Sam Morris Frank Mir talks with grappling coach Ricky Lundell, which he may hand taped during open pass for UFC 130 Thursday, May 26, 2011; Village cases Keefer (contact) Friday, may 27, 2011 | 2: 05 a.m. http://www.lasvegassun.com/videos/2011/may/22/5162/as the two most successful Heavyweight mixed martial artists in Las Vegas, Frank Mir and Roy Nelson has always been. But they should set aside their friendship when they meet this weekend in co-main event for UFC 130 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.As recently as two years ago to book Sport Directors did not know what to make of the UFC.
Promoting praise mixed martial arts as the fastest growing sport in the world, but the public was not stepping up to the Las Vegas betting windows enough to match the hype. According to odd smakers throughout the city, which has been changed.
"The operation has gone up that you don't believe in the UFC," said Mike Colbert, sports book Director of Cantor Gaming, which operates the books at The M, hard rock, the cosmopolitan and Tropicana. "On these Saturdays when we have these UFC cards, we are making solid handle".
It is likely to continue with this weekend's UFC 130, beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Colbert said an average UFC event would bring four times greater than the number of bets that an average boxing cards.
"You're talking to an absolute boxing guy here and I will be the first to acknowledge that the UFC is more popular games-wise," Colbert said. "I never thought I'd see the day when there is accordingly popular."
Rob Akers, Assistant Sports Director book at the Venetian and Lagasse's Stadium, was a mixed martial arts fan since UFC 1 1993 and has routes to the events since coming to the Venetian in 1999.
Akers has witnessed steady growth in betting interest and said he believed always UFC would come to the point where it is today. Some factors could have expedited the process for the players, "he said.
"I think it is directly related to boxing during the time in the last few years," said Akers. "Pacquiao is a one-man-show. He is the only guy who can keep a handle, and people want to bet on a combat sport. They will always find some way to go for a, and recently has been the UFC.
Betting on Boxing reached its peak during the 1990s. Akers said some time Mike Tyson appeared in the ring, people would be willing to bet on his shooting and all the other contests at the event.
Not to be long, but the sweet science still had a strong presence with the players a decade ago, behind a handful of prizefighters. More recently, the handful of carved into two — Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather — with the latter has not competed in more than a year.
"In boxing, most people can't even tell who is on the undercard," said Jay Rood, sports book Director for MGM Resorts International. "If you go to a MMA cards, phone in the crowd, and before it could be as much about one of the first fights on the card."
More wagering requirement option is also available on the UFC card. Venice used to be one of the only sites to post the lines in each fight, but most of its competitors has now joined.
Cantor offers odds on all cards and MGM puts approximately 75 percent of bouts in their boards.
"We are trying to put strokes in as many matches as possible because of demand," said Rood. -The large with the MMA is people coming for all matches.
According to the odds are, UFC 130 lots of evenly matched games for players to mull over. Only one of the top seven bouts on the card has a favorite at a price higher than the-200 (risking $ 2 to win $ 1).
Akers said Frank Mir at-125 (risking $ 1.25 to win $ 1) against Roy Nelson, who is on-105, had attracted most early money.
"All these pick 'em fight can actually hurt our handle," said Akers. -No one can decide what they think and, as in UFC 129, they love to have the big Favorites to win.
UFC 129 had last month in Toronto three major bouts with Favorites from more than 300. Who parlayed Georges St. Pierre, Jose Aldo and Lyoto Machida in surplus. When all three prevailed made it for a bad night at the Venetian.
The days when Sports books could ignore UFC results and live with all the results are over.
"It is expanded to well beyond what it used to be," said Rood.
Target Keefer can be reached in 948-2790 or case.keefer@lasvegassun.com. Follow the case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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