the bet slip, don’t worry. You can see what I stake then. I can’t really say what the number is but I’m living.”

The rumour from inside the camp is that he is planning on wagering no less than $5m and he will benefit from the incredibly generous odds currently on offer.

When the fight was first made, you could get 10/1 on zero-fight novice McGregor to beat arguably the finest pure boxer who ever lived. Even that price seemed stingy.

But now, after months of build-up, the Dubliner is only a 3/1 shot to pull off what would go down as perhaps the biggest upset in sporting history.

Mayweather, of course, has contributed to such a shift by suggesting that at 40 years old, and following two years out the ring, he is not as good as he once was.

There are also those who truly believe McGregor’s prediction that he can not only win, but knock out the defensive genius within three minutes of combat.

Despite his public show of extreme self-confidence, however, McGregor admitted that he will probably not be following Money’s lead.

When asked if he will be backing himself at the bookies, he said: “Maybe, I don’t know. I certainly know I’m going to win, I know that.

“I think he has a big-time gambling problem from seeing what he does. He gambles on half-times and things like that.

“He always shows what his wins are but not what his losses are, maybe that’s why he is in this position he is in and has to take this fight.

“I am focused on this fight and not gambling.”

The odds are expected to shift once again today when the pair weigh-in ahead of fight night. Yet more money could be placed on McGregor, much the bigger man, once punters see the difference in size when the two strip down to their underwear and shout at each other on the plaza outside the T-Mobile Arena.

But bookmakers here in Nevada are expecting the traditional deluge on the favourite in the hours before the fight.

This usually takes place once the high rollers are in town, and there will be no shortage of those touching down in their private jets in the 24 hours prior to the opening bell.

Ahead of Mayweather’s money-spinning clash with Manny Pacquiao in 2015, there were 500 arrivals on private aircraft at the various airports that feed the star-spangled Strip. Figures released by aviation authorities yesterday have revealed that, at the last count, private aircraft are booked for four times as many people this time around.

That will mean huge money being placed on a Mayweather victory, and it is already starting. One Nevada bookmaker has reported that it took a single $300k bet on the American in the hope of winning a $60,000 return. Paddy Power, meanwhile, has already paid out on a Mayweather victory.

Experts believe that the amount of money wagered on this fight will eclipse any previous combat sport event, and that a staggering 95% of in-store betting over here has been on McGregor.

And there was still time for Mayweather to drive down his price even more, before he lays down his money.

“McGregor is a hell of a fighter. He’s a stand-up guy. There will be blood, sweat and tears,” he said.

“This is about the best fighting the best. He’s the best at what he does and I’m the best at what I do.

“I couldn’t do this in a better city than Las Vegas. This city has been unbelievable to me. It has treated me with open arms.

“I’m about taking chances. What better city than Las Vegas to take a chance? This city is built on gambling. I’m taking a gamble but it’s worth it.”

But his old man and trainer, Floyd Senior, had a message for those big spenders preparing to place life-changing sums of money on the favourite.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “This will be my son’s easiest pay day.

“This should be the easiest fight of his career.

“I’m not gonna call the round but all I am telling you is that McGregor is a dead man.

“All I would say is that he is a clown. And he is fighting a real fighter.”