Mma betting has been growing in popularity as the sport continues to grow and regulated sports betting becomes more available. It’s rare to read an MMA article or watch a fight without the odds being mentioned, and there are good reasons for this. Betting odds are a great way to gauge a fighter’s chance of winning a fight and can provide valuable information when making your wagers. Odds will fluctuate from the moment they open until the night of the fight and any fighter news may affect the lines. Taking the time to understand how mma odds are made can help you make better bets and maximize your profits.
The most common MMA betting option is simply betting on which fighter will win the fight. This is known as moneyline betting and is similar to football or basketball betting. The difference is that a favorite will have a minus symbol in front of their odds while an underdog will have a plus symbol in front of their odds. It’s also possible to place Over/Under bets on the fight’s total rounds. These bets are based on the number of rounds a fight is scheduled for and if you take the Over, you would be betting that the fight will last longer than a certain number of rounds (usually 2.5).
Method of victory props are another popular MMA betting option. These bets allow you to place a bet on how a specific fighter will win the fight, including by knockout, submission, or points. These bets are generally more accurate than betting on who will win a fight and can yield much higher payouts.
Round bets are a fun and rewarding way to bet on MMA fights. These bets require you to pick the exact round that a knockout or submission will occur in the fight, which can lead to higher payouts than betting on the moneyline or over/under.
Styles matter in MMA and you should always look at a fighter’s record against opponents of different styles when placing bets. Often times, people do what is called “MMA math” where they compare the records of two fighters and assume that because FIGHTER A beat FIGHTER B, they should beat FIGHTER C as well. This can mislead bettors and divert attention away from studying fight film and understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each fighter.