MMA or mixed martial arts is a full-contact combat sport in which athletes combine techniques from several martial arts disciplines into one exciting match. It’s often a highly-popular event and offers betting opportunities on multiple fights each night, making it an appealing option for casual bettors.
Betting on MMA is a great way to win money, but it’s important to understand the odds and how to read them properly. This will help you decide how much to bet and whether or not you’ll make a profit.
Moneyline Bets
The most common type of MMA bet is the moneyline. This is similar to a bet on football or basketball, where you’re choosing which team will win the game. However, MMA betting is different because it can be more unpredictable and requires more expert knowledge than other sports.
Over/Under (Total Rounds)
In football, baseball, and other professional sports, the over/under is a betting option that allows you to place bets on a match’s length. In MMA, the over/under is usually based on the number of rounds the fight will last before a winner is declared. Depending on the fighting styles of the fighters involved, you can place over/under bets for any number of rounds that you think the fight will last.
Rounds
Unlike football or basketball, the majority of MMA bouts only last between five and seven rounds. This is because a fighter may spend more than a few minutes trying to get his opponent to submit or hit the ground, which can slow down the action.
Over/Under Betting
Another MMA bet that is not as popular as the moneyline bet is an over/under bet on the amount of time the fight will last. In this case, if you bet on over 2.5 rounds and the fight goes three, you’ll win $100.
Methods of Victory
There are a few ways that a fighter can win an MMA fight, but the most common is by knockout. This is because it’s unlikely that a fighter will get knocked out by grappling or other methods of striking.
A fighter can also win by submission, points if the fight ends at the distance, or by any method of disqualification. These methods of victory are more difficult to predict than a knockout.
Weight Cuts
Some MMA fighters may have a hard time making weight and struggle to build up their muscles before a weigh-in. They may need to use steroids or other medications to gain muscle mass and boost their strength and endurance. Those that fail to make weight can find themselves dehydrated and drained before the start of a match, which can lead to a bad outcome.
In addition, MMA is a highly-competitive sport, so fighters are usually under heavy training and have to be careful not to overdo it before a fight. This can cause them to miss the weight cut and end up being undersized in their opponent’s eyes. This can create an unfair advantage and can result in a loss for bettors who backed them to win the fight.
