Mixed martial arts is a high-octane sport that blends striking and grappling techniques from a variety of martial arts. This unique style of combat has exploded in popularity, bringing new fans to the sport and creating a lucrative betting market. While MMA betting can be a fun and rewarding way to engage with the action, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s not without risk. To ensure that you make smart wagers, it’s essential to understand the odds of each type of mma bet.
Money line MMA bets are the most basic wager on an MMA fight. They involve placing a bet on which fighter will win the fight, with each fighter assigned odds that determine your potential payout. The odds on a winning bet are calculated by adding the number of points that the sportsbook thinks the winner will score and subtracting the number of points they expect the loser to score. Favorites are expected to win a majority of the time, so their odds will be lower than those on underdogs.
Over/Under or total bets are another simple MMA betting option. These bets are placed on a specific element of the fight, such as how many rounds it will last or how many punches/kicks or knockdowns will occur. The sportsbook will select a value for the bet and you can then bet over or under that number. Using your research into the fighting styles of each competitor can help you find an over/under value that is more accurate.
MMA round betting is similar to boxing, in that you can place a bet on which round you believe the fight will end in and by what method. In MMA, victory is typically decided by a knockout, submission or judges’ scorecards (including a Draw). Again, studying the fighting styles of each competitor can help you understand how these methods will play out. For example, a fighter’s stance is an important consideration. Typically, an orthodox fighter has a disadvantage against a southpaw opponent.
Prop bets, futures and live bets are also popular MMA betting options. These are wagers on specific events that will happen during the fight, such as who will score a first knockdown or attempt a first submission maneuver. These bets are often more fun than standard Moneyline MMA bets and can boost your profits if you’re right. However, they also carry more risk as you have to be correct on more than one outcome to win your bet. It’s a good idea to use a sportsbook that offers parlay bets to increase your odds of winning. This allows you to bet on multiple markets in a single bet slip, but it’s important to remember that this increases the amount of correct outcomes you need to win your bet. It’s also important to set a budget and stick to it. Disciplined betting will help you avoid emotional and financial woes. It’s important to recognise when you’re losing and to know when to step back and take a break.