The sun., 1919-07-03
Betting on Big Bout in
Toledo Almost Negligible
Although Dempsey Has Greater Number of Followers
Willard Remains Favorite at to 5-Only
Few Small Wagers Made.
~ DANIEL.

TOLEDO, July $50 Tar as betting Is
concerned. the wiliard-Dempsey fight is
the most disappointing in the history of
the heavyweight championship. The
wagering here 10 almost negligible. The
betting public II at sea as-to which man
to back. and It is making no Roadway
toward = clearer understanding OF the
relative merits and chances OF Willard
and Dempsey. IN fact, our observation
here has led US to believe otherwise.
Many of the men who are ranked as ex-
perts will tell you that they favor Will
lard Then they will talk with q Demp-
sey man and Join the Dempsey boosting
club.
Most of the writer's. boxers and others
here favor Dempsey, and a man who
publicly will espouse the Willard cause
is something of a rarity. In order to get
a reliable line on the betting and to es-
tablish something like official odds, IL
ODDS there were. we went out on a little
tour OF investigation this morning. We
heard last night that the Dempsey men
were giving even money and finding so
few takers that in sheer desperation for
action they had been forced to give odds
Of s to I.
One man from Chicago, we were told.
had $4,000 ready to bet on Dempsey at
even money. This was decidedly inter-
SeeAAht Ava hVNot u CtldhtuBoT bcCn
an even money proposition only two
days before a heavyweight champion
ship battle, so out we went on tho hunt.
First the writer went to the Waldorf,
where a bookmaker and betting COM
missioner by the name OF Christie holds
forth. what is the betting on the
hghtT' we queried. Are you offering
even money on Dempsey" Even money
nothing" was the re1oinder. who ever
said there was any even money on the
challenger? Let us go over to the bet
ting board and look over some of the
wagers"
willard slight Favorite.
30 over we went to a big blackboard
on. which had been written the various
wagers recorded and divers offers which
had not yet been covered. The best odds
quoted made Willard the favorite at 1
to 5. There were q number Of bets at
$40 to $50 that Dempsey would win.
There was one OF $500 to $500 that
Dempsey would get the decision, and a
flock Of wagers of SIC to $40 on Demp-
sey,
The commissioner offered 500 against
$1,000 that Willard would not 60 three
rounds, 500 TO $500 that Dempsey
would stop the champion and 500 to
$500 that Willard would not last six
rounds. He offered 5000 to 5000 that
Dempsey would land knockout.
These wagers and offers indicate that
Willard Is the fayorite. but that there
is not enough action to warrant any
excitement over the subject. The odds
asked by men who desire to back
Dempsey on the proposition that he will
score knockout are ridiculous, par
ticularly since 90 per cent Of his ad-
mlrers declare that he will win with
the haymaker that sent Fred Fulton
to sleep in only eighteen seconds.
Few waxers in Toledo.
Greatly disappointed with the results
Of our Investigations At the Waldorf we
went on 10 the Body House looking
for that man with $4,000 to bet on
Dempsey at eyens. When the writer
asked a certain man about town regard
Ing the proposition he laughed.
Nothing but newspaper talk" he
said. II heard about that SIS, 900 the
other day. so I walked up to the man
who was reported to have the money
and I said, Have you any money to bet
on Dempsey at evens?' Yes he re-
piled. I have t25. 1000 to wager Well
came back, i have about 81 600 in
this world and want TO put that down
quickly on Willard at evens. Is 1t
donef NO. replied the man with the
reported doughbag. 7 do not want that
kind Of money
$50 said to him, How about sloo?'
No, cane the answer quickly. How
about $50? Well. since you insist. all
right" So that Is the extent OF the
even money on Dempsey, with Sa5 TO
hack It. 1t is estimated that not more
than $4,000 has been wagered here on
the fight, and that nobody has s25 TO
wager on either fighter ut evens or odds.
Also Wager on Rounds,
A. the Body House they also have a
betting board, and in addition they sell
mutuel tickets on various rounds in
which the buyers expect the fight to end,
irrespective OF tho winner. They also
sell mutuels on the winner. with tickets
going at So, IS. $40 and $40. The extent
of the mutuel ticket buying and a line
as TO who Is buying them may be judged
BY the fact that no $40 tickets have been
sold on the round proposition and only
seven on the winner.
The seventh and eighth rounds are the
favorites of ticket buyers. sixteen tickets
having been sold for the seventh and
twenty for the eighth. Twenty tickets
have been sold on Willard to win and
twenty-five on Dempsey. But this Is all
chicken feed betting.
The board shows SIS 70 500 on a
knockout. t25 to $500 that Dempsey
wins In the first round. 500 TO $500 that
Dempsey wins In eight rounds. SIS 10
800 that the tight goes eleven rounds,
$500 to $500 that Willard wins, $500 to
$1,000 that Dempsey wins. $40 TO $500
that the challenger scores in six rounds.
$500 to 5000 that Dempsey wins by "a
knockout and 500 to $500 that Willard
does not answer the bell for the seventh
round. Here again It will be seen that
Willard is the favorite at 4 TO s, and