MMA, or mixed martial arts, is one of the fastest growing sports in the world. It combines several different combat disciplines into a single sport, and has exploded in popularity in recent years, with tens of millions of fans tuning in to watch the UFC’s top fights. It’s also become a popular betting sport, with online bookmakers offering odds for the next big MMA fight.
One of the most important things to keep in mind when betting on MMA is the fact that this is not an easy sport to handicap. It requires a lot of research to accurately understand the fighters’ strengths and weaknesses, fighting styles, and records. It’s also crucial to learn which factors to pay attention to and which to ignore. By paying close attention to critical factors such as weigh-ins, and accurately handicapping the fights, bettors can significantly improve their odds of winning.
The most basic type of wager in MMA is the moneyline bet, which simply involves a customer selecting a winner of the fight. Customers can also place bets on the round and method of victory, which is a bet on how the fight will end—by knockout, technical knockout, submission, disqualification, or judge’s decision (score). Parlays are another popular form of MMA betting. Parlays combine multiple individual bets on different outcomes in a single bet and require all selections to be correct for the entire bet to win. For example, a bet on Henry Cejudo as an underpriced underdog against Gregor Gillespie at +500 would be a successful parlay if both fighters won their respective fights.
In addition to bets on the round and method of victories, bettors can also place a bet on how many rounds the fight will last. Typically, non-championship MMA fights last three rounds, while championship or main event fights usually last five. When placing a bet on the over/under rounds, it’s important to consider the fighters’ fighting styles and records. For instance, if two defensive fighters are fighting, it’s likely that the fight will last longer and an over bet would be wise.
It’s also a good idea to be mindful of a fighter’s weight loss before a fight. Sometimes, fighters who are struggling to make weight can undergo extreme dehydration to shed pounds before a fight, which could leave them exhausted and vulnerable to a knockout. In addition, fighting at a lighter weight can lead to lower levels of cerebrospinal fluid, which can affect a fighter’s reaction time and their ability to hit hard and fast.