How to Bet on MMA Fights

The popularity of MMA fights has seen explosive growth, with some of the highest-profile ones attracting as much attention as most major league events. A variety of bet types and outcomes are usually available in MMA fights. It’s not unlike wagering on boxing, but with MMA, a few more factors come into play. 

Knowing the most common betting mistakes and types of bets can make the difference between winning and losing money in an MMA fight.

Common betting slip-ups

One of the most common mistakes people new to MMA betting make is wagering on the favorite. In terms of winnings, there is little upside. You’ll make a lot more money if an underdog has a surprising victory if you can see opportunities and research the fighters. 

With that, we come to another common mistake: not doing enough research on them. This has a direct bearing on how to bet and whether you will win or not. Check out previous fights against similar fighters, consider their shape and fight location, and become familiar with their strengths and weaknesses. 

Choosing the wrong platform

Choosing the wrong bookmaker can make cashing out a winning bet difficult. Always choose legitimate platforms that are safe and secure and have good offers, like this BetMGM bonus code.

Not setting a betting budget

Set a budget to wager before placing your first bet. Bankroll mismanagement is the quickest route to failure. Don’t try to compensate for a loss by betting further. If you go on a winning streak, understand it won’t last forever.

Most common bets

The most common MMA betting types are total rounds, moneylines, live bets, futures, prop bets, and parlays. 

Total rounds

These bets depend on how many rounds a battle will go on before one fighter wins. They are over/under type bets, and choosing one is not easy because of how many different fighting styles there are and how few the rounds in MMA are. 

You could win by betting under if the fight is between two aggressive competitors. If it’s between two defensive ones, betting over could be better because the fight will likely last longer. 

Moneylines

The moneyline bet is essentially an attempt to predict the winner. To decide this, factor in the fighter’s style, strengths and weaknesses, where the fight will be, any traumas or injuries, and anything they’ve done to prepare for the fight, like meeting their weight class. 

Live bets and futures 

Live bets come with dynamically changing odds. They will be adjusted based on the action. Futures bets are also adjusted on an ongoing basis, but they differ from live bets in that they are offered well before the decision. 

Method of winning

One more specific type of bet unique to MMA is how someone will win: judge decision, submission, knockout, etc. You don’t need to guess who will win, only how they will win. It’s worth betting on a judge’s decision if the two fighters have a history of continuing many rounds. Betting on a knockout could be smarter if they are both strong hitters. 

Parlay bets 

With this bet type, you wager that several fight outcomes will occur. They must all materialize for you to win. These bets are riskier, but you also stand to win more. 

Prop bets

Last but not least, these bets are additional ones associated with concrete outcomes. For example, you can bet that a fight will last less than 20 minutes. Anything in a fight can be subject to a prop bet.