As UFC fighting and mixed martial arts continue to grow in popularity, many sports fans are anxious to learn how to bet on the UFC events. According to a few major online sports books, UFC betting is set to surpass boxing in terms of online betting revenue by the end of 2007.
For most UFC events, there are a few betting options in each event. I'll go over each of these, and also let you know where you should start if you are new to betting.
Fighter vs. Fighter betsThe most common form of UFC betting is a fighter vs. fighter bet. Unlike sports such as basketball and football that have point spreads, the odds on UFC fights are moneyline bets. A money line is used to even out the value of betting on each fighter. Here is an example from a recent UFC fight.
Rich Franklin -210Yushin Okami +165
In the example above Rich Franklin is the favorite and Yushin Okami is the underdog. If you were to bet on Franklin, then you would be laying $2.10 for every $1.00 you want to win. So if you were to bet $210 on Rich Franklin and he wins the bout, you would win $100 (plus the return of the $210 you risked). If you wanted to bet on Yushin Okami, you would be laying $1.00 to win $1.65. So if you were to bet $100 on Okami, and he wins the bout, you would win $165 (plus the return of the $100 you risked).
3 tips to live by when betting on UFC fightsAs a professional sports bettor, I know there are many trends that carry over from sport to sport when it comes to gambling. If you're new to betting, these tips will help you get on the right path to winning your UFC bets.
1. Stay away from heavy favoritesFor some people this is common knowledge, but when fights look "too easy" or like a "sure thing", it's tough to remind yourself to stay away from the huge favorite. I always recommend staying away from any favorite that is over -400. When you are betting on favorites that are this big, you're going to need to win 4 out of every 5 bets to be ahead. With the amount of upsets that happen in big time fights, it is very difficult to keep this winning percentage up over the long haul. This is why I recommend just staying away from large favorites.
2. Look for value in the under cardThe main bout of a UFC fight will always get the most attention and the largest betting handle. Because of this, the money line for the bout will usually be right on point and the value of betting on either fighter is very minimal. In some of the less publicized fights, there is usually a lot of value to be found on both fighters because the general public does not know much about the fighters. If you do some research you will be ahead of the game.
3. Keep your betting amounts similarSome new bettors have a problem of betting way too much on certain fights. The long term problem with this strategy is that you could be 9-5 on your bets which would usually be a winning record, but you could be losing a lot of money. Keeping your betting amounts similar is a good way to increase your wins and minimize your losses.
MMA and UFC betting are pretty easy to learn and win money at if you do your research. Research each of the fighters and their styles, and look for strengths, weaknesses and good underdogs and you'll be on your way to winning. I also recommend checking out reviews of UFC sportsbooks, so you can find the best online sports book to bet at.
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