Mixed Martial Arts or MMA has had a rough time breaking into mainstream sports as most viewers regarded it as a boxing spinoff. The early MMA days saw Pride and Pancrase championships at the forefront of the movement, and only later on did UFC become the behemoth we all know and appreciate. While Dana White’s UFC still has not quite reached boxing popularity, it is only a matter of time until pugilism will be surpassed. The increased popularity of MMA, through the UFC, has brought with it lucrative corporate partnerships, nationwide television broadcasts, and clothing deals. However, MMA has also played an essential role in popularizing the online casinos in the USA through their star power.

Venue Selection Impact on Casino Popularity

If you watched any UFC events, you probably noticed that they tend to be hosted by brick-and-mortar casinos. The partnership between famous Vegas strip venues and UFC makes a lot of sense from a gambling perspective. The casinos get a massive influx of wealthy MMA fans and celebrities bound to step foot on the casino floor between the exciting matches. Las Vegas has been the city with most UFC events hosted, and other gambling-centric cities like Singapore and Macau have seen their fair share of events. Hosting events in the cities mentioned above also comes with the added advantage of attracting gambling brands that want to be associated with the events.

 Celebrity Impact on Online Gambling Sites

 It should be no surprise that famous athletes transcend sports and have a massive cultural impact on their fan base. Companies flock to them in hopes of striking a collaboration that would bring their brands to the fan’s attention. It is an honor to be named the best online casino in USA by a popular MMA fighter. The same principles apply to the UFC roster starfighters with exceptional trendsetting and influencer capabilities. Let’s take a closer look at some of the biggest names in the business and see how they impacted online casinos.

Dana White

  UFC’s President, Dana Frederick White, is one of the most famous blackjack players out there. He is quick to share his passion for high-stakes gambling in interviews, and given his impressive fortune, we are not surprised that he gets his adrenaline spike from blackjack. A famous photo circulating on the internet has Dana White walking around with an impressive amount of casino chips after having reportedly won more than $7 million in one gambling session. However, like any other avid gambler, Dana White has also been on the losing end of famous bets. In 2007, he placed a staggering $1 million bet on Jermain Taylor. Unfortunately, the match did not go in White’s favor as Kelly Pavlik has knocked out Jermain Taylor. The Palms casino has presented Dana with the “Undisputed Blackjack Champion” UFC-style belt so that he might stay away from sports bets in the future.

Conor McGregor and online casinos

Unfortunately, Connor McGregor has suffered a gruesome leg injury and will be sidelined for months to come but remains the most famous UFC fighter. He was adopted by the gambling world with open arms and even famously bought a house in Henderson, the Mac Mansion, to be closer to the gambling action. In November of 2019, the UFC star has appeared in a highly publicized ad for Parimatch as part of the athletes’ two-year endorsement with the gambling brand. Parimatch focuses its attention on the CIS region and already has partnerships with arguably the most famous boxer, Mike Tyson, and the following famous UFC fighters from the region:

●      Alexey Oleynik

●      Petr Yan

●      Valentina Shevchenko

Sports Bets at US Online Casinos

MMA has not only enticed gamblers to visit brick-and-mortar casinos to see the fights, but it has also allowed them to place bets directly on the outcome of the fights. It was relatively recently that bookmakers have started offering odds for UFC fights, and the gambling community responded favorably to the unpredictability of the events. The most common bet on UFC events has to be the Moneyline, with each fighter receiving different odds. Alternatively, more experienced gamblers can place bets on how many rounds the fight will last, if it will end in a knockout, and even if the fighters will touch gloves or not. The possibilities are endless, and having a good grasp of martial arts can be a great advantage when placing bets.

Conclusion

We cannot assess exactly what financial impact MMA has had on online casinos, but we are confident it has been positive. More and more online venues are eager to associate their brands with the UFC and its fighters, and we do not think this trend will slow down any time soon. The online gambling industry has seen an impressive boom because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The UFC was one of the first sporting events to resume, attracting more of a millennial audience. MMA is their sport of choice, and online casinos are eager to attract them through celebrity endorsement deals and allowing them to place bets on the outcome of UFC fights.