McGregor loss becomes sportsbook windfall at UFC 329

Conor McGregor’s return at UFC 329 became the most bet MMA event in BetMGM history, and McGregor himself drew by far the most money wagered on the card. The fight at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday ended at 1:09 of the first round after McGregor appeared to suffer a knee or leg injury and could not continue.

The outcome turned a marquee comeback into a concentrated betting event built around one name. McGregor had been away from the Octagon for more than five years, a layoff that dated to the broken leg he suffered against Dustin Poirier in 2021. Even with the long absence, public interest stayed centered on McGregor as the betting market tilted toward the former champion and away from Max Holloway.

That imbalance helped make UFC 329 a major financial night beyond the wagering numbers. Dana White said before the fight that the card was on track to set a new all-time UFC gate record, and the live gate reached $25 million, surpassing the previous UFC mark of $22 million set at UFC 306 at The Sphere. The same event that drove a record crowd into Las Vegas also drew an unusually heavy betting load on McGregor, the biggest star on the card.

The ending came almost as soon as the action began. ESPN and The Associated Press both reported that McGregor’s bout was stopped at 1:09 of the opening round, with the Irish fighter forced to retire after the injury in the opening seconds. ESPN described the reaction from athletes as “the worst ending,” while Holloway’s side said McGregor “didn’t seem like the same Conor” even before the injury.

Dana White later said he believed McGregor had injured his ACL. McGregor denied having a preexisting injury before the fight. What was billed as a high-profile return for one of the UFC’s biggest draws instead became a record-setting book for sportsbooks, with bettors piled heavily onto McGregor and the fight ending before those wagers had any chance to unfold.