One of the newest and fastest growing sports in the world is MMA (and more specifically UFC) and we expect this sport to continue to gain followers and move even more mainstream in the coming years.
What you’ve got is 2 warriors ready to throw-down inside a steel cage. There are fists and feet flying everywhere, all-out brawling action, blood flowing, dramatic finishes with no shortage of devastating KO’s…What’s not to like?
But, even as you enjoy the free-for-all nature of the rumble, you have to ask yourself- where is the smart money betting here?
And largely due to its volatile, unpredictable, anything-can-happen nature MMA/UFC can be a challenge to bet on to say the least but never fear because today we’ve compiled a list of our…
Top Five UFC/MMA Betting Tips
These tips should help you become a profitable MMA bettors, but you will need to do a ton of research and fully immerse yourself into MMA in order to beat the sportsbooks.
1. Prop bets can provide value
The facts are these…In this combat sport anyone can lose at anytime. Undefeated records don’t last very long in this arena and even tough, tested champions can get knocked out or submitted in less time than it takes to find your remote. That means that picking the winner, unlike in boxing, is never a sure thing!
Picking the round or the probable ending (KO, TKO, submission, decision, etc.) is often a better value bet because you get a better return if the fight plays out like you anticipate.
2. Take the unorthodox fighters who are on a roll
If you’re determined to bet the straight-up winner then dodge the Tough Guys/KO Artists who take one to give one or are always looking for a steady diet of ground & pound and look out for the multi-skilled fighters who can end the fight in any number of ways and who are on a roll of 3- 4 or more consecutive wins. In any MMA/UFC match the surest direction to lay your money is with the fighter who can finish his opponent at any time and comes at his man from every conceivable angle. Pay particular attention to fighters who possess superior defensive skills matched with rock solid striking, strong submissions and deadly ju-jitsu.
3. Obvious mismatches abound
Anytime a man enters the cage without at least 2 of the requisite skills (especially but not exclusively when they lack either legitimate striking or wrestling ability) against a well rounded, experienced MMA/UFC opponent then listen up….BET THE RANCH BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT HANG!
If you find a bet that you think is an obvious mismatch don’t be afraid to bet the favorite at -200 or -300 odds. Yes, we said earlier that anything can happen, so it might be better to bet a method of victory prop, but if everyway you see the fight going ends with a victory for the favorite, don’t be afraid to lay some money on him simply to win.
4. 1st Fight losers often make rematch winners
Not always but wait for those especially tight bouts where both fighters seem capable of winning (McGregor/Diaz) no matter the initial outcome. The defeated fighter has often learned more than his opponent and is always just a little bit hungrier for the victory and will therefore make greater, more focused advances in his pre-rematch training. Remember that the 1st match has to be a close one before you bite on this and lay your money down.
5. Bet conservatively in most cases
Hey, it’s MMA/UFC and crazy stuff happens all the time.
One kick, one punch, one guillotine choke and it is all over no matter who you are so when you do make that decision to place a big wager, make sure you aren’t betting more than you’re willing to lose.