In recent years UFC has risen to prominence, largely thanks to the exploits of the world-famous Irish fighter Conor McGregor. Whilst McGregor’s attempts to make it in boxing were ultimately unsuccessful, his mission to spread the word about MMA was a rip-roaring success.

UFC has titled itself as ‘the fastest growing sport in the world” and whilst that may not be strictly true, what is true is that it is becoming increasingly more popular amongst gamblers. In recent years, UFC betting odds has actually overtaken boxing betting in terms of volume in many countries.

In this article we cover everything you need to know about betting on UFC, including the various types of bets on offer and how they work. If you want to turn your passion of MMA into profits, read on to find out how.

UFC Betting Odds

The vast majority of bets placed on the UFC are ‘Moneyline’ bets, which quite simply is when a bettor picks which fighter they think will emerge victorious in a particular clash.

These bets, and the majority of other UFC bets are represented with American odds, rather than fractional odds. The favourite is almost always represented in negative numbers. For example, Conor McGregor may be represented as -250 favourite against a relatively unknown fighter.

This would mean that the bettor would have to bet $250 to win $100 if McGregor won. On the other hand, if the bettor wanted to back the underdog, the odds would be represented by a positive. For example, the odds would be +200 meaning the bettor would have to wager $100 to win $200.

If you have bet on any American sport in the past you will be fairly familiar with these odds, but if you haven’t, do spend some time familiarising yourself with them before you start to wager serious money.

UFC Betting Markets

Now you know how the odds work for UFC betting, it’s time to take a look at some of the most popular markets that fans bet on.

Moneyline

As mentioned earlier in this article, the majority of UFC bets are moneyline wagers, where betters pick an outright winner of a particular fight. These bets suit the casual fan who likes UFC but perhaps doesn’t have the knowledge required to place a more complex bet.

Method of Victory

Just as there is more than one way to peel an orange, there are more than one ways to win an MMA fight and bettors like to wager on that. Before any fight, bookmakers will run odds on the method of victory with KO, TKO, submission and decision all covered.

If you’re already backing the favourite, adding a method of victory to your moneyline bet can significantly increase your winnings.

Dustin Poirier beat Conor McGregor by TKO earlier this year, earning bettors who backed that method of victory a pretty penny

Over/Under

Anyone even slightly familiar with professional fighting will be well aware of the grandiose claims made by fighters in the run-up to any bout. MMA fans may remember Conor McGregor boasting that he would knock out Floyd Mayweather inside 4 rounds…

Over/Under bets let you put these grand claims to the test by predicting how many rounds it will take a fighter to win in. In UFC a typical bet could mean backing a fighter to win in under 2.5 rounds, which would return winnings if the said fighter won within 6 minutes and 30 seconds.

If the fight crept over that time by even a second, the bet would be lost.

Round Fight Ends

If an over/under bet is too non-specific for your liking, you can get even more specific by guessing which round the fight will end. These bets usually have quite high odds to match the element of risk that comes with predicting the exact length of a fight.

Points Handicap

Sometimes we all know well before a fight that one of the fighters hasn’t got a cat in hell’s chance of emerging from the octagon victorious. To inject intrigue into these dead rubbers, bookmakers provide handicap betting.

This gives the underdog a pre-determined point’s advantage to make the fight more interesting if it comes down to judge’s decision. 

Futures

The name says it all. Futures bets are placed on the outcomes of upcoming fights or tournaments that have not been announced, but are rumoured to be happening. Savvy bettors will usually place futures bets as early as possible, when the odds are longer.

In the run-up to a fight the odds tend to narrow as more and more is uncovered about each boxer’s form, shape and mentality. By betting on a fight before it is announced, bettors can avail of more generous odds.

Parlay

If you enjoy betting on the outright winner of a fight but feel that the odds are a little underwhelming, you can inject some drama into your betting by placing a parlay wager.

These bets work by adding multiple moneyline bets together to increase the odds. Lovers of these type of bets tend to wager on the outcome of every fight on a given evening, which guarantees them a huge pay out if their predictions are correct.

Now you know everything you need to know about UFC betting, get out there and study the form so that you can turn your first bet into profit!

 

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