In the past decade, MMA has surged to become the world’s most popular combat sport. The UFC has spearheaded the growth, with televised fights and monthly pay-per-view events filling the biggest sports stadiums in North America and Europe. This has led to a huge spike in MMA betting, with fans wagering big money on the next big star to take the top spot in their favorite divisions.
Betting on MMA fights can be fun and rewarding, but it’s important to make educated bets and follow sound strategies to maximize your winnings. This article will discuss how to read MMA fighting odds, how different types of bets work, and the best online MMA betting sites. We’ll also explain how to place a bet on a specific round of the fight and offer tips on how to find value in props and future bets.
MMA betting is similar to boxing betting in that the fight’s winner is the only bet that pays out – if you place a bet on the winner, you are guaranteed to win your bet. But the sport also offers a number of other bets that can increase your payout potential and bring in some extra cash. These include the Over/Under and Round bets, which are based on how long the fight is expected to last.
One of the most common mistakes MMA bettors make is doing what’s known as “MMA math.” Many bettors look at the record of two fighters and attempt to compare them based on how many wins each has. In MMA, there’s plenty of crossover in the opponents that fighters have won and lost against. Consequently, this type of MMA betting is often incorrect and can distract bettors from studying the matchup on paper and analyzing film.
Another great MMA betting strategy involves looking at the physical traits of both fighters. For example, a fighter with a reach advantage can keep his opponent at bay with jabs and punches that would be difficult to land on a shorter fighter. In addition, bettors should note the stance of each fighter. Southpaws, who fight left-handed, can hold an edge over orthodox fighters, which can be challenging to defend against.
Finally, MMA betting on round bets is an exciting way to predict how the fight will end. This is because there are a few different ways that a fight can end, including KO/TKO, submission, and judge decisions. The odds for each of these methods are usually listed with a plus or minus sign, with the favorites being shown as a -sign and underdogs showing as a + sign. This makes it easy to identify which bets are most likely to win. It’s also worth noting that some sportsbooks will post early lines for upcoming fights, while others wait until the week of the event to publish them. This can impact the amount of action that a bet will attract. However, the best sportsbooks will post their odds early and update them throughout the week.