The fastest-growing combat sports platform in the world is The Ultimate Fighting Championship. The flagship company in Mixed Martial Arts has delivered some of the most-watched MMA events for over twenty-five years. However, the rapid growth of the UFC and martial arts promotions is slowly stirring up the current number one combat sport in Boxing. And with the rise in MMA’s popularity, the sports betting markets aren’t far behind.
The incredibly juiced lines often found In Boxing’s main events are assisting MMA in a complete takeover of the sports betting empire. With Las Vegas casinos and sportsbooks sitting on top of a billion-dollar industry, the invested interest in Dana White’s spearhead promotion (the UFC) becomes more popular in the betting community as the company expands.
This popularity transitioning into the betting markets has significantly increased the number of wagers in the previous five years. Additionally, superstars such as Conor McGregor can generate expediential interest during their media stints, allowing the flood gates to open for the best UFC betting sites to deliver the betting markets suited for MMA fanatics.
A high rise in viewership assists the sportsbooks because nothing is more important to sports fans than wagering on contests as it unfolds in real-time. In addition, bookmakers have reacted to the surge by providing a vast selection of betting markets for each fight.
The number of inventive markets is starting to exceed that of Boxing. These factors are only assisting MMA with increasing its popularity, especially from the perspective of global betting markets.
Shop for Your UFC Odds
The most crucial aspect of wagering on UFC/MMA events is to gain the best available betting value. Fortunately, here at OddsTrader, we are obliged to provide the betting public with the best-known betting lines.
With a plethora of sportsbooks at your helm, it can become challenging to know which bookmakers are delivering a fair price, and that’s where we come in.
Here at OddsTrader, our team of experts will display the best available sportsbooks and the UFC odds worth taking note of. Therefore, the lengthy number of bookmakers available is broken down into the most trustworthy sites with a comparison list showing the most excellent available prices.
Sportsbooks and MMA betting sites do not offer the same odds for every single betting market. Like prices varying from one retailer to another, you want to prioritize you’re receiving the best offer available before placing your bets. And although the price difference can sometimes show a small margin, anybody making bets long-term will notice a considerable difference in their profit/loss margin.
In conclusion, making the most out of OddsTrader is something all bettors should do. Finding the highest value odds will increase the return of your payouts whilst settling for the first set of odds you stumble across will dramatically affect your bankroll after you’ve wagered for a significant time.
Understanding UFC Odds
Now that you’ve found the best available betting market value, you should focus on understanding how UFC odds work. Veteran handicappers will be familiar with the available MMA odds and how they work, but those relatively new to the sport continue reading for brief descriptions.
In our example below, we’re using an American odds format, the most commonly utilized approach to reading odds in the United States.
Example: If Conor McGregor has available odds of +120, a $10 stake on McGregor at this price would return a profit of $12 (including your original $10 stake). Likewise, should you wager $100 on this line, a profit of $120 would be accumulated. However, these tempting profits are only achieved when betting on the underdog.
McGregor’s opponent Dustin Poirier is the bookmaker’s favorite; his available odds are set at -150. Also known as paying the juice, bettors must stake $15 to see a return of $10 or $150 to witness a return of $100.
Betting the favorite without a high percentage win rate can affect a bettor’s long-term return of investment due to the extra money being wagered to gain a lower amount of profit. This is why professional handicappers will regularly seek value in betting the underdog, which is easily accomplished when dedication is put into your research.
Finding Value and Recognising Implied Probability
As we just mentioned, finding value in betting the underdog can be a lucrative way to approach wagering on the UFC. A great way to begin your research is by understanding the implied probability presented on each fighter.
Implied probability is the percentage generated from the available odds; therefore, knowing when the oddsmakers have made a potential mistake can be extremely important for bettors. The percentages include the bookmaker’s margin whilst giving the expected probability of an outcome taking place. For example, the +120 price tag on Conor McGregor converts to a 45.5% implied probability; in basic terms, the bookmakers give McGregor a 45.5% chance of winning whilst including their edge.
These expectations from the oddsmakers are generally accurate, but on occasions, the odds created can be way off. These inaccuracies can be capitalized on by you (the bettor) if your MMA knowledge is one step ahead of the sportsbook. The vast number of MMA variables such as training, weigh-ins, mentality, and fight ability, to name a few – can sometimes give the bookmakers a biased opinion. In turn, this allows UFC handicappers to make fast and generous profits when the moment is presented.
Sports handicappers make use of the implied probability conversions to gauge the confidence in which the bookmaker has in its outcome. Still, even the most significant of probabilities, 80% and above, will always have a chance of losing because no result is definite.
Placing a UFC Bet
Once you’ve found the best available odds and your UFC research has concluded, the only remaining job is to place your UFC wager. But remember, bankroll management is of the utmost importance; the professional’s do not merely stake everything at once. As the old saying goes, do not put all of your eggs into one basket.
Depending on the betting market you’re approaching, you will want to decide how much of your bankroll is worth risking against the probability of your bet winning. Lower percentage probabilities should have cautious wager amounts, where an equal probability can see a slight increase in how much you stake.
Now that you’ve found the UFC bet you’re comfortable placing, open up your trusted bookmaker, enter your stake and confirm the wager. Bettors who have enlisted the strict handicapping rules and methods can now reap the benefits of staying knowledgeable whilst remaining disciplined.