• Boxing referees are often paid per fight, with the top officials earning huge sums of money
• Finding exact boxing referee pay figures is tough but there is plenty of helpful information
• Professional boxing referees get to travel around the world and can earn up to £250,000 per year

The role of a boxing referee is simple: to officiate and control a fight. While viewers often forget about the third man in the ring, the life of a boxing referee is no walk in the park.

While fighters are often paid huge sums of money for the biggest bouts, boxing referees operate on a strict match fee schedule – though there are a few anomalies to the rule.

Those into online betting will know a bit about boxing referee salary but the wider sports community may be surprised at some of the financial figures involved.

Here, we look at boxing referee fees and how much refs can earn. From taking charge of the biggest fights across boxing weight classes to amateur referees, the earnings are very interesting indeed.

It is worth noting that many of the numbers involved in this piece are estimate figures, with exact boxing referee salary varying on a case-by-case basis.

How much do boxing referees get paid?

Referees are assigned and paid by the fight promoter in professional boxing and that means the pay for each bout can vary depending on several factors.

Firstly, an experienced referee will naturally seek a higher pay packet than a newer official while a title fight can also add extra financial incentive for a boxing referee.

Generally, the higher profile the fight, the higher the pay for the referee. If the bout is a pay-per-view event, that also contributes to a greater chance for boxing referees to earn more.

According to boxing referee Joe Cortez, the ‘purse’ for boxing referees is higher in Nevada than it is in other areas of the United States. After all, Las Vegas is regarded as the Mecca of boxing.

Various online sources reveal that boxing referees make around £2,500 per main card fight though some fights can attract a much higher financial figure.

According to reports, Kenny Bayless earned around £7,500 for refereeing the fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao in 2015.

Figures obtained online claim that Bayless and Cortez are among the highest paid boxing referees on the planet, along with the likes of Daniel Van de Wiele and Howard Foster.

For main pay-per-view events, Cortez can earn upwards of £10,000 for one of the biggest fights in the sport, which would give him a base salary of well over £200,000 per year.

While this isn’t a typical boxing referee wage, it does show how the best officials can make an excellent living from the sport.

Boxing referee salaries & boxing match fees

Entry-level boxing referees can earn around £350, taking charge of selected undercard fights as they build a portfolio en route to becoming a professional boxing referee.

Once an official has gained enough experience, a pro boxing ref contract may be offered. From there, the pay grade for boxing referees begins to soar.

Professional referees can earn around £3,500 per fight though that figure could rise to as high as £15,000 for a pay-per-view headline world title bout.

The difference in earnings is staggering given the yearly earnings for an entry level referee works out at around £9,500 per year but that’s just the way it is.

Boxing salaries are lucrative when you’re at the top of the sport – whether that is as a fighter, as a promoter or as a referee.

The boxing match fee scale varies considerably depending on a referee’s status in the sport, with the highest profile officials attracting bigger pay days than younger professionals.

Average boxing referee salary

The average boxing referee wage has increased over the years but the figures involved just cannot compare to the money earned by fighters and promoters.

According to online sources, boxing referees earned an average of £25,000 per year last year though some officials earned a colossal sum of money.

The top 10 percent of boxing referees earned around £60,000 per year, which goes to show the figures involved among the top end of the boxing referee salary grades.

With so much money at stake for officials, punters considering live betting on boxing should remember that officials are often just trying to do their best to secure a bigger pay day in the future.

US boxing referee fees

With so much hype surrounding boxing in Las Vegas, it is little surprise that most major world title fights take place in the United States.

Boxing referees have minimum pay rates based on the size of each event and the total purse for the fight – so the bigger fight, the bigger percentage pay for the referee.

According to the California State Athletic Commission figures, the minimum a referee will be paid for a World Championship fight in the US is £1,236 for a fight.

Interestingly, each judge picks up £1,041 for one of these fights and timekeepers earn £260 per bout. There is a significant referee match fee drop for regional championship fights, with officials earning at least £390 for taking charge.

British and European boxing referee fees

The appointment of a referee shouldn’t impact boxing odds for a particular fight but there is a slightly different style when it comes to officiating in Britain and across Europe.

On this side of the Atlantic, the World Boxing Union sanction referee match fees determined on the total fight purse. If the purse is less than £42,258, referees are paid £507 per fight.

This can increase drastically, with referees earning £2,112 for officiating a bout with a purse of over £850,000.

Again, the figures can vary based on whether a fight is a national, regional or world title bout but those match fees are relatively fixed by the WBU.

Do amateur boxing referees get paid?

Whether you’re an amateur referee taking charge of the best female boxers in the area or simply officiating two up-and-coming fighters, the role of an amateur boxing referee is voluntary.

This means that amateur boxing officials do not earn a salary nor do they make any money from officiating via a match fee.

The Amateur Boxing Association England can provide training and practical examinations for applicants who wish to become boxing referees though and partaking such a course can lead to further opportunities.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Ringo H.W. Chiu / AP Photo*

FIRST PUBLISHED: 24th August 2021

• Since his professional debut in 1992, John Higgins quickly became one of the world’s greatest snooker players. 

• His consistency at the top has ensured he is one of the sport’s top earners.

• With little sign of him slowing down, he is sure to consolidate his net worth in the future.

Born in May 1975 in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, John Higgins began his senior career in 1992 when he turned professional.

After he won his first ranking tournament during the 1994/95 season he rose in prominence, and has been near the top of the sport ever since.

Despite being embroiled in a match-fixing scandal in 2010, he returned as strongly as ever, and has been the world’s top-ranked player for four separate periods in his career, winning 31 ranking titles, including four World Championships, three UK Championships and two Masters titles along the way.

How Much Is John Higgins Worth?

Remarkably Higgins has defied the snooker odds and maintained his high standards as he progressed through his forties.

Despite losing three consecutive World Championship finals from 2017-19, he will have consolidated his net worth by remaining one of the sport’s highest-performing players over such a long period.

His current net worth is £8 million, which is one of the best in the sport, with over £5 million of that coming from tournament earnings.

With a cool quarter of a million pounds available to the winner at the time, Higgins’ peak earnings would have come in the late 2000s, when he won the World Championship on three occasions, while his subsequent final defeats would have still pocketed him over £500,000.

Having participated in 51 ranking finals, winning 31 of them, you can see how he has accumulated such wealth.

Higgins has also made plenty from endorsement deals, most notably through Negotiate Now, Scotland's business directory, bringing home an annual income of between £50,000-£100,000.

John Higgins Nickname

John Higgins is known as the Wizard of Wishaw, named after the town of his birth. It is a well-earned title for a player who has been winning ranking tournaments and major titles for well over two decades.

It is traditional for snooker players to have nicknames, so Higgins is far from alone. In fact, some players have had more than one nickname during their careers, and Higgins himself was once referred to as “The Kid”.

Ronnie O’Sullivan is “The Rocket”, while the current top-rank player Judd Trump is known as “The Ace In The Pack”, amongst other names.

Naturally, these are not terms for use in the sporting arena, but more for marketing purposes – you won’t find snooker referees referring to players in this way.

John Higgins Family

The son of John (Snr) and Josephine, John Higgins is himself a father to three children – two sons, Oliver and Pierce, and a daughter, Claudia, with his wife Denise Higgins.

John met Denise at a disco as teenagers, though she knew little of his snooker skills at the time. The couple got engaged in 1998 and married two years later.

As John’s career took off, Denise has commented how she wanted to keep working, as it was all she had known, and she opened her own beauty salon, while juggling the demands of parenthood.

John often has his family around him at major tournaments, hopefully to celebrate with, but he has commented in the past about how important Denise has been in picking him up when things don’t go as well as planned.

John Higgins 147

In August 2021, Higgins made the maximum 147 break in his very first frame at the British Open.

This was the 12th maximum of his long career, overtaking the brilliant Stephen Hendry, an achievement that Higgins called “a proud moment”, and which he partly attributes to a new fitness regime.

That figure puts him second in the all-time list, behind the genius of Ronnie O’Sullivan, who has had 15 maximums in his time.

Both players became professional in 1992, but Higgins is the oldest player to secure a 147 break at the elite level of the sport. Remarkably, his latest break came a full 21 years after his first maximum, at the Irish Open in 2000.

John Higgins Snooker Cue

Despite being a stalwart of the sport for over 25 years, Higgins suffered with erratic form between 2011-16, which caused him to repeatedly change his cue on at least three occasions in order to regain some of his old sparkle.

Eventually the form would return as he reached three consecutive World Championship finals, even if he was not to emerge victorious in any of them.

Even late in 2020 he was still changing cues, which resulted in fellow player Ronnie O’Sullivan commenting on how John and the legendary Alex Higgins were very alike in how often they did this.

Higgins himself has commented that recent cue changes were inspired by the performances of rival players, and the cue power advantage they appeared to have.

John Higgins World Titles

In his 29 years as a professional snooker player, Higgins has won four World Championship titles, but it could have been much more, as he lost three consecutive finals between 2017 and 2019.

Nevertheless, it is a wonderful return for a player who has demonstrated the ability to forge a long career in the sport, placing him among the elite of world snooker champions.

The first world title for Higgins came just six years after he turned professional, defeating Ken Doherty 18-12 in the final. He would have a wait for another title after losing the 2001 final but added three titles in five years between 2007 and 2011.

After a slump in form, Higgins proved his worth with those three finals, but could not add to his previous successes. There was however, the consolation of a Champion of Champions title in 2016.

John Higgins Everton

John sported an Everton scarf after securing the 2011 World Championship, which followed the toughest year of his life, following match-fixing allegations and the death of his father.

It was a surprise even to some Evertonians to discover John’s passion for the “Toffees”, as Everton are not his only team. In fact, Higgins is a passionate Celtic fan, with Everton seen as his “English” team.

Higgins celebrated his 1998 World Championship win by parading the trophy around Celtic Park on the day they won the league.

Unfortunately for the ace potter, the betting odds suggest quite a wait might be necessary until we witness further league success for Celtic.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Aijaz Rahi / AP Photo*

FIRST PUBLISHED: 20th August 2021

• Jordan Pickford has risen through the ranks to become a top-class goalkeeper.

• He has overcome criticism and controversy to cement his Premier League and international spots.

• A successful career that continues an upward trajectory has seen him amass a large net worth.

Born on the 7th March 1994 in Washington, Tyne and Wear, Jordan Pickford grew up supporting Sunderland, who he would join as a youngster having shone as a goalkeeper.

He signed his first professional contract in 2011 with the club, but was loaned out to numerous clubs in subsequent years.

It was when he signed for Everton in 2017 however that his career really took off, after a stellar final season at Sunderland, despite their relegation.

Since this move, he has established himself as the number one goalkeeper for both club and country and this rise has understandably seen him develop a large net worth.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Alamy*

Almost every sportsbook can provide betting odds on the biggest matches, tournaments and events around the world but some sportsbooks stand out from the crowd.

Ultimately, punters who bet on sports want security, competitive odds and reliability – and many sportsbooks prioritise these three factors to ensure excellent customer service.

While sports betting laws in the United States are often complicated to understand, these sportsbooks are among the top rated betting platforms in the country.

Without further ado, we look at five of the biggest US sportsbooks in existence, starting with one of the top rated sportsbooks around – FanDuel.

FanDuel Sportsbook

The origins of the FanDuel sportsbook can be traced back a fair few years, making it one of the most reliable sportsbooks available in the United States.

That works in their favour as new customers know about their stellar reputation and FanDuel is perfect for punters who are relatively new to sports betting.

With low minimum bet limits, helpful customer service agents and a range of major sports on the sportsbook, the pros certainly outweigh the cons for FanDuel.

The desktop site may take some time to get used to but the mobile website is sleek with quick loading times – and that is a huge factor for sports bettors in today’s fast paced world.

SI Sportsbook

Sports Illustrated is one of the most recognisable names in the sports media industry and it has been a go-to source for US sports fans since 1954.

However, the company recently decided to venture into the sports betting industry in a bid to make a mark in the sportsbook world.

With plenty of sports betting and daily fantasy odds on the website, SI are looking to change the game for punters in the United States.

Follow SI Sportsbook closely for new sports betting offers, markets and more – as the Sports Illustrated brand properly starts to take off, the sportsbook should thrive. In addition, follow SI Casino which was recently lunched in Michigan.

DraftKings Sportsbook

Now one of the biggest fantasy sports platforms around, DraftKings have branched out into the sports betting universe – and their website is going from strength to strength.

Currently operating legally in 11 states, DraftKings is growing and they pride themselves on excellent customer service, rapid in-play bet servers and more.

The DraftKings sportsbook offers punters a unique experience, with helpful guides on how to get the most out of sports betting, as well as lucrative promotional offers.

Like many sportsbooks, DraftKings have focused on building their sports betting app and that modern technology has helped put the sportsbook firmly on the map.

BETMGM Sports

Described by many as the king of sportsbooks, the BETMGM platform is everything you want in a modern sports betting website.

From in-game betting to prop bets and promotional offers, BETMGM sportsbook is easy to use and can be accessed in several states across America.

Arguably the most comprehensive sportsbook on this list, punters can find odds on almost any sports event around the world – from NASCAR to soccer.

Here, BETMGM offer exclusive parlays for customers on the biggest US sports. So if you are looking to make extra bang for your buck, BETMGM may be the sportsbook for you.

Bovada Sportsbook

The grandaddy of the US sportsbooks, Bovada is widely regarded as one of the best options for sports betting – especially as they are among the most reliable sportsbooks around.

With a significant welcome bonus offer, the sportsbook appeals to hardcore punters but the ease and accessibility of the site is perfect for sports betting newbies.

Bovada have invested in their mobile website, making it easy for punters to place sports bets on the go, with the live betting platform proving especially popular.

While you may have to wait a little longer for opening prices than other sportsbooks, Bovada more than make up for it with security, connectivity and first class service.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to John Locher, File / AP Photo*

• Trevor Francis was the first ever million pound footballer
• Francis moved from Birmingham City to Nottingham Forest and quickly become a hero for Brian Clough’s all-conquering side
• Read below for more about the transfer and Francis’ career

The signing of the first million pound footballer was a major event when it came to betting on the Champions League (or the European Cup, as it was back then).

Trevor Francis was the first player signed for £1 million in 1979, a transfer record which has been shattered many times over in the following decades.

Trevor Francis Record Transfer:

• Transfer Fee Revealed
• Why Was Francis Worth £1 Million?
• Francis Impact At Nottingham Forest
• How Much Would Trevor Francis Cost Now?

Just as previous record-breaking deals have seen football odds swing, Nottingham Forest landing Francis was a seminal moment in the history of English and European football.

Long before Jack Grealish, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rio Ferdinand or Alan Shearer, Francis’ move from Birmingham City to Nottingham Forest was dividing opinion.

There was no social media for fans to vent, and betting online wasn’t available, but Francis and Forest were widely criticised for what was seen as such an excessive fee.

Willie Groves was the first three-figure football transfer in the 1890s. Denis Law broke the £100,000 mark in 1962 and Kevin Keegan was the first to move for half a million in the following decade.

Just two years later, Francis became the first ever million-pound footballer. Let’s take a look in detail at the fee itself, why it happened and Francis’ impact…

*Credit for the main photo belongs to AP Photo*

FIRST PUBLISHED: 18th August 2021

Once the hottest property in any playground, football stickers have long been one of the biggest talking points for school kids across the country.

From the nervous anticipation of ripping open a fresh packet to find out what stickers waited inside, to the unbridled joy of pulling out a fabled shiny, the coming together of mystery, collectibles and the unwritten rules of the swaps market means sticker collecting has remained a favourite pastime of kids everywhere.

But it’s not only kids who revel in collecting the latest stickers. These days, football stickers have grown far beyond their playground roots, instead falling under the increasingly large umbrella of football memorabilia for hardcore collectors.

Football stickers, much like retro shirts and programmes, are now expensive, sought-after commodities that are bought and sold, almost like stocks and shares.

Whether you’re a bloody-minded completionist or a sporting memorabilia expert, the internet has changed the world of football stickers in recent years, serving as a one-stop swap shop for the humble football sticker.

Fans in search of that elusive shiny or nightmare-inducing haircut on an 80s player portrait shot can finally fill their boots and complete that dog-eared sticker album from years gone by.

Not only that, but truly rare stickers are changing hands for eye-watering prices as the fabled “rookie sticker” has seen its value skyrocket in parallel with players’ careers.

Football stickers are no longer just a hobby, but a way for some people to make serious money. You could have a goldmine tucked away just waiting to be discovered.

We’ve dug into the data to truly satisfy the stat fans, allowing you to see just how valuable some of your old stickers are – and if it’s worth making your way into the attic to try and dig them out.

The All-Time Most Valuable Football Stickers

Like the football transfer market, a sticker’s final price doesn’t necessarily indicate its true value. But judging by the astonishing price tags we’ve seen from this selection of football stickers, there’s obviously a market for them!

The Brazilian goal machine’s first appearance in the world of football stickers is the most valuable of all time, showing off his trademark cheesy grin to the world as he embarked on his first season in the Netherlands.

Zizou belongs to (another) very exclusive club - only eight players have won the World Cup, Champions League and Ballon d’Or. Looking back to where it all began, his 1992 Cannes sticker is highly sought after.

The hottest prospect in the modern game is also one of the most wanted assets for collectors. Haaland’s rookie sticker is unique in that, well, he himself is still a rookie at the time of writing.

CR7 is one of the greatest of all time, and he started his glittering career at Sporting CP in his homeland of Portugal. His first appearance in a sticker book can still command a hefty price tag.

Messi may have appeared in 18 different La Liga collections, but it’s the Argentine GOAT’s first Barca appearance that can really boost your bank balance, long before his 10 La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues elevated him among the best to ever play the sport.

Arguably the greatest football player of all time, Pele’s goalscoring feats and iconic skills were matched only by his longevity in the game, and this sticker from the peak of his powers is a reminder of his glory days.

Ronaldo may have started his career in Portugal, but it was in Manchester that he really made waves. This sticker from his heyday at United reflects the impact CR7 had on the Premier League.

Beckham’s second major tournament for his country came in 2000 in Belgium and the Netherlands. It wasn’t a happy summer for England, crashing out early in the group stages, but this sticker of the iconic midfielder has certainly grown in value ever since.

Women’s football has grown in prominence in recent years, but it’s in the United States where the sport has long had a strong following. Star players such as Carli Lloyd are national heroes stateside, and with more than 300 caps to her name, Lloyd’s sticker is a huge asset for collectors.

Arthur Antunes Coimbra, better known as ‘Zico’, dominated world football in the 1970s and 1980s. The attacking midfielder is widely regarded as one of the best to ever lace up a boot, and up there with Pele as one of the greatest to play for the Seleção.

Champions League – Most Valuable Sticker Albums

The UEFA Champions League is arguably the world’s most prestigious footballing prize. Each matchday is stacked with dramatic games bringing together the best European clubs in a battle to see who can reign as the ultimate club team.

The most expensive listings for complete Champions League sticker albums we found on eBay show that collectors see real value in the competition, too.

The top two spots are occupied by the same season’s edition of the Champions League sticker album. The 2006/07 competition is perhaps most famously remembered for the three English semi-finalists.

The top three is rounded out by the 2000/01 album, which is listed for £1,800 – more than twice the sum asked for the sticker album in fourth place.

Building a squad from scratch: How much to complete a sticker book?

It’s all very well and good bidding online for a completed sticker book from the past. But for hungry young collectors, there’s no better feeling than opening up a fresh pack in search of new additions, no greater satisfaction in finally getting the player you need to finish your sticker book.

Professor Paul Harper came up with a formula to cover the cost of buying the 682 stickers which made up the Panini 2018 Russia World Cup sticker album.

To give yourself the best chance of obtaining at least one of each of the 682 different stickers, you’d need to buy 4,832 of them. That’s 967 packs, at 80p each – coming in at £773.60.

Round up nine friends to swap your doubles, and you should manage to get your own costs down to £250.

For the Panini Premier League 2021 sticker book, you’d need to spend £90.30 on 129 packets to obtain 642 stickers. But again, this doesn’t consider the extreme unlikelihood that not one of them will end up on your swap pile.

The odds of each sticker you collect being one you need, each time, are like this:

• 1st sticker you collect – 642 / 642
• 2nd sticker you collect – 641 / 642
• 3rd sticker you collect – 640 / 642

And so on. Multiply all those fractions together, all the way down to 1 / 642 and you get…an unfathomably small number! But, of course, there’s only a tiny chance of picking up the entire album’s worth of stickers for just 90 quid.

Future stars: Which players should you hold onto now?

One thing we’ve learned so far is the value of the rookie sticker– it made up nine of the top 10 most valuable sold listings. Diving into our research on the most valuable Premier League clubs’ individual stickers, we get much the same story.

Manchester City’s most valuable squad member sticker is Phil Foden, who impressed as England made it to a first European Championship final in 2020. Two of his rookie stickers have recently fetched £723.48 and £289.39.

Foden’s international teammate Bukayo Saka is currently Arsenal’s most valuable sticker online, having sold for £129.99.

You never know if a player’s going to make it big until they’ve made it big. But in the meantime, it may be worth hanging onto a few of those Euro 2020 squad players if you have them.

Get building: Our top tips for collecting football stickers

If you’re looking to turn your childhood memories into easy money – or are a serious collector looking for that one special item – you’ll need to do your research.

The value of football sticker albums over time has proven quite unpredictable. While a copy of the 1970 World Cup completed with all 288 stickers sold last year for £5,050, the average price of the 1974 edition online was just £337.50.

Our research into online listings also shows the generally declining levels of interest in particular tournament editions.

The Merlin era of Premier League stickers – spanning 1994 to 2008 – also has its peaks and troughs.

A 1999 Premier League Transfer Update edition (featuring Steven Gerrard’s rookie sticker sold for £99.99, but the 2005 sticker album fetched an average of just £17.01.

Aside from the rare collector’s items like the Mexico ’70 edition – the first of its kind – it looks as though the single, loose stickers are what gets collectors’ motors running.

If you are planning to raid the online listings to pick up some potential winners, here are some things to consider.

• Keeping them in good condition. Think about how you’re going to store your stickers. You’ll need somewhere safe and dry to store your lot.
• Don’t be afraid to haggle. Prices are often negotiable and open to change, so debate and you might get a better deal elsewhere.
• Do your research. Don’t pay over the odds for a sticker that doesn’t show any signs of appreciating in value.
• Don’t chase everything. Collectors love the chase, but if you’re spending one too many late nights and early mornings scrolling feverishly for auctions about to end, you could be risking your enjoyment of the hobby.
• Above all, have fun!

FIRST PUBLISHED: 18th August 2021

• The minimum salary of an MLB umpire is $150,000
• Earning far less than players, the maximum umpire wage is below the minimum for players
• Read below for more on MLB umpire salary and how to become a baseball umpire

Umpires are a factor to consider when it comes to MLB betting. Strikezones vary significantly from umpire to umpire, whether in size or consistency, and some have a tendency to eject players or coaches quicker than others.

Those who are regularly betting on baseball will get to know the Major League umpires.

How Much Do MLB Umpires Earn?

• MLB Umpire Salary Revealed
• MLB Umpire Crew
• How To Become An MLB Umpire
• Famous MLB Umpires

Officiating in baseball has a greater impact than in many other sports. The pressure is enormous to get each call right, whether judging the zone or evaluating a split-second play on the bases.

With 162 games in the regular season, MLB provides countless opportunities to take advantage of sports betting offers. Let’s take a look at the life of the men who oversee America’s Pastime…

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Rick Scuteri / AP Photo*

FIRST PUBLISHED: 17th August 2021