A Betting Guide for the UFC

Betting online has become huge throughout the world, and betting on MMA fights is a big part of that. It is easy enough to look at the odds (or line) as to who will win a fight and place a bet, but there are so many more ways to win money on fights. So before you lay down your money, let’s look at how we can arm you with a better understanding of terms, types and strategies to increase your odds.

This quick betting guide will help you get started and learn how to bet on UFC fighters.

Moneyline Bet / Match Bet

Simply put, this is when you just bet on who will win the fight, with no other factors such as how or when.

Round Betting

There are two types of round betting:

You are betting on the specific round the fighter will end. This will get you greater payout odds.
You bet on a fighter to win in a specific round, also great payout odds.

Method of Victory

In MMA, there are three ways to win:

Knockout/Technical Knockout (KO or TKO)
Points (the fight goes the full distance and judges decide)
Submission (Fighter taps out or verbally gives up due to pain)

This method can win you pretty good money if you choose the right one to end the fight.

There are some variation if choosing this method:

Inside the Distance – Fighter wins by KO or submission
Fight ends by Submission – Does not matter which fighter wins as long as it is by submission
Fight Ends by KO – Does not matter which fighter wins as long as it is by KO/TKO

Parlay Bet / Accumulator Bet / Multiplier Bet

This type of betting is when you bet on several fighters to win. The odds and payouts are higher when you win, however, if just one fighter loses the entire bet is lost.

Open Parlay

When deciding to place a bet but you are not sure who to bet on you can leave spots open. Although selecting them right away is not required, you do have to make your choices before the bet is closed.

Over/Under Bet

In games with a numbered score, you bet where the total final score will be more or less than the prediction, and you bet if it will be higher or lower. In MMA fights, it is based on the time and round the fight will end. To win, the fight must either end before the two and half minute mark of the following round.

For example: Over Under is 1.5 rounds, the fight must end before or after the 2:30 mark of round 2.

Decision Victories

It doesn’t matter which fighter wins. As long as it goes the full round, and the judges decide based on the points, it can be a split, unanimous or majority decision.

You can also bet the specific type of decision:

Unanimous Decision – All 3 judges award the fighter the win
Split-Decision – 2 judges award one fighter the win and 1 judge awards the other the win
Majority Decision – 2 judges award one fighter the win and 1 judges calls it a draw

Handicap Betting

Not as well known as the other types of bets, this one can get you better money if done wisely and in Parlays even though the odds are lower than the straight moneyline bets. The odds-makers give a fighter + or – points for each fight. If it is a 3 round fight, the favored would get a -3.5, 5 round fight -5.5. And of course, the underdog the reverse, +3.5 and +5.5.

The handicap bet is won automatically if the fight is won by KO, TKO or disqualification (DQ). If the fight goes the distance 3 judges then score the fight and that is where the handicap comes into play.

Example of a 3 round fight:

Fighter A wins in a close decision: 29-27, 29-28 and 29-27

The scores are then added up and adjusted by the handicap

Fighter A 29+29+29 = 87 – 3.5 total = 83.5
Fighter B 27+28+27 = 82 + 3.5 total = 85.5

Even though fighter A wins the fight, fighter B wins the handicap bet.

Using this type of betting in conjunction with a parlay, if done wisely, can be one of the best types of betting.

Reminder: A fighter that wins the fight on points, normally will win the handicap, but not always.

Live UFC Betting

As the name suggests you can actually bet on the action as it is happening. This type of betting is very limited in sites that offer it.

Prop Bets

Prop bets are when you bet on awards that fighters can receive at the end of the event, such as “Fight of the Night” honors.

Glossary Betting Guide for the UFC

Bookie: Short for sportsbook, oddsmaker, betting website and fightbook.

Chalk: Heavily favored, or expected, to win the fight, the best odds to win; shown as negative odds.

Disqualified Opponent: Judge or referee stops the fight due to a fighter violating the rules consistently, automatic loss of fight by that fighter.

Draw: Scorecard draw (not a technical draw). The bet then becomes a push.

Edge: Knowing something about an upcoming fight that the “bookies” don’t, giving you the advantage to win your bet.

Even Money: Two evenly matched fighters, odds are the same no matter which one wins.

Favorite: The fighter with the great chance/odds to win – odds tend to be not worth the bet. Undercard fights will give you more out of your bet if you like betting the favorite.

KO: Abbreviation for Knockout. The fighter can not stand up after a count of 10.

Limit: A maximum or minimum one can bet. So you can’t lose too much, or the house may have to control how much they can payout.

Line: The odds or money line of a fight.

Majority Decision: 2 judges award one fighter the win and 1 judge calls it a draw on the score cards.

Moneyline Bet or Match Bet: Simply put, this is when you just bet on who will win the fight, with no other factors such as how or when.

Odds: the chances or likelihood of a fighter winning or losing. Greater odds mean the fighters are not evenly matched. There are 3 types: American, decimal, and fractional.

Opened: What the moneyline or odds are when the fights are first announced. The odds tend to change as the match draws closer.

Parlay Bet / Accumulator Bet / Multiplier Bet: This type of betting is when you bet on several fighters to win. The odds and payouts are higher when you win, however, if just one fighter loses the entire bet is lost.

Prop Bet: Short for proposition bet, a bet on something that does or does not happen and does not directly affect the outcome of the fight. These bets focus on Round Bets, Method of Victory, and “Fight of the Night Awards”.

Push: The fight is a draw – no winner, and your money returned.

Split-Decision: 2 judges award one fighter the win and 1 judge awards the other the win.

Sportsbook: Website that determines the odds, where you can make your bet online.

TKO: Abbreviation for Technical Knock Down. The fighter is knocked down 3 times, or when the referee steps in and stops the fight judging the fighter is in no shape to continue. Retirements from the fighter’s corner are also considered TKO´s.

Technical Decision: The winner is decided by the judge’s points (their scorecard) before the end of the scheduled rounds.

Technical Draw: For any reason the referee stops the fight, before the 5th round begins, other than Knockout, Technical Knockout or disqualification.

Unanimous Decision: All 3 judges award the fighter the win on their scorecards.

In-Play or Live Betting Terms

Live UFC Betting: As the name suggests you can actually bet on the action as it is happening. This type of betting is very limited in sites that offer it. There are very limited wages offered after the first bell.

Fight Winner 3-Way: Betting selections on the 3 most common betting types (win, lose or draw).

Draw-No-Bet: The fighter either wins and pays out, or draws and the stakes are returned, including a Majority Draw. Much lower payouts.

Fight Winner 2-Way: Offered on fights where no draw is possible, like Prize Fighter.

Fight Outcome 5-Way: Type of bets offered on pre-match.

Fight Outcome 4-Way: Offered on fights where no draw is possible, like Prize Fighter.

Total Rounds 2-Way: Type of Round Bet in which the last Round fought is used for settlement purposes. Example: If the fighter retires between Rounds 4 and 5, Round 4 will be settled for the Round Bet.

Round Groups/Round Betting: There are two types of round betting:

You are betting on the specific round the fight will end. This will get you greater payout odds. Does matter how the fight ends.
You bet on a fighter to win in a specific round. Does not matter how the fighter wins, also great payout odds.

To Go the Distance: The fighters go the full scheduled number of Rounds.

MMA Prop Betting Terms

Method of Victory: How the fight will end for a particular fighter. KO/TKO, Submission or Decision.

Points Handicap: A bet on the over/under (handicap) total points on the judge’s scorecard decision. Odds-makers give a fighter + or – points for each fight. If it is a 3 round fight, the favored would get a -3.5, 5 round fight -5.5, the underdog +3.5 and +5.5.

The handicap bet is won automatically if the fight is won by KO, TKO or disqualification (DQ). If the fight goes the distance 3 judges then score the fight then add/minus the handicap

Example of a 3 round fight: