Oddsmaker posts line on mythical Will Smith-Chris Rock bout
Not long after Will Smith stormed the stage and slapped Chris Rock in the face Sunday during the Academy Awards, Westgate SuperBook oddsmaker Jeff Sherman made odds on a mythical boxing match between them.
Posting the odds on Twitter (@golfodds), Sherman made Smith a -2,000 favorite over Rock, a 10-1 underdog.
“Will Smith would have every advantage in a boxing ring. He had boxing training for the movie ‘Ali,’” Sherman said. “Chris Rock has not exactly been involved in athletics. I don’t think Smith would have any issues with him.”
Sherman said betting on the hypothetical matchup would be comparable to the Conor McGregor-Floyd Mayweather boxing match in 2017, in which heavy public action on the underdog caused the line to drop dramatically.
Mayweather dropped from a -2,500 favorite to -500, while McGregor dropped from an 11-1 underdog to 4-1.
“As far as (betting) handle, you would write all ’dog money,” Sherman said.
All but one person who replied to Sherman’s tweet said they would back Rock, who despite giving about 4 inches and 40 pounds, didn’t flinch when Smith slapped him.
“Bad number,” wrote Terry Gomez, Station Casinos’ 2021 Last Man Standing winner. “Rock took his best punch and laughed it off.”
Said Sherman: “Everyone’s saying ‘Look at Chris Rock’s chin last night.’ But Smith just slapped him. He didn’t even punch him.
“My price is probably high. But, as a book, I wouldn’t want to need Chris Rock.”
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.