Punters across the U.K. lost millions on the shock draw between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder. The split decision -- a 33/1 shot ahead of the fight -- "hit gamblers in the pocket" to the tune of an estimated £20M ($25.5M), an expected record high, "with only a fraction of the pre-fight money going on the draw" (London INDEPENDENT, 12/2).
Emirates Team New Zealand received eight new challenges for the America’s Cup, which it is due to defend in Auckland in '21, although "not all are expected to be accepted." There are three confirmed challengers looking to "wrest the coveted trophy" from the Kiwis, who won it from Larry Ellison's Oracle Team USA in Bermuda in '17. Team NZ "did not name or identify any of the new entries" but said that "only one of them is immediately eligible to be accepted," while others are "likely to be invalid and not all are expected to make it through a vetting process," which will begin immediately (REUTERS, 11/30).
Royal Randwick will become the home of the two richest turf races in the world next October as Racing NSW "looks to extend the Sydney spring carnival with another multi-million-dollar event," which will be worth more the 2019 Melbourne Cup. The "audacious plan," which was approved by the Racing NSW board on Thursday, had been a "closely kept secret" but Australian Turf Club officials were formally told of the concept for the race on Friday and the details will be announced later this week (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 12/2).
Watford fans were given free food and drink at Saturday's EPL game at Leicester City after "displaying a banner dedicated to the club's late owner." The 1881 Movement raised £2,545 ($3,250) for two banners, one of which read: "Thank you Vichai for allowing us all to dream" (BBC, 12/1).
