Can I Bet On Ufc Fights
Like in most sports, you can bet on more than just the winner. In the UFC, there are a number of different prop bets available for any match. While high-risk prop bets can result in big payouts, some bettors prefer. The most popular way to bet on the UFC, or any other mixed martial arts event for that matter, is to bet on the moneyline. Betting on the moneyline simply means betting on one individual fighter to win a. Each UFC event has up to twelve fights featured on the card, meaning that there is plenty of competition for us to analyze and maximize our UFC betting odds. Whether you are betting on UFC fights, betting. Cirkunov vs Spann odds for UFC Fight Night betting. Picks and predictions for Misha Cirkunov vs Ryan Spann on March 13, 2021. Betting on MMA fights has grown into a massive industry that stretches across the entire world. Top MMA promotions including the UFC have a large audience in countries all over the world. Online bookmakers allow bettors to place wagers on MMA fights easily, but before you start betting.
- Odds On Ufc Tonight
- Is It Legal To Bet On Ufc Fights
- Ufc Fight Betting Odds
- Odds For Ufc Fight Night
- Can You Bet On Ufc Fights In California
Betting on MMA fights has grown into a massive industry that stretches across the entire world. Top MMA promotions including the UFC have a large audience in countries all over the world.
Online bookmakers allow bettors to place wagers on MMA fights easily, but before you start betting on MMA, you need to learn the different types of MMA bets. Everyone knows that they can bet on who they think is going to win a fight, but there are lots of other ways to bet on MMA, which we’ll explain below.
Moneyline Bet / Match Bet
- Fighter A -300 vs. Fighter B +200
A moneyline bet or match bet is when you select one fighter to win a fight by whatever means necessary. It doesn’t matter how the fighter wins the fight as long as they end up winning.
This is the most popular bet in MMA, as everyone has a prediction as to who should win all of the big MMA fights. Make sure you read over our MMA odds guide if you don’t know how to read the odds listed in our moneyline bet example above.
Parlay Bet / Accumulator Bet / Multiplier Bet
Depending on where you live a parlay, accumulator or multiplier is a wager with multiple sections. For the sake of this article, I will refer to this bet as a parlay.
For instance, if you think three fighters will win you could bet on all three with a parlay bet to increase the payout odds. The only way you’ll win the parlay is if you end up winning all of the selections you make on the bet.
Even if just one of the fight’s lost the parlay will be a loser, and you won’t win anything. Parlays are great when betting on a couple of favorites since the odds are increased but so is the risk.
Open Parlay
An open parlay is when you decide to make a bet, and you use the option to leave spots open. You don’t have to select them right away but the number of spots you leave open need to be filled before the bet is complete.
These are fun if you want to bet on many fights or events, but you’re not sure on your selections yet. 5 Dimes offer this option, and you can have up to 25 open spots.
Over/Under Bet
- Fighter A vs. Fighter B – Over 2.5 Round -115 / Under 2.5 Rounds +105
One of the easiest ways to bet on an MMA fight is by betting the over/under. In an over/under bet the bookie will post a round total, and you need to bet on whether the fight will last longer or shorter than the round total.
Over under odds are posted to the bookies desecration. But they are fairly standard across the board.
Here are some examples of the Over Under listings.
- Over Under 1.5 Rounds – Usually found when two aggressive fighters fight.
To win the over bet, the bout must pass 2.5mins of the second round.
To win the under the fight needs to end before 2.5mins of round two.
- Over Under 2.5 Rounds – This is what you will see offered the most.
To win the over bet, the bout must pass 2.5mins of the third round.
To win the under the fight needs to end before 2.5mins of round three.
- Over Under 3.5 rounds – You will see the option in most championship fights, fights that have five rounds.
To win the over bet, the bout must pass 2.5mins of the fourth round.
To win the under the fight needs to end before 2.5mins of round four.
Round Betting
Several MMA sportsbooks allow bettors to bet on what round they think the fight will finish in, and the payout odds are much better when betting this way.
You can also bet on a fighter to win the fight during a certain round as well, which is another great MMA bet with excellent payout odds.
Method of Victory
There are three ways to win a fight in MMA including KO, Submission, and Points. If you think you know how a fight is going to end and want to make some money, you can bet on the method of victory at several bookmakers.
Variations of this bet are available.
Inside the Distance: A fighter wins by KO or Submission. He finishes the fight one way or another, i.e. Inside the Distance.
The fight ends by Submission: One fighter wins by submission. It does not matter who, it just needs to end by submission.
The fight ends by KO: One fighter wins by knockout or TKO. It does not matter who, just one person has to stop the other using strikes.
Handicap Betting
One of the lesser known bets and one of my personal favorites is the handicap bet. It’s where the book offers odds giving a fighter a (+) or (-) points amount before the fight.
The odds with this bet are lower than the odds for a moneyline bet, but used smartly and in Parlays can be profitable.
Examples of Handicap Bets
3 Round fight, fighter A is the favorite.
- Fighter A -3.5
- Fighter B +3.5
If either fighter wins by KO, TKO, or DQ, that fighter wins the handicap regardless of the scoring at the time of the stoppage.
The fight completes all scheduled rounds, and the judges score the fight.
- Scores of Fighter A 30-27, Fighter A 29-28, Fighter A 29-28
Odds On Ufc Tonight
Fighter A wins a unanimous decision based on these scores.
- The cumulative score for Fighter A is 30+29+29 = 88
- The cumulative score for Fighter B is 27+28+28 = 83
So now we use the handicap scores to get our result.
- Fighter A has a total of 88 – 3.5 = 84.5
- Fighter B has a total of 83 + 3.5 = 86.5
Despite losing the fight, Fighter B would win the handicap bet based on this outcome.
Let’s do a five round fight, and again Fighter A is the favorite.
- Fighter A -5.5
- Fighter B +5.5
Scores of Fighter A 50-45, Fighter A 50-45, Fighter A 48-47.
Fighter A wins a unanimous decision based on these scores, and one judge did give Fighter B one round.
- The cumulative score for Fighter A is 50+50+49 = 148
- The cumulative score for Fighter B is 45+45+46 = 136
So now we use the handicap scores to get our result.
- Fighter A has a total of 149 – 5.5 = 143.5
- Fighter B has a total of 136 + 5.5 = 141.5
Fighter A would win the handicap bet on this fight. This bet is excellent, and you can use it if you think a guy has a great chance to win the fight, but the moneyline odds are not too appealing. The odds will be slightly higher. You can also use these bets in Parlays. There one of the best bets you can do if you pick them smartly.
A rule of thumb is, if a fighter wins a round on all three judges scorecards, he will usually win the handicap. But don’t forget about 10-8 rounds, I have had occasions where a fighter clearly won a round but lost the handicap.
This bet can only be found on 5 Dimes. If you like betting on the UFC I highly recommend you make an account there.
Decision Victories
You can bet on decision victories too. You can bet this a few ways the most popular one would be Fighter A wins by decision. Can be any decision it just needs to go to points.
There are more creative decision bets available too.
A fighter wins by “Unanimous Decision” when all three judges score him as the winner.
A fighter wins by “Split-Decision” when two judges score him as the winner and one judge scores the other fighter as the winner.
A fighter wins by “Majority Decision” when two judges score him as the winner and one judge scores the fight a draw.
Live UFC Betting
Betting live on fights is a lot of fun and a good way to make money if you carefully select spots. Generally, there are two types of live betting sites. One is sites that let you bet in between rounds and the other is live betting throughout the fight. We have a full live betting guide here.
Prop Bets
Bettors can wager on a few prop bets in MMA including several very popular UFC prop bets. If you watch the UFC, you may know that they have awards for Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night. The odds on these bets are usually high.
As the premier brand in the sport of MMA, the UFC has experienced a massive growth spurt since its inception back in 1993. The growth has kicked into overdrive in recent years. It’s safe to say that the rise of the UFC has been one of the biggest stories in the sporting world over the past decade.
Betting on the UFC is in the midst of its own surge. What was once the domain of Las Vegas and risky offshore operators is now within reach for many folks across the US. The legalization of sports betting in a number of states has opened the doors for scores of folks, many of whom are starting their own love affair with UFC.
Our betting guide details how to bet online, upcoming fights and UFC odds as well as the top betting apps with UFC lines.
Best UFC Betting Sites in the US
Those in legal sports betting states looking to get in on the action, we’ll cover everything you need to know right here. We’ll begin by taking a look at the top spots to place your bets.
Top UFC betting apps for 2021
The legal sports betting environment continues to take shape. A number of operators are battling for their piece of the pie in legalized states, but some are emerging as the leaders of the pack.
Is It Legal To Bet On Ufc Fights
- DraftKings Sportsbook: The industry leader in the world of DFS is making huge strides in the sports betting industry. Users who sign up via our exclusive links get $50 free plus up to $1,000 in bonuses. Use DraftKings Sportsbook online in: VA, MI, NJ, PA, CO, IN, WV, NH, IA, IL, & TN
- FanDuel Sportsbook: FanDuel is another company that made its bones in DFS. They’re taking the sports betting world by storm as well with a user-friendly platform and enticing promos. Signing up for an account via our exclusive links gets you a risk-free bet up to $1,000. Use FanDuel Sportsbook online in: MI, NJ, PA, IN, WV, CO, TN, IA, IL & VA
- BetMGM Sportsbook: The mobile platform for gaming giant MGM Resorts International, BetMGM is making tons of headway in legal and regulated sports betting markets. Click on our exclusive links to create an account, and you’ll be rewarded with an up to $600 risk-free bet. Use BetMGM Sportsbook online in: VA, MI, NJ, CO, TN, WV, NV, PA, IN & IA
Each of these operators offers UFC betting among a wide array of other markets. You can keep it simple and just bet on fighters to win, or explore a wide range of prop betting choices. In addition, live betting opportunities are available on each, and mobile is a perfect complement to take advantage of all that’s offered.
How UFC betting works
The most basic UFC bet will look familiar to those who are experienced with the moneyline, but there are also several other bets that are unique to the sport.
Let’s take a look at the standard ways that you can bet on the UFC.
- Moneyline: A bet on which fighter will win outright. The favorite will be designated with negative odds, while the underdog’s will be positive, e.g., Khabib Nurmagomedov -155, Conor McGregor +135
- To go the distance: A wager on whether the fight will go the distance, e.g., Yes +120, No -140
- Over/under on total rounds: A bet on how far you think the fight will go, e.g., Over 2.5 Rounds +130; Under 2.5, Rounds -110
- To win in specific round: A wager on a fighter to win in a specific round, such as Jose Aldo to win in Round 1 +140, Round 2 +120, Round 3 +110
- To win in range of rounds: A bet in which you’re trying to pinpoint in which round the fight will end, e.g., Round 1-2 +130, Round 2-3 +110
- Winning methods: A wager on how the fight will end, e.g., Knockout +140, Submission +120, Stoppage +150, Decision +110
How to bet the UFC live online
The betting doesn’t stop once the bell rings in UFC. Live online sports betting affords users the opportunity to place wagers as the action unfolds in real time. Odds and markets move fast, but that only helps to enhance the appeal.
During a UFC fight, you’ll see a number of opportunities to take advantage of, such as how long the fight will last and updated moneyline odds for the outright winner based on what has happened so far.
Beyond being potentially profitable for those who have a good feel for momentum, live betting also allows you to hedge your bets. For example, let’s say that you dropped a wager on Jon Jones to win in advance of his upcoming fight.
After round one, Jones just doesn’t look like himself, and you wouldn’t be surprised if he wound up losing. You can mitigate the damage of your original wager by placing a new bet on his opponent. If the odds and stake are in range to your original wager, you’ve somewhat covered your position instead of just taking an outright loss.
To fully take advantage of all that live betting has to offer, a mobile sports betting app is the way to go. You can bet from your phone at any time during the fight as long as you’re in a legalized state.
There’s no need to be at a sportsbook or locked in front of your computer. You’ll be able to go out and enjoy fight night and know that you can quickly take advantage of opportunities as they arise throughout the card.
Is it legal to bet on the UFC?
It wasn’t too long ago that legally betting on the UFC online was a mere fantasy. Today, it’s a reality. You don’t need to take a trip to Vegas to get in on the action, nor do you have to take any unnecessary risks with an unregulated and risky offshore operator.
You can find all of the UFC betting action you need right from the comfort of your own home in legal sports betting states. The lines are just as good as what you’ll find in Sin City, and you’ll find many more wagering opportunities than you would find at an offshore operator.
State | Online / Mobile | Retail |
---|---|---|
New Jersey Sports Betting | Yes | Yes |
Pennsylvania Sports Betting | Yes | Yes |
Colorado Sports Betting | Yes | Yes |
Indiana Sports Betting | Yes | Yes |
Iowa Sports Betting | Yes | Yes |
West Virginia Sports Betting | Yes | Yes |
Virginia Sports Betting | Yes | No |
New Hampshire Sports Betting | Yes | No |
Illinois Sports Betting | Yes | Yes |
Michigan Sports Betting | Yes | Yes |
Tennessee Sports Betting | Yes | No |
The legalization of sports betting not only means that more folks have access to a safe means of wagering, but it also translates into better product offerings. That means there’s real customer service to deal with if any questions come up, a number of different ways to fund your account and awesome platforms that are a breeze to navigate around.
Perhaps most importantly, the legal sports betting environment provides users with real protection and regulation. Operators that have hit the ground running in the US market are well aware of what they need to do from a legal standpoint.
For sports bettors, that results in some extra peace of mind that allows them to focus on betting without worrying about legal gray areas. For more niche sports you can bet on at legal US sportsbooks, check our guide here:
Is UFC available for Daily Fantasy Sports players?
Sports betting isn’t the only way to get in on the action with UFC. DraftKings and FanDuel both offer DFS games that have proven to be quite popular with users.
There are a number of different ways to play daily fantasy sports, such as tournaments and 50/50s, which are all made available at numerous price points to fit any budget. On the tournament front, a big fight night can attract thousands of users gunning for some eye-popping prizes.
The object of the game is to pick a lineup of fighters from those scheduled to compete on the card. Each of the fighters has a salary attached — ranging from high for top stars to low for unknown commodities — and your final lineup will need to remain under the cap.
Fighters earn points based on how they perform, and scores are tallied up as the action unfolds. Once the final fight on the card is in the books, the highest scoring lineup wins. DFS is completely legal and safe to play in 40+ states. Outside of Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada and Washington, you’ll be good to go.
5 betting tips for MMA / UFC betting
There’s a learning curve for betting on any sport you may be unfamiliar with, but it’s far from insurmountable. When beginning with UFC, stick to the basics and work toward devising a strategy that fits your style. Here are five simple tips you can use to get the ball rolling.
- Understand what the odds are telling you: Oddsmakers are quite good at what they do. There’s plenty of data behind the numbers they release to the public, so trust what they are telling you. For example, a big favorite indicates a skill gap that you simply have to factor into your decision. That said, don’t let that scare you off from betting on the underdog when you can justify it.
- Know your fighters/styles: As you learn more about UFC, you’ll come to see that the fighters come from all kinds of backgrounds. Some are great grapplers, others are fantastic strikers and plenty excel in some areas and come up short in others. When breaking down a card, take some time to understand the styles of those involved to help spot any potential matchup advantages.
- Go beyond career record: Fighters with stellar career records always look impressive at first glance, but don’t let that be the final word. Dig a bit deeper and take a look at how they built their record. What was the quality of their opponents? The same applies for those with poorer records, as they may be better than they appear if they gained a ton of seasoning against stout competition.
- Study recent form: Just like athletes in all other sports, fighters trend up and down. Spend time examining how the fighters have fared in their last three fights, but make sure to go beyond the won-loss record. How long did the fights last? Has there been a significant gap since the last time they fought? Did they dominate opponents or escape with close victories?
- Weight, travel and news: In advance of fights, public weigh-ins take place. While these may just seem like press events and part of the show, you need to pay attention. Fighters who are adding or cutting a good deal of weight can be impacted, so pay attention to major fluctuations. In addition, keep an eye on news surrounding the fight and consider the travel aspect. For example, is one fighter locked in while the other is making headlines with out-of-the-ring stuff? Is the fight taking place several time zones away from a fighter’s home base? Little nuggets such as these can make a big difference.
Once you have mastered the basics outlined above, you can begin spending more time on more detailed information such as fighter stats and dive even deeper into the matchups.
Getting up to speed on the UFC is nowhere near as intimidating as it may seem, and you’ll learn lots along the way to boot.
Top five fighters in UFC history
The UFC has a rich and storied history, and there have been a number of impressive fighters who have had lengthy careers inside the octagon. Picking the best of the best is no easy task.
However, there are five who have enjoyed lengthy careers and headlined numerous pay-per-view events along the way. These fighters not only sold tickets and racked up impressive buy rates for fight cards, but also collected hardware along the way.
Ufc Fight Betting Odds
- Randy Couture: A six-time champion, Couture is one of the most legendary figures in UFC history. He held the heavyweight crown three times, the light heavyweight title twice, and also served as interim champ in the light heavyweight division. Couture’s all-time record in MMA is 19-11, with seven of his wins coming by knockout. He headlined 18 PPV events, competed in 16 title bouts, and made an estimated $3 million in his illustrious career.
- Anderson Silva: Just behind Couture on the list of most PPV events headlined is Silva, who was in the main event at 17 UFC events. His career record in MMA stands at 34-10-1, with 24 of his victories coming by knockout. Silva is a former middleweight champion and holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. He also set a record with 16 consecutive victories over that span. Silva earned over $8 million in the UFC.
- Tito Ortiz: Ortiz was the UFC light heavyweight champion from 2000 to 2003. He received top billing at 16 PPV events, and holds a career MMA record of 20-12-2. Among his claims to fame is a trio of memorable fights versus Chuck Liddell, Ken Shamrock and Forrest Griffin in 2006. Ortiz earned over $4 million in his UFC career and has continued fighting with appearances for Bellator and Combate Americas.
- Jon Jones: The current UFC light heavyweight champion, Jones is considered one of the best to have ever stepped inside the octagon. A career mark of 26-1-1 does nothing but bolster his case. Jones has headlined 15 UFC events, most recently with a unanimous decision over Dominick Reyes at UFC 247. He continues to climb up the career earnings list with over $6 million thus far.
- Georges St-Pierre: A pound-for-pound legend, St-Pierre won titles in both the middleweight and welterweight divisions during his time with UFC. He vacated his middleweight crown due to health issues. A career record of 26-2-1, main event status for 13 PPV events and career earnings of over $7 million are further testament to St-Pierre’s status as one of the best of all time.
Worst five fighters in UFC history
Let’s be clear: if you make it to the UFC, you’re doing something right in your fighting career. That said, there are some fighters who have records that leave a lot to be desired. Here’s a look at some of the worst won-loss records among those with more than 25 fights under their belt.
Odds For Ufc Fight Night
- Jeremy Stephens: 15-16 record with one no contest over 32 fights.
- Andrei Arlovski: 17-13 with one no contest over 31 fights.
- Clay Guida: 15-13 record for 28 fights.
- B.J. Penn: 12-13-2 over 27 fights.
- Ross Pearson: 12-13 record with one no contest over 26 fights.
Stephens is third on the all-time list for most UFC fights. Donald Cerrone and Jim Miller are the current leaders with 34 fights apiece. Cerrone has a career mark of 23-11, while Miller is 20-13 with one no contest.
Most famous UFC fights of all time
There have been a ton of legendary fights inside the octagon during the 27-year history of UFC. Naturally, some of them have stood out as being the best of the bunch. Here’s a trio of UFC fights that quickly come up when the conversation turns to the most memorable and famous fights of all time.
- Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor: The record holder for UFC PPV buy rate, the hype for this UFC lightweight championship tilt was off the charts. The scene was UFC 229 at the T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip, and the event also set records for biggest live gate in MMA history. Nurmagomedov won the battle in round four via submission, taking home $2 million for his troubles. McGregor earned $3 million in defeat.
- Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm: Heading into this fight, Rousey was in the midst of her dominant run and expected to add another pelt on the wall. Things would turn out much differently. Holm shocked the world by defeating the heavily favored Rousey by knockout in round two. Rousey had successfully defended the UFC women’s bantamweight crown six times beforehand with relative ease, so the result was quite stunning.
- Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz: This was the second meeting of the two foes, and the interest level was off the charts. UFC 66 was held on Dec. 30, 2006, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The event produced the largest PPV buy rate to date for the UFC, but the number has since been surpassed several times. Liddell took down Ortiz by TKO in round three in one of the most memorable battles in UFC history.
How to stream UFC live for free
The biggest UFC cards are found on pay-per-view. You can purchase the broadcast from your cable or streaming provider, or head to a sports bar that’s broadcasting the fights.
ESPN has the broadcast rights for UFC. The majority of events will be found on ESPN+, a subscription-based channel that has a slew of UFC content. If you get the UFC Fight Pass via the UFC app, you’ll also be able to stream events on mobile.
Additionally, certain sportsbooks have streaming capabilities and provide live feeds of events. Consult your operator for the events you can stream via the sportsbook app.
History of UFC
The Ultimate Fighting Championship made its debut on Nov. 12, 1993, from the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver. The event aimed to answer the long-standing question of which fighting style was the best.
Initially attracting a niche following, the UFC continued a steady rise before exploding in popularity for good after the turn of the century. Along the way, there were a number of controversies and legal challenges surrounding the violence of the competitions.
Can You Bet On Ufc Fights In California
UFC managed to weather the storm and is now one of the more popular sports in the land, as evidenced by its broadcast partnership with ESPN. Prior to joining forces with the gang in Bristol, UFC’s TV home was with the FOX Sports family of channels.
Dana White’s influence on the UFC brand
The UFC brand loved by so many could easily have found itself out of business at one time. By the end of 20th century, the UFC was struggling financially, and considered close to bankruptcy. Dana White, along with his business partners – the Fertitta brothers (Lorenzo and Frank III) – formed Zuffa LLC.
White’s investment of $2m within the acquisition package was considered a huge personal risk, but with his business expertise, White was able to justify it. In the early 2000s, following the UFC’s agreement to adopt rules set by the New Jersey State Athletic Commission, the UFC brand grew rapidly, and developed some extremely charismatic, PPV buyout-boosting talents.
Amongst them were Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell, who formed what many consider to be the UFC’s ‘breakout’ rivalry. Ken Shamrock, a former WWE King of the Ring winner, was also a popular figure of note. Shamrock’s bout with Tito Ortiz in November 2002 (at the Las Vegas-held UFC 40) rates as one of the most important in UFC’s entire history.
White’s determination to make the UFC brand as uncompromising as possible has been unrelenting. This was reflected in his reaction to the mass cancellation of sports events in early 2020, with White stating his intention to hold UFC 249 in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. His talk of hiring an island just to stage the event was met with particular incredulity and amazement from UFC fans, but in the end, the event was postponed.
Though not the headline of the original card, Ferguson and Gaethje went into UFC 249 as a fascinating, and very evenly-matched pair of opponents. They kept even the most astute of bettors guessing until the starting bell, and did not disappoint on the night.