UFC Online Betting Guide

Understanding UFC Betting Basics

If you’re going to get involved in MMA betting for UFC fights, then you’ll need to know some of the basics beforehand. This part of our guide to UFC betting will teach you about those basics, so that you can understand them properly.

Different Types of UFC Bets

As with any sport, there are different types of wagers that you can place on UFC fights. You’ll need to know the difference between them, so that you can engage in the options that suit you more. Here, we will outline these bet types, many of which serve as popular betting options for gamblers.

Moneylines

Betting on the moneyline is betting on who will win the UFC fight in question. Let’s say that the moneyline has Aljamain Sterling at +150 and Jon Jones at -170, the latter fighter is favourite to win. You would need to wager $170 on Jones to win $100. Placing a $100 wager on Sterling and him winning would result in you receiving $150.

Total Rounds

If you see this market, then you will be placing an over/under bet, basing this on the number of rounds that the fight will last before a winner is determined. Should a bookmaker set the number of rounds at 2.5 and -150, the fight needs to go at least three rounds for you to win $100 with a $140 bet.

Winning Method

This is a market unique to MMA betting. It surrounds how a fighter will win the match. Three victory conditions exist in a UFC fight – knockout, submission, or judge decision (score). You don’t need to predict which fighter will win in this instance, just how the fight will be won. If you believe a fight between Henry Cejudo and Amir Albazi will end in a submission and the sportsbook offers odds of +120 on this, betting $100 on it will result in a payout of $120 if this occurs.

Parlays

In this instance, you will be placing a bet on multiple fight outcomes. All your selections need to be correct for you to receive a payout. Let’s say you parlay $100 on Brian Ortega, Josh Emmet and Petr Yan all winning their upcoming bouts, you need all three to claim victory before a win is awarded to you, too. Parlays are a lot riskier to get involved in since you need to be correct multiple times over.

UFC Betting Odds

Different sportsbooks provide different odds formats for you to experience. You can usually select your preferred version of such, but it’s important to know how they each appear and how to understand them beforehand. The three primary formats for UFC odds are as follows:

• Decimal Odds – This serves as one of the easiest formats to understand. To calculate your return is simple. Let’s say the sportsbook offers odds of 1.57 on Zhalgas Zhumagulov beating Felipe Bunes, who has decimal odds of 2.40. You want to back Zhumagulov at 1.57 with a $10 bet, so you simply calculate 1.57 x $10, which equals a potential payout of $15.70 should he win.
• Fractional Odds – While this odds format is most popular in the United Kingdom, and more so for horse racing, it does also have some fans outside of that country. The fractional odds display the amount of profit you would receive for a winning bet in relation to your stake. If a sportsbook is offering odds of 2/1 on Jimmy Flick winning against Alessandro Costa, you can calculate a potential return from a $20 wager on him easily. You divide 2/1 and then multiply it by $20 – so this works out as 2/1 x $20 = $40 as a return.
• American Odds – These odds are expressed as a positive or negative number. A negative one of these indicates the amount you need to bet to win $100 of profit, while a positive one indicates the amount you may profit if you wager $100. Of course, you can bet more or less than this amount, too. For example, you want to bet on Gabriella Fernandes winning Tereza Blade. The former has odds of +200 on her, but you want to wager $25 on this outcome. In this respect, you take the 200 and then multiply it by $25 before dividing it by 100. 200 x $25/100 equals a $50 return.

Researching UFC Fighters and Matches

The first and most important of the UFC betting strategies is to research the fighters and matches. Here are some details on the most effective ways to do this.

Analysing Fighter Records and Statistics

Online, you will always be able to find the records and statistics of every current UFC fighter. This gives you useful insight into their previous matches, with the win-loss-draw (W-L-D) record being easy to understand.

The official UFC website details how many wins by knockout and submission each fighter has achieved. This serves as the best site to visit for vital records and statistics relating to all competitors.

You can also view a fighter’s history there, which explains how the previous matches were won, the number of rounds the match went for, how long they lasted, and so on.

A fighter’s profile will also detail their striking accuracy, takedown accuracy, areas of the body they often target when fighting, defence levels, and more. You can also view their age, height, weight, reach, when they debuted, and their hometown. Fighter facts are also helpful for UFC betting purposes.

Analysing these fight records and competitor statistics will help you to compare them when matches are set up between two fighters. This way, you can determine which one stands more of a chance of winning.

Understanding Fighting Styles

The best betting sites in South Africa provide wagering on UFC bouts. Yet different matches feature different fighters, with different styles of fighting making things more interesting.

UFC is, of course, mixed martial arts (MMA), so the most ideal fighter is one who can bring a mixture of styles to a match. It is important for you to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of each competitor’s style, as this will give you an edge when it comes to placing your UFC sports bets.

The most important disciplines within MMA are as follows:

• Wrestling – Many dominant fighters have exceptional wrestling skills, with many being strong and possessing a high level of cardio. These fighters can tackle opponents, taking them down and controlling their movement.
• Muay Thai – Also known as “the art of the eight limbs”, Muay Thai features punches, leg kicks, knees, roundhouses, elbows, and strikes. This is a great style for outside and inside fighting, being the most effective striking discipline in MMA.
• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) – This style incorporates submissions via holds, locks, chokes, cranks and more. Fighters of this discipline control their opponents’ movements, forcing them to submit or applying pressure to knock them unconscious.
• Boxing – Hooks, jabs, uppercuts, straights, and more, boxing requires head movement, power, balance, and management of distance. This discipline precedes even Muay Thai, serving as big part of MMA grappling.

UFC Betting Strategies and Tips

There are certain UFC betting strategies to be aware of before you begin wagering on events. Learning about these basics can be vital in you making informed bets. Look at the tips outlined below.

Bankroll Management

Every sports bettor should always be conscious of their bankroll. This is regardless of how much you intend to bet. To manage your bankroll, you can follow three simple steps –

1. Determine the Size of the Bankroll – You can figure this out depending upon your own financial situation and comfort level. Never bet with money you cannot afford to lose. Be realistic with setting a bankroll.
2. Choose a Unit Size – Determine how much of the bankroll you will wager per event. For beginners, we recommend keeping a set of consistent bets, so choose a unit of between 1% and 5% of your bankroll.
3. Re-Evaluate the Bankroll – It’s always worth recalculating the unit size you have chosen when sports betting. Ideally, you should do this every time you return to sports betting after taking a break. If you’re winning or losing in big ways, then adjustments should take place.

Avoid placing huge bets just because you think you’ll win big. You can also lose in a big way by doing this. Set yourself limits per bet and build profit up slowly. If you always expect to lose, then you won’t go beyond your limits. Never try chasing those losses by depositing extra funds, either.

Finding Value Bets

When you engage in online betting of any kind, it’s vital to locate the best value wagers for you. There are a few things to look out for when locating the bet value bets in UFC betting. Seek out the fighters who are undervalued by odds makers. A variety of factors can be the reason behind this happening, such as a fighter being underrated or having lost recently.

Try to also look for the fights that don’t get as much attention from gamblers. You can sometimes find more value on the underdog in these matches, due to fewer people opting to gamble on them, in general.

Combine this with your research on the betting trends for each fighter competing. You can usually acquire an idea of how the sports betting public is wagering this way. From that, you can determine whether value is to be found on either of the fighters.

One other thing to consider is finding a fight where the favourite is coming off a loss. This situation can make the favourite over-confident, as they want to redeem themselves. As a result, that attitude can make them more likely to lose again.

Utilising Live Betting

Live betting provides a nice alternative to pre-match wagering for many gamblers. This is because you get to place bets on the matches as they take place. Often utilised by those choosing to bet on soccer online, it is also an enjoyable way to enjoy UFC betting.

You do need to consider that live betting operates as a much more fast-paced variation of sports gambling. The UFC odds will alter swiftly as the fight proceeds, based on what is happening.

As a result of this, you also need to be alert and ready to take advantage of the best odds when they appear. You also need to know which markets to bet on in this situation. As things develop in a match, the odds will sway in one way or another.

Live betting provides a thrilling, in-the-moment experience, without a doubt. If you stay on your toes and don’t make rash decisions, it can be a lucrative way to gamble.

Choosing a UFC Betting Platform

When you want to get involved in betting on UFC fights, you need to join an appropriate platform. How do you go about finding one that is suitable for your needs? We have some things to remember when choosing one.

Researching and Comparing Betting Sites

As with our sections on online cricket betting and online soccer platforms, it is important to look at top-quality sportsbooks in South Africa. This way, you can compare the sites with one another easily. Read reviews of the best platforms and visit the sites to check them out. The reputation of a sportsbook should precede it. You should always be on the lookout for a site that holds at least one valid, legitimate gambling licence, too.

Putting the effort into researching UFC betting sites will save you hassle and problems later. Make sure that you can have a good user experience when placing wagers and using the site in general.

There should also be a good selection of markets for you to bet on, and competitive odds to benefit from. Make sure that the betting site you join incorporates decent promotions to claim as well. These should also have manageable terms and conditions attached.

Understanding Betting Site Features

There are many online sportsbooks providing MMA betting to South African players. Yet it’s vital to understand the features these sites include. Some of them incorporate live streaming, for example, meaning that you can watch the UFC fights as they happen. This can be helpful to you if you’re intending to place live bets on a match.

At the same time, you may wish to engage in mobile betting. Often, sites will provide downloadable mobile apps for Android and/or iOS devices. This allows you to place bets from wherever you are at any time. Even if they don’t provide an app, the top sportsbooks are also accessible via mobile web browser, providing a great experience.

It’s also common for sportsbooks today to offer in-play (live) betting on UFC matches. We highlighted how this is a fast-paced version of betting earlier. Yet you also gain access to additional tools, such as cash out. This allows you to end a live bet before the fight comes to an end. In this respect, you can minimise your losses should you see the match isn’t going how you expected it to. Bet builders at some sites also allow you to combine bets on various markets within a single match for better effect.

Conclusion

While gambling on UFC events can be fun, this is only possible if you engage in responsible gambling. Don’t go beyond your means when it comes to wagering on matches.

Make sure you utilise the information and knowledge noted within this UFC betting guide as a way of enhancing your experience online. Join a recommended South African sportsbook and remember to do your proper research before placing a bet.