MMA betting has transformed fight night into an exhilarating experience that immerses fans into each match’s drama and turns passive spectators into active participants in each encounter. Beyond standard moneyline bets, sportsbooks also provide various prop bets and markets that can be utilized during fights such as Over/Under round totals and Method of Victory wagers; although these require greater understanding of a fighter’s style and tendencies but greatly enrich the betting experience overall.
At the core of every bet lies understanding how to read MMA odds. Odds depict how much of an edge a bettor stands to gain per $100 they wager, with favorites indicated by a negative sign (-) and underdogs indicated by positive signs (+). Betting markets shift continuously throughout any given fight week and they vary from sportbook to sportbook as the betting market shifts and fighter news emerges, shifting odds as it does so too.
As a general guideline, when betting on favorites listed at -130 or lower it’s often best to back the underdog; doing so can bring more profit with less cost of placing bets on favorites. Conversely, fighters listed as -180 or below should generally not receive any bets.
Consideration should also be given to a fighter’s history in their chosen weight class. Some fights struggle to make weight cuts and must use drastic methods of weight reduction that could impact negatively upon performance and leave them tired before even entering a bout. This may especially apply if they must cut from heavier to lighter weight classes prior to fight day, and will likely have been depleted when their match begins.
Be sure to consider a fighter’s history in their current weight class and how they have performed against other competitors within it, in order to identify whether they may be suitable opponents for your opponent based on similar styles, strengths, and experiences. This will enable you to assess whether they make for good matches against each other.
MMA betting provides an assortment of wagering options beyond moneyline bets. One such bet type is Over/Under rounds, in which you predict how long a fight will last; typically this number is set at 2:30 into Round 3, though this can vary depending on matchup and fighter styles. You may also place bets on either knockout, submission or decision for more nuanced bets that allow for live action viewing while placing bets as soon as the fight has started!