Betting on the UFC isn't as popular as betting on other major leagues in the USA, but there are still some fans that prefer betting on the fights. Since sports betting has become legal and many sportsbooks have launched in various US states, the act of betting itself has become quite popular. In this article, we will explain how UFC betting works.
How Does UFC Betting Work - Deciphering the Odds
If you are betting in the USA, the odds would most likely be in American style. They are positive and negative ones that determine who the favorite and the underdog is. With American odds, no matter which sport we are talking about the odds are based on the customers wagering $100. An example is to show the odds, like this:
- McGregor +135
- Poirier –165
Here, we will explain how to read UFC odds from the example above. If you want to bet on McGregor, you will have to stake $135 to win $100. The opposite situation is if you want to bet on Poirier, you will have to stake $165 to win $100. Of course, the stake amount is 100% your choice, as long as you cover the minimum betting limits for the event placed by the bookmakers. Usually, the positive odds represent the underdog, while the negative odds represent the favorite.
There will be different betting markets, so you should watch out for the various odds and if you don't know what a betting market is about, we recommend you don't place a bet on it, but find out exactly what you are betting on beforehand.
Types of Bets and UFC Odds Explained
In this section, we will explain exactly how UFC betting work and the different betting options you might have when browsing for the perfect UFC odds. You may see that you won't have as many betting options as other popular leagues, like the NFL or NBA, but the markets available are still popular amongst customers. Here are the different markets and UFC odds explained:
How Do UFC Odds Work in “To Win a Fight” Bets
To win a fight is the Moneyline market of UFC betting. You have to choose who the winner you think will be. Similar to the example above here are the fighters and the odds we will work with for this fictional match:
- Eddie Alvarez -140
- Khabib Nurmagomedov +110
If you believe that Alvarez would win, you need to wager $140 on him to win $100. If you are certain Khabib Nurmagomedov would win the fight, then you have to wager $100 to win $110. Keep in mind that betting on the underdog, which in our case is Khabib Nurmagomedov, is riskier than betting on the favorite. That is why the odds and payout are also better because the chances are not big.
Method of Victory Bets
When it comes to the method of victory market, we don't care who wins the fight. We only care how the fight is won, a.k.a. the method of victory or sometimes called fight outcome. There are three types of lines here:
- Decision
- Submission
- Knockout
This is how betting odds work UFC for this specific betting market. They are determined by the oddsmakers and you will find ones for each fighter. Some bookmakers post double odds (for each fighter) for each method of victory, while others only post odds for the method regardless of the fighter winning. Like in other betting markets, you will most likely have to “shop” for the best prices on several platforms because the odds are never the same for long.
What is Round Betting in UFC?
The next part of our “how do UFC odds work?” guide is to teach you what round betting is. This type of bet is similar to the totals in NBA and NFL betting, but in this particular case, you have to wager on the number of rounds the fight will have instead of the total points, like in other sports.
Usually, the number of rounds isn't big and the odds would look something like this:
- Over 2.5 @-110
- Under 2.5 @+110
If we take our previous example and apply it here it would mean that the bookmakers think that the fight will most likely have three or more rounds. You will have to decide if you agree with that or if you want to risk betting on the less-likely outcome for the higher odds.
UFC Futures Odds
Different tournaments and weight classes determine different champions. When it comes to futures, you would most likely be able to bet on the champions in the different weight classes. The odds are similar to future odds for other sports, and the tactic is also the same. The earlier you place the bet, the higher the payout is. As the tournament progresses the odds would be lower than before it started.
How Does UFC Betting Work? - Statistics and Tactics
Although some sports require very complex strategies and tactics because there are a lot of betting markets to choose from, when it comes to the UFC, the betting is straightforward. You will only have to look for a few specific predictions when betting on a fight:
- Who will win?
- How long would it last?
- How will it end?
If you look at the fighters’ previous events, their strengths and weaknesses, and last but not least their fighting style. The fights themselves aren't so easy to predict considering there are various styles involved in UFC and some fighters might be better equipped to win against others if most of the fight they stay off the mat, while the opposite is correct if the fight progresses down on the mat most of the time. Powerful strikers would prefer to stay up, while grapplers would want to win by submission down on the mat.
You should read some guides online if you aren't familiar with UFC fights, and before betting on them, you should get familiar with the basic rules of the sport. It would also help if you learn some of the fighters’ backgrounds and see what their latest injuries are.
Where to Bet on the UFC? - Popular Sportsbooks
Like all other betting styles, the UFC odds are different at various sportsbooks. To find the best UFC betting odds, you will have to shop for them at different sites. That is why expert bettors have accounts at multiple sportsbooks. Not only because of the various welcome bonuses but also because of the different odds available on the different platforms. For example, one of the US operators- BetMGM offers users various markets, even if you want to place a bet on the NFL.
A good sportsbook offers customers not only good odds but also a wide array of betting options. We know that when it comes to the UFC, we can't ask for the same number of markets as say a soccer match, but more than one at least. Also, there should be some betting features you can use to make your wagering more fun, like cash out or live to stream, or even edit bets. It would help if you also looked at the bonuses and promotions offered by the sportsbook because for the more popular fights bookmakers tend to offer different promos, like free bets, odds boosts, or even bet insurance.
Here are the best sportsbooks in our opinion that are suited best for UFC betting: