MMA betting has come a long way since it first began in the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993. From its early days as a savage spectacle, MMA has become a highly polished sport with professional athletes and a formal rulebook. The sport is also becoming more mainstream with TV coverage and a number of prominent sportsbooks offering odds on the action. This makes mma betting a potentially lucrative venture for those who understand the fundamentals of the sport and how to bet on it.
While the majority of MMA wagers are on who will win a fight, there is a plethora of other types of MMA bets. The most common are called money lines, which are single bets that pay out based on how much you bet. However, there are also parlays (accumulators), over/under bets, round bets, method of victory, and in-play bets. In-play bets are placed during the fight and the odds change based on what is happening inside the octagon.
The odds on a MMA fight are determined by a combination of factors, including the fighters’ abilities and experience, the matchups, and the stance taken by the bookmaker. In general, a fighter with a higher skill set has a greater chance of winning. Likewise, a fighter with a lower skill set has a higher risk of losing. Unlike betting on traditional team sports, one lucky punch can drastically impact the outcome of an MMA fight. For this reason, it is important for bettors to carefully analyze the big matchups before placing bets on them.
Mma matchups are usually separated into weight classes or divisions to make it easier for bettors to understand the dynamics of each fight. Each class has its own specific rules, including the maximum amount of strikes allowed and the maximum number of points a fighter can score in the fight. The best bets are made on the favored fighter in a given class, but bettors can also find value on underdogs in different classes.
Method of victory MMA bets allow players to place wagers on how a fight will end, with payout determined by the odds on the bet. These bets can be on a winner via KO/TKO, submission, or decision. A bettor can also add a double-chance bet on a method of victory, which will reduce the odds.
Mma fighters are judged based on a variety of factors, including effective striking, takedowns, dominance, and aggression. Each factor is worth a certain number of points, which are then added up by the judges. For example, Khabib Nurmagomedov scored 21 takedowns against Abel Trujillo in UFC 160, resulting in him earning the maximum of 30 points from the judges. Using these points to determine a fighter’s scoring potential can be an effective way to handicap the fight and increase your profits.