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MMA Betting Guide

mma bettingMMA betting has become quite the cash cow for American sports bettors over the years. This is owed to the increasing popularity of mixed martial arts (MMA) for both fighters and spectators, and ultimately sports betting sites. It’s incredibly exciting to watch MMA fighting with two people brawling in a caged ring. Picking the right fighter and predicting how the fight will go can make you a lot of money.

In this MMA betting guide, we’ve designed it to help those that are new to betting on MMA fighting, MMA odds and how to they work, and MMA betting tips. Betting on MMA is not legal in the US outside Nevada, however there are international sportsbooks that are US-friendly. They provide great competitive MMA odds for your entertainment.

Furthermore, in this guide, we’ll be looking at some MMA betting tips to help US bettors not only understand an MMA bet meaning, but also make the best possible bets and get their value for money.

Best MMA Betting Sites USA

At these following sports betting sites, American bettors can find some of the best MMA lines and MMA odds.

#1

$200 Bonus

98% Payout

Rating: 4.9/5

98% Payout

$200 Bonus 98% Payout - Rating: 4.9/5
#2

$250 Bonus

97% Payout

Rating: 4.9/5

97.1% Payout

$250 Bonus 98% Payout - Rating: 4.9/5
#3

$300 Bonus

97% Payout

Rating: 4.9/5

97% Payout

$300 Bonus 98% Payout - Rating: 4.9/5
#4

50% Bonus

97% Payout

Rating: 4.9/5

98% Payout

50% Bonus 98% Payout - Rating: 4.9/5
#5

50% Bonus

97% Payout

Rating: 4.9/5

98% Payout

50% Bonus 98% Payout - Rating: 4.9/5

Latest MMA/UFC News

What you’ll find in this MMA betting guide:

How to Bet at MMA Betting Sites

The first step to MMA betting is learning how to bet on MMA odds. This isn’t a complicated step, with most of the odds and bet meaning looking the same while others aren’t. Let’s take a look at how US bettors place a wager on MMA fighting lines.

  • Create Your Account: Find a sportsbook that has odds that you like. Then, click on the sign-up option to create your account. To find some great MMA sports betting sites, check out our recommended sites above. Once you’ve done this, you can select your preferred banking method and deposit some cash into the account to start betting.
  • Pick an Upcoming Fight Card You Want to Bet On: Navigate to the MMA/UFC section of the sportsbook to see all the upcoming MMA fights. Here, you can bet on any upcoming fight that’s piqued your interest.
  • Pick the Bets You Want to Make: After you’ve picked a fight you want to bet on, you’ll have to select which type of bet you want to wager your money on. There are various types of MMA betting lines to choose from which we’ll cover in the next section.
  • Place Your Bet and Get Ready to Enjoy the Action: Once you’ve picked the betting line you’re wagering on, enter the amount your betting and confirm your bet. Then it’s time to watch the fight.
  • Cash-In Your Winnings: Finally, if things went your way with the MMA fighters, you can login to your account to claim your winnings.

How do MMA Betting Odds Work

When looking at odds at sports betting site, they are generally shown in three formats – American, decimal, and fractional. At top US MMA betting sites, you’re most likely to find the American format. Take a look at the MMA odds  and how to read betting odds in the American format below to get an understanding of how betting odds in MMA work.

  • American Odds: They are shown as a number with either a plus symbol to show underdogs or a negative sign to show the favorites. So, if you bet on a $100 on a -250 favorite odds, your payout will be $40. The formula is: $100 (100/250) x 100 = $400. On a +250 underdog odds, you’ll calculate ($100 x 250) / 100 = $250.

Check out our other guides on sports betting:

Betting Lines in MMA Fighting Explained

As we’ve explained previously, MMA betting lines are somewhat similar to other sports and some aren’t. Let’s take a look at the more commonly found MMA fighting betting lines at online betting sites. Mostly, people tend to go for the winner of the fight. But, there’s a lot more to MMA betting that picking out the outright winner. US bettors can wager on predicting how the fight will end, when it will end, what will happen during the showdown, the judge’s score, and more.

  • Money Line Bets: Also known as match bets in MMA, this is the simplest and most popular bet to make. Here the bettor places a bet on who will win the fight. Although it may be a simple bet to make, it doesn’t mean it’ll make you money. Going for the favorite to win at MMA fighting doesn’t payout as much as betting on the underdog.
  • Over and Under Bets: Known as totals bets in other sports, how the over/under works in MMA betting lines is a bit different. Unlike betting on the score in football for example, here you’re wagering on how long the match will last. So, there will be a set number of rounds and you’ll bet if it’ll last longer (over) or shorter (under) than the set rounds.
  • Prop Bets: Proposition bets are also popular. This bet type wagers on events happening during the fight that don’t affect the outcome. There are a variety of types to choose from like method of victory, will the fight end before the last round, or go to the judges. Furthermore, there are skilled and fun MMA prop bets. The skilled ones require knowledge and focus on long-term profitability. While fun prop bets are purely luck based like what color clothing the fighter will be wearing.
mma fighter with two belts

MMA Fighting Weight Classes

Understanding MMA weight classes helps bettors make more informed picks when betting on a match. Along with the fighting styles of the artist, this will help you understand what you’re looking at when picking a fight. Below are the different types of weight classes:

  • Strawweight – min. 105 lb (Women)
  • Flyweight – min. 112 lb (Women & Men)
  • Bantamweight – min. 118 lb (Women & Men)
  • Featherweight – min. 126 lb (Women & Men)
  • Lightweight – min. 135 lb (Men)
  • Welterweight – min. 147 lb (Men)
  • Middleweight – min. 160 lb (Men)
  • Light Heavyweight – min. 175 lb (Men)
  • Heavyweight – unlimited (Men)

Check Out Our Top Sports Betting Guides

MMA Betting Tips

  • Know how to read betting odds: This is guaranteed to help you make the smartest and most valuable bet you can make.
  • Don’t bet on every fight: No matter how tempting this may seem. You’ll be guessing most of the time and that’s not the point of MMA fighting betting.
  • Check the location of the fight: Two things about the location of a fight can impact on performance – travelling and altitude. Most importantly, altitude affects performance and could impact on their victory.
  • Follow some of the news: Take note of information that will impact you and the fighter as opposed to just media hype.
  • Watch the line movement: Since the public has the tendency of betting based on their hearts and hype, watching which way the line is moving is advantageous.
  • Shop around for lines: Doing this helps you find the best odds for your money. Also, you can place bets at more than one betting site to increase your chances of winning.
  • Watch out for the ‘can’t lose’ fighters: However, satisfying it may be to bet against the favorite, there are certain fighters that just won’t go down. Do your research to check their track record and maybe reconsider on these ones.
  • Look at fighting styles: Some fighting styles are better against other and some just aren’t. Research to find out how well a specific MMA fighting style does and consider this when betting.
  • Study the fighters: Finally, we recommend that you look at a fighter’s entire track record, history, and fighting style to know all about them. This will help you make a well-informed and winning pick.
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