MMA betting is a relatively new form of sports wagering that has taken off like wildfire since the rise of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). While it’s similar to betting on regular fighting events, it also has unique features that make it different. It’s important for bettor to understand these differences and how they affect the odds that are available.
One of the most significant differences is that mma betting odds are based on a combination of factors, not just the performance of a fighter. Odds makers look at a variety of data points to determine their odds, including the performances of the fighters’ previous opponents, injuries, weather forecasts and more. Then they use that information to calculate a specific number called the “odds to win” for each bet type.
The most common MMA bet is what’s known as a Money Line, which is simply a single bet on a winner of the fight. The Money Line odds will shift from the time they open until the night of the event and any fighter news could have an impact on them. In addition to the Money Line, MMA wagers are also available on Over/Under round totals, method of victory bets and other prop bets.
When handicapping a MMA fight, be sure to consider the style of both fighters. Look for a fighter’s stance, for instance. Many fight fans tend to assume that a fighter with an orthodox stance is better than a southpaw, but that isn’t always the case. In fact, southpaws can have an advantage versus orthodox fighters due to their natural stance and how they naturally move in combat.
Another way to handicap a fight is to look at the history of the fighters’ previous opponents and how they have performed against them. This is a great way to identify potential upsets and can be used in conjunction with the live UFC matchup probabilities that Dimers offers in its MMA Bet Hub.
A Method of Victory bet is a unique MMA wager that is only offered on MMA matches and requires you to choose which fighter will win the fight via their chosen method. The possible ways to win are a knockout, a technical knockout, submission or a decision by the judges’ scorecards.
Lastly, MMA bouts often feature Round betting, which is a bet on the number of rounds the fight will last. You can bet on either the Over or the Under, which will change in accordance with how many rounds are scheduled and the overall quality of the fighters’ performance. In addition to this, you can place a bet on which round the fight will end in and whether it will be a knockout, submission or decision. This is a popular MMA bet type that can pay out in big ways. However, it can be risky if you don’t correctly predict how the fight will end.