UFC Betting Guide

How to bet on UFC? Tips, Types of Bets & Divisions

With Mixed Martial Arts on the rise as one of the most highly viewed combat sports globally, one promotion has seized the role of top dog amongst their competition. That promotion is the Ultimate Fighting Championships or UFC for short. The UFC is an MMA promotion and the home to the most elite fighters in the world. Check How to bet on UFC in this Betting Guide.

The article below will look at everything you need to know about understanding fights and betting on them. We will cover how a contest works, types of bets, betting strategies, and common mistakes made by new UFC bettors. We will even cover frequently asked questions and tips for success when betting on the UFC!

What is the UFC

The UFC is the premier MMA promotion in the world and one of the fastest-growing sports organizations. Significant events are aired on pay-per-view, with multiple free fights being held every month. The UFC was founded in 1993 by Art Davies and was bought by the Fertita brothers and their partner Dana White in 2001 for 2 million dollars. 

After a few years of struggle and financial pains, the UFC has consistently grown in popularity and value. It was purchased by WME-IMG (Endeavor) in 2016 for roughly 4 billion dollars.

Rules of A Fight

In a UFC fight, two fighters are pinned against each other using multiple martial arts styles to defeat their opponent. Typically, a fight will end with a knockout, submission, or judge’s decision. When it comes to striking, everything from punches, kicks, knees, and elbows can damage an opponent. 

Submissions are when a fighter either taps out, is choked unconscious, or gets a limb snapped due to joint locks and chokes. Elite fighters are typically experts in one or multiple disciplines of martial arts, including but not limited to:

-Wrestling

-Boxing

-Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

-Kickboxing

-Karate

-Muay Thai

A standard UFC fight is three, five-minute rounds, learn How to bet on UFC with championship fights and main events lasting five rounds. Judges score each round individually and whoever wins the most combined rounds is the victor if the brawl goes the distance. 

Penalties in the form of illegal strikes, eye pokes, and groin strikes can cost a fighter the round if deemed necessary by the official. Bouts take place and are sanctioned in countries all around the globe, and each governing body may have slight differences in rule sets. 

Men and Women UFC Divisions

The UFC has a place for fighters of all shapes and sizes. Each division has a weight limit that fighters are required to stay below to compete. If a fighter misses that limit, they are required to forfeit a percentage of their purse to the opponent, or the fight could be called off. 

Fighters must make weight in a championship fight or will not be awarded the title with a victory. So make sue to check How to bet on UFC.

Men’s Divisions:

Here is the breakdown for the UFC men’s divisions:

-Flyweight – 125 pounds

-Bantamweight – 135 pounds

-Featherweight – 145 pounds

-Lightweight – 155 pounds

-Welterweight – 170 pounds

-Middleweight – 185 pounds

-Light Heavyweight – 205 pounds

-Heavyweight – 265 pounds

Women’s Divisions:

Here is the breakdown for the UFC men’s divisions:

-Flyweight – 125 pounds

-Bantamweight – 135 pounds

-Featherweight – 145 pounds

Betting on UFC Fights Explained

Formulating a sound strategy to succeed in wagering UFC fights will be challenging. Suppose you don’t understand How to bet on UFC works or the types of bets you can make. 

While simply betting on the outcome of a contest is the most common and most effortless form of betting, other types of bets are essential to understand. 

In the section below, we will look at the variety of bets available to you and how they work. 

Moneyline Bets

Money Lines in UFC betting are the same as any other sport where you are wagering on who will win the fight. One example of how money lines work is when “Fighter X” is a -300 favorite over “Fighter Z” as the +150 underdog. 

A 300 dollar bet on Fighter X will pay $100 and your money back with a win, and a 100 dollar bet on Fighter Z will pay $150 plus your money back with a win. 

Totals or Over/Under Bets

Betting on the total rounds is wagering on the over/under of how long the fight will last. If the over/under is set at -125 for 1.5 rounds and the fight lasts two rounds, you would win $125 on betting the over. 

These bets can be problematic in the UFC as there aren’t many rounds in a non-title fight. Styles make fights, and there is often a potential for a decision. 

Keep your eye out for trends in a fighter’s record. The opportunity to bet on the over when you see a history of decisions could present itself. 

Method of Victory Bets

Winning methods are when you wager on how a UFC fight will end. In most cases, about will end in one of three ways.

-Knockout

-Submission

-Decision

Knowing the fighting style of the fighters you plan to wager on is key to being successful at these styles of bets. If you see a fighter with weak striking defense fighting a former kickboxing champion, it could be an excellent opportunity to bet on a knockout finish. 

Futures Bets

Futures bets are offered long in advance of what you believe might happen in the future of the sport. For example, a futures bet might be on the current UFC Welterweight Champion retaining his title throughout the entire year or vice versa. 

Prop Bets

Prop bets are typically considered fun bets and can be made on just about any aspect of a fight. Examples of prop bets in UFC betting include how long a tussle will last, any point deductions, which fighter will land the first punch, or if the fighters will touch gloves to start the scrap!

Live Bets

Live betting is placing wagers as a contest is taking place. The odds are dynamic and constantly updating as the current fight is unfolding, and if you predict a specific move or technique coming, you can place a bet on it in real-time. 

Tips For UFC Betting

When it comes to UFC betting, fights can be unpredictable, and one shot can change the course of an entire fight. While nothing you can do will guarantee a winning bet, here are a few tips that can improve your odds of success. 

Do Solid Research

Researching everything you can surrounding fighters, backgrounds, and the environment of the fight is the most critical step to a successful wager. None of the other measures will be possible without research as it is the foundation of sports betting. 

There are plenty of options for obtaining information on fighters like UFC blogs, podcasts, social media, and sports networks on television. Research is the first step you should take before anything else regarding UFC betting. 

Find The Underdogs

In sports like boxing or kickboxing, the odds of seeing a big upset are slim to none. The favorite typically comes out on top, and the fights tend to be predictable. That is not the case in the UFC. 

Underdogs win all the time, and with so many contests occurring throughout the year, there are plenty of opportunities to cash in on the right one. 

As we mentioned above, a little research will go a long way when running down a UFC card. Look for the style matchups and physical attributes that will play into the underdog’s favor. 

Fighter Evolution

When it comes to boxing, a loss on your record can be catastrophic and, in some cases, career-ending. In the UFC, it couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Often, a loss can assist in forcing a fighter to improve their skills and reveal inefficiencies they didn’t know they had. It is extremely rare to find a UFC or MMA fighter with a perfect record who has fought top-level competition. 

It isn’t uncommon to see fighters with double-digit losses fighting for a world title! Fighters also change camps, coaches, and managers to make a big difference in their performance on fight night. 

Don’t Bet on a Draw

While the odds can be tempting, and you never know what will happen in a UFC fight, draws are one of the most unlikely outcomes of a contest. They are actually rumored to be frowned upon amongst the judges when filling in the scorecards. 

UFC Betting Common Mistakes

When betting on UFC contests, mistakes are easy to come by. Many newcomers to UFC betting follow the same trends when making their first couple bets. Below, we will look at some of the biggest mistakes when How to bet on UFC. 

Personality or Favorite Fighters

Two of the most common mistakes that new UFC bettors make is picking a fighter based on their personality or being a fan. This is a quick way to lose your money! Fighters will never show weakness in the build-up to a fight and are highly confident in themselves to get the job done. 

Unfortunately, there is only one winner in a UFC fight, and almost every fighter will lose at some point in their career. Looking at a fighter’s strengths, weaknesses, and how they match up with their opponents should outweigh any emotion you have when wagering on fights. 

Picking with your heart has no place in the UFC or sports betting. Use logic instead and sound research instead!

Focusing too much on Records

A UFC fighter’s record is an excellent place to start when you break down a fight but shouldn’t be the only factor in your decision. Records can burn you, and things like strength of schedule, moving to different promotions, and style matchups can all play a significant role in a fighter’s wins/losses. 

If a fighter has just moved to the UFC from a smaller promotion, they may not have the losses a top 5 fighter in the UFC has. Knowing who a fighter has faced can paint a broader picture of which fighter has the better odds. 

Listening to UFC Media

While there are excellent sources of information and journalists giving honest insights into the UFC, be cautious of who you rely on for information and advice! 

The UFC media, and sports media, generally love their hot takes before an event. They are often making these predictions and statements with the goal of social media shares and a larger volume of comments from the fans.

Trusting Claimed Injuries

Rumors of injuries and controversies coming out of training camps before a fight are pretty standard. The truth is, fighters lie. Typically, a fighter will never reveal actual injuries as they don’t want to give their opponents any knowledge that can be used against them before the fight. 

A fighter is more likely to hide an injury and only release those details after a contest has taken place. Take injury rumors with a grain of salt when wagering before a fight. 

Betting on the Entire Fight Card

When it comes to the expert sports bettors or the folks that consistently make money betting on fights, knowing which fights to hold the most value is a vital component of a good wager. 

It is not good practice to bet on a bout because you think that fighter will win. You have to also look at the line on a fight to ensure that it is a bet worth making. You do not have to and should not bet on every fight on the card. 

Not Shopping Sportsbooks

When it comes time to researching sites and betting markets, picking the first one that you come across is an amateur mistake. There are many options and variety for betting on the UFC, and you are selling yourself short by not shopping around for the best odds and possibilities that fit your goals. 

Ensure you are doing your due diligence when you pick a site or multiple sites to place your bets!

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