Chapter 323 Before the Match!
George asked, "Who will you bet on?"
Ryder, looking confident, said, "I'm betting on you to win!"
George, a bit worried, asked, "But what if..."
Ryder laughed. "No 'what if.' Just play your game confidently. Don't feel pressured!"
George took a deep breath and nodded.
Betting on underground fights was simple. Each seat had a QR code. Scan it with your phone to download an app for betting. You could deposit money, bet on outcomes, check trends, and more. It was user-friendly and anonymous, so only you knew your bets and results.
Ryder downloaded the app and checked the night's betting trends. The total bets were nearly twenty million dollars, with over 70% betting on George to win. George had made a strong impression in Houston, and people couldn't imagine him losing.
George explained to Ryder, "Ronald's rule is a 10% house fee from the total pool, and the rest is distributed based on odds."
Ryder asked, "Could the house manipulate the money? Like, if the total bets are twenty million, but they only show thirteen million?"
George replied, "Don't worry. Ronald wouldn't risk it. Fairness and transparency are crucial. If anything goes wrong, their reputation and business would collapse. They make nearly a million dollars each event from the house fee alone, plus ticket sales and other income, totaling about sixty million dollars a year. They wouldn't risk it."
Ryder nodded. Sixty million a year, with at least thirty million in net profit, was more than some large companies. Gambling was truly a powerful force.
In a room inside the underground fight club, Ronald said to Kenneth, "Kenneth, did you see? The total bets are almost twenty million, twice the usual. George's influence is strong!"
Kenneth, with a cigar, took a puff and squinted, "Only twenty million? That's low!"
Ronald rolled his eyes. "Kenneth, your family runs a casino, so twenty million might not be much to you. But here, it's a big deal!"
Kenneth explained, "I didn't mean to belittle you. I'm just saying for such a big setup, twenty million isn't exciting enough! We need someone to stir things up and bring more people in!"
He took out his phone and deposited seven million dollars, betting on George's opponent to win. This move quickly caught the audience's attention.
"Oh my god! George's opponent just got seven million dollars! Who's so rich?"
"No idea, but it must be a big shot! They always have insider info; they must know something!"
"Listen, bet on George's opponent!"
"I still think George is a safer bet, but with that sudden seven million, there's a lot to gain. I'm adding more to my bet!"
In just a few minutes, the total betting pool at the underground fight club exceeded seventy million dollars! The bets on both sides were almost even. Kenneth's move was clearly effective.
Seeing this, Ronald gave Kenneth a thumbs-up. "You're a real casino expert, always knowing what to do!"
Kenneth blew a smoke ring, looking smug. "This is just basic stuff. Trust me. Things will get even more interesting soon!"
Checking his Rolex, Kenneth said, "It's about time. Shall we head out?"
Ronald nodded. "Let's go!"
They walked out of the room. At the door, Edward, dressed in a white suit, was waiting eagerly.
Kenneth patted Edward on the shoulder. "Fight well for me! If you win, I'll give you a million dollars!"
Edward's eyes lit up. He'd been working with Ronald for two years, mostly as a top bodyguard and occasional fighter, always winning. But he usually only made a few hundred dollars per fight. A million-dollar bonus was huge!
Edward nodded respectfully. "Mr. Davis, don't worry. I'll definitely beat George tonight!"
Just then, one of Ronald's men hurried over and said, "Mr. Lopez, he's here!"
Ronald looked surprised, then smiled. "I thought he wouldn't show up again, but he did. Must be because of George!"
Edward, puzzled, asked, "Mr. Lopez, who are you talking about?"
Ronald squinted. "Jeffrey Walker!"
"Him?"
Hearing the name, the usually calm Edward broke out a cold sweat, recalling something terrifying.
There were only ten minutes left until the fight. The venue was packed, and the atmosphere was electric, driven by the DJ.
Ronald led Kenneth and his group towards George. Ronald smiled at George and said, "George, this is Mr. Davis, the boss challenging you. According to the club rules, the challenger must pay a one million dollar challenge fee, with 30% going to the club and 70% to you!"
George nodded. He knew the rule. The challenger had to pay a fee to the club and the opponent. The amount was based on the economic status of both parties, and it wasn't a small amount. Not everyone could afford it, or the club would be chaotic.
But George was surprised that the challenger was Kenneth. He knew who Kenneth was. Kenneth's father, Mark, was a top figure in Houston back in the day. But George had never had any dealings with the Davis family. They rarely interacted. Why was Kenneth challenging him now?
While George was still puzzled, Ronald spoke up, "Now, let's have both sides draw lots to decide the format and rules of our match tonight, shall we?"
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