MMA Betting: UFC Betting Tips and Advice

MMA Betting Guide for Beginners

MMA Betting is fast becoming one of the most popular forms of sports betting. With UFC, Bellator and other MMA promotions leading the way in terms of viewership and global recognition, more and more punters are turning to MMA for a thrilling betting experience.

Whether you’re a seasoned gambler or just starting out, there are plenty of opportunities to make money with MMA betting. The key is knowing the basics of how it works: identifying fighters, understanding the different types of bets available, and setting a budget for yourself. This betting guide will help newcomers get started on their journey into MMA betting and equip them with the knowledge they need to become successful bettors.

How to Start Betting on MMA Online

Understand How Different MMA Odds Work

MMA odds are based on the perceived chance of a fighter winning a fight, which can be complicated to predict due to their unpredictable nature. That said, understanding how MMA odds work can help you make educated bets more often than not.

When betting on MMA fights, you’ll be presented with two different fighters and their corresponding odds. The favorite will usually have lower odds than the underdog, meaning that if they win, you’ll get less of a return in comparison to if the underdog had won. On the other hand, betting on an underdog means that there’s greater potential for greater returns if your picks come through.

Odds may also change leading up to the fight as bookmakers become aware of new information or factors that could influence how likely either fighter is to win. This is why it’s important to keep track of any updates regarding either fighter before placing your bet. If a fighter has an injury or any other disadvantage going into the match then their odds may rise significantly, so it pays off to stay informed and up-to-date in order to make wise decisions when placing bets.

Along with betting on who will win, you can also place props bets which are wagers made on specific events happening during a bout such as whether there will be a knockout or submission in a given round or whether either fighter will successfully land takedowns during a specific period of time. Prop bets generally provide higher payouts than simply betting on who will win but require more insight into the strategies involved in each matchup which can complicate decision-making when placing bets.

Learn How to Research Different Fights

When researching different fights in MMA betting, it is important to consider not only the fighters’ experience but also their individual styles. It is important to note how a fighter tends to fight—whether they prefer striking or grappling—and what strategies they employ in their fights. Knowing these details can help you understand which fighter has an edge in any given matchup and make better predictions on the outcome of a fight.

Additionally, research should include looking into a fighter’s past performances against opponents with similar styles and analyzing how they performed in those fights. Doing so will give you insight into how each fighter matches up against one another and if there are weaknesses or strong points to exploit.

In addition to researching specific fighters and matchups, researching various other elements associated with a fight can be beneficial when placing your bets. Factors such as the size of the cage/ring, venue atmosphere, travel distance for each fighter, injury history for both competitors, weight differences between competitors should all be factored into your analysis when selecting wagers. Gaining access to this information may require some digging around online but having it readily available at your fingertips will give you greater insight into possible outcomes and make more informed decisions when placing bets on MMA contests.

Lastly, it is also important to consider recent news stories or rumors involving either of the fighters competing in a bout as these could potentially have an effect on their performance on fight night. Due diligence must be exercised when evaluating any news story related to two potential combatants as some stories may be false or exaggerated.

Online MMA Betting Tips

Make Bets Through Research

The key to successful MMA betting is careful research. Before placing any bet, punters should thoroughly research the fighters participating in each matchup, becoming acquainted with their styles, strengths and weaknesses. This is essential for making sound decisions when it comes to predicting winners or otherwise handicapping the fight.

By studying the records and histories of each fighter, bettors can gain insight into who has the upper hand in upcoming bouts as well as which ones may be closer than they appear on paper. Additionally, researching fighters’ training regimens can provide valuable information about how prepared they are entering a fight. Bets should also take into account background factors such as style match-ups and recent performances.

Stay Up to Date on MMA News

Following MMA media outlets such as ESPN and Fox Sports is a great place to start. Sites such as these often cover the big events such as UFC pay-per-views, but they also have regular news updates on fighters and fight cards. You can also find interviews with fighters, breaking information about upcoming fights or injuries, and analysis from experts when a major fight card or event is announced or ends.

Another way to stay up to date on MMA news is by following fighter profiles on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. Most professional MMA fighters will post updates about their training regime, upcoming fights, or any other news related to their career on their profile pages. This is an excellent source for getting insider tips from the athletes themselves! Additionally, many athletes also use these platforms to interact directly with fans by answering questions or responding to comments about their fighting style or preparation for upcoming bouts.

Finally, signing up for an MMA betting newsletter can be a great way of receiving timely updates about upcoming fight cards, predictions from experts in the field of combat sports betting, plus helpful tips that may give you an edge when placing a bet. These newsletters often include previews of key matches taking place in major promotions like the UFC along with valuable insights into potential underdogs or favourites who may not be well known but could potentially offer good returns based on specific criteria such as reach advantage or previous performances in similar matchups.

Look for Underdog Opportunities

Betting on the underdog can be a great way to maximize your profits, as underdogs often offer higher payouts than favored fighters. This makes it important for MMA bettors to have an in-depth knowledge of the sport and its fighters in order to identify these opportunities.

When looking for underdog opportunities with MMA betting, it is important to consider a variety of factors beyond just the odds. Fighters have different styles, strengths, and weaknesses that can influence their chances of winning a fight. It is important to research each fighter’s past performance and form in order to gain insight into their current standing.

Additionally, fighters’ previous bouts against each other or against opponents in similar weight classes can provide an indication as to how they might fare against one another. This can allow bettors to assess which fighter they think has the better chance of winning on any given night.

In addition to researching each fighter’s form, MMA bettors should also take into account external factors such as venue and weather conditions when looking for underdog opportunities. For example, a fighter may have been successful at home but could struggle away from home due to differences in atmosphere or training environment. A sudden change in weather conditions could also affect some fighters’ performances more so than others, making them more vulnerable as underdogs and potentially offering better value bets than projected favorites.

Never Bet Too Much Money All at Once

One of the most important pieces of advice when it comes to MMA betting is to never put all of your eggs in one basket. This means that you should avoid placing large amounts of money on any single fight. Betting too much money on one event increases your risk of losing money, as well as taking away from potential gains from future bets. It is always best to spread out smaller bets across multiple fights, rather than putting all your money into one game or fighter.

The stakes for each bet should also be taken into consideration before placing a wager. If you are only familiar with casual MMA knowledge, then you may want to keep your stakes relatively low until you gain more experience with the sport and how different fights play out. On the other hand, if you have intimate knowledge of certain fighters or teams, then taking a chance on higher stakes may be an option for greater return on investment.

Keep Your Parlays Small

A parlay is a wager that combines two or more bets into one, and with each additional bet included, your chances of winning decrease with each additional selection. As such, it is important to keep your parlays small and focused on just a few selections. This will increase your chances of success and give you a better chance at earning some profits.

One way to keep parlay sizes small is by focusing on individual fight outcomes instead of entire card outcomes. Betting on individual fights can be easier to manage than betting on all the fights at once, as there are fewer variables to account for when placing only one wager. Additionally, if you combine multiple single fight bets into one parlay, you can still receive good potential payouts without having too many losing bets in the mix.

Another tip for keeping your parlay sizes small is by limiting the amount of money you put into any given bet. Many gambling sites allow players to choose between different bet sizes, ranging from small amounts like $1 up to larger sums of money like $50 or even more. By choosing smaller bet sizes, you can ensure that there won’t be too much money at risk if anything goes wrong and limit the amount of losses that could occur if all the individual bets don’t pan out as expected.

UFC Betting vs. Bellator Betting

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is the largest professional mixed martial arts organization in the world and it is known for its high-quality fights, thrilling matchups, and entertaining events. UFC betting is a popular activity among bettors who want to wager on one of the most exciting sports in the world. With more than 400 fighters competing in 11 different weight classes, there’s no shortage of action to bet on. The UFC offers a variety of betting options, including future bets, parlays, props, and live betting.

Bellator MMA is also a major player in the world of mixed martial arts and one of their main attractions is Bellator betting. Bellator has been around since 2009 and has hosted over 200 events with fighters from all over the world competing for championship titles across various weight classes. Unlike UFC, which focuses mainly on pay-per-view events, Bellator has shown a commitment to broadcast fights through cable television as well as digitally via streaming services such as YouTube TV or FITE TV. The wide array of platforms available makes it easy for fans to keep up with their favorite fighters and take part in Bellator betting.

When comparing UFC betting and Bellator betting, both have their own unique advantages for bettors. For example, UFC offers more depth in terms of matchups with 11 weight classes whereas Bellator only covers four divisions; this allows punters to make more informed decisions when it comes to placing bets on specific fighters or matchups that they are familiar with. Additionally, while many UFC events are pay-per-view based which requires an additional fee to watch them live or replay them after the fact; all of Bellator’s fights are available for free viewing across multiple digital platforms so viewers don’t have to worry about missing out on any action due to cost constraints either.

Furthermore, due to the high quality of production value at UFC events – which often feature celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger attending – UFC betting can sometimes carry higher risk than wagering on lesser known MMA promotions like Rizin or Combate Americas; conversely however these smaller organizations may offer lower odds making it potentially more attractive for bettors looking for bigger payouts but this should be taken into consideration before placing any bets.

Types of Online MMA Bets You Can Make in 2023

Moneyline MMA Betting

This type of wagering allows bettors to make a ‘pick’ in an MMA fight and win money based on the success of that pick. Moneyline betting is generally straight forward, with all bets being based on if one fighter will win or lose and does not involve any point spreads or predictions about margins of victory.

When making a Moneyline bet, there are several factors that must be taken into consideration. The first factor to consider is the fighters’ records; who has a better record overall, who has won more fights, who has had more losses, who has fought higher-level opponents – all of which can influence the likelihood that one fighter will emerge as the victor. In addition to records, it can also be beneficial to take into consideration how each fighter matches up against each other in terms of style, size and weight class. Lastly, fighters have been known to enter the octagon with injuries or ailments which could drastically alter their performance and lead to a different outcome than expected.

In many situations both fighters are given favorable odds depending on their respective records or styles. However in some cases one fighter is heavily favored over another because they have either defeated them previously or simply because they possess a greater skill set according to public opinion. When this occurs it is reflected in the odds for each fighter; where one may be listed at +150 and their opponent -175, indicating that the latter is favored by quite a bit. 

Prop Bets for MMA

Prop Bets allow punters to wager on different aspects of MMA fights, such as whether a certain fighter will win by knockout or submission, Round Betting (betting on who will win in which round), or even specific events that might occur during the fight. Prop Bets can also include “exotic” bets, like betting on whether a fighter’s face will be cut during the fight.

Prop Bets often offer more exciting opportunities than simply betting on who will win or lose an MMA match. For instance, if you are confident in your pick for the overall winner of a particular fight, you can increase your winnings by taking advantage of prop bet opportunities. By betting on various sides of the same fight, you can create multiple winning scenarios with higher odds than traditional match-winner bets. That being said, it is important to understand all of the rules and regulations associated with prop bets before placing any wagers.

Prop Bets require good knowledge of the fighters and their past performances in order to make an informed decision when wagering. For instance, betting on whether one fighter will win by knockout or submission requires an understanding of both fighters’ tendencies when it comes to striking or grappling exchanges.

Similarly, in order for exotic prop bets to have any chance at success, punters should do research into each fighter’s history and form prior to making any wagers – this includes studying their techniques as well as any medical records that may be applicable. With this kind of insight into each fighter’s style and conditioning prior to placing a bet on a particular outcome, there is much greater potential for successful results from prop bets than from more straightforward match winner options.

Over/Under MMA Betting

Over/Under MMA Betting involves betting on a fighter either winning or losing by a certain number of rounds or points. Bettors are given the option to wager on whether the fight will go over or under that specific round or point total. This type of wagering offers bettors more action, as they can bet on either outcome and can also increase their potential winnings if they accurately predict the outcome of the fight.

For example, when placing an over/under bet on a UFC match between two lightweights, a gambler might place a bet of $100 that the fight will end in three rounds or less. If the fight goes beyond three rounds, then the gambler loses their $100 wager and vice versa if it ends within three rounds. Over/Under betting can be used in any type of MMA competition including professional events such as UFC, Bellator, and Strikeforce as well as amateur bouts at lower-level promotions.

When placing an over/under wager for MMA fights, it is important to consider factors such as fighters’ styles and experience levels in order to make accurate predictions. Since fighters tend to have different styles inside the Octagon – some may favor striking while others prefer grappling – this can impact how long each round lasts and ultimately affect the total time for which the fight lasts.

Additionally, fighters with greater skill levels may be able to finish their opponents faster than those who are relatively inexperienced in martial arts combat. All these factors should be taken into consideration when making an over/under bet on a particular MMA fight so that one has better chances of winning their wagers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, betting on MMA fights can be a great way to enhance the viewing experience and add an extra layer of excitement. With the right approach and sound knowledge, you can make smart and informed bets that could yield great returns. Whether you are just getting started or already familiar with the sport, it is important to do your research and stay up to date with the latest developments in MMA betting.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often do favorites win in MMA?

An analysis of recent data shows that favorites have a significant advantage winning close to 60% of bouts.

Is a draw a loss in MMA betting?

A draw in MMA betting is not considered a loss, as there is no winner and loser.

How accurate are UFC odds?

UFC odds are generally accurate, as they are based on past performance, statistics, and other predictive elements.

Does TKO count as KO in betting?

A TKO (Technical Knock Out) occurs when the referee of the match determines that one fighter can no longer safely continue fighting, due to injury or fatigue. TKO is counted as a knock out in betting.

Can UFC fighters bet on fights?

No, UFC fighters cannot bet on fights due to the inherent conflict of interest that this would create.