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Comprehensive MMA Betting & Strategy Guide

MMA is one of the fastest growing sports worldwide, so naturally MMA betting is surging in popularity. Our handy guide covers all the top MMA betting sites and how to bet on MMA, so you can wager on the next bouts.

Additionally, we take an in-depth look at all the MMA events you can bet on, betting markets and differences between pre-match and live MMA betting. We included the best five MMA sportsbooks below so you can get a quick overview of what to expect:

Two MMA fighters fight each other in the Octagon.

Top 5 MMA Betting Sites

  • πŸ₯‡ Paddy Power βœͺ Our Top Operator βœͺ Best MMA Betting Site
  • πŸ₯ˆ Betway βœͺ Famous Brand βœͺ Variety of MMA Markets
  • πŸ₯‰ 888sport βœͺ Lots of MMA Events βœͺ Top MMA Bookmaker App
  • βœͺ Unibet βœͺ Easy to Use βœͺ Variety of MMA Bet Types

The first step is finding a site you feel comfortable gambling with. Each site is unique in its own way and has different strengths and weaknesses. Choosing the right one for you can go a long way in your betting process, so here are the best MMA betting sites:

Best MMA Betting Sites by Category:
πŸ† Best MMA Betting Site Paddy Power
πŸ’³ Top MMA Payouts Betway
⏱️ Fastest MMA Livestreams 888sport
πŸ”„ Betting Exchange and MMA Paddy Power
⚑ Top Live MMA Betting Site Unibet
πŸ”Ž Best UFC Betting Site Betway
🎁 Top MMA Betting Bonuses Unibet
🧾 Best Bellator Bookmaker Betway
πŸ” Top MMA Bookie Paddy Power
πŸ†• New MMA Betting Site 888sport

It’s important to consider what you’re looking for in a sportsbook before selecting one. Looking at the odds offered, number of markets and event selection can play a key role in being a successful MMA bettor before you ever make a wager.

MMA Betting Odds and Payout

Finding bookmakers with high odds is the single best thing you can do for your bankroll in the long run. It’s important to remember that the sportsbooks set their odds in a way they believe will attract equal amounts of money on both sides of the outcome.

The way bookies make their money is by offering payouts that total less than 100% when both outcomes are added up. This is called the vigorish and is best thought of as the commission a bookmaker charges. Here are the MMA payouts at the most popular sportsbooks:

Average Odds for the Best MMA Betting Events
MMA Betting Site UFC UFC Fight Night Bellator KSW
93.15% 92.51% 93.00% 92.43%
94.83% 93.92% 94.62% N/A
94.72% 93.94% 94.12% N/A
94.32% N/A N/A N/A

Notice in the table that UFC fights have the highest payouts. This is because sportsbooks have loads of data and are able to set the lines very accurately. For lesser-known organisations like Bellator, they may have less data, allowing you to capitalise through thorough research and intensive knowledge.

The trade-off is a higher commission charged by the sportsbooks. Additionally, they could implement other backstops like a wager sizing limit. This reduces the largest amount you are able to bet, therefore limiting the operator’s risk.

Betting on MMA: Competitions & Events

Though UFC is often used as a synonym for MMA, it’s important to note that MMA is the sport, and the UFC is a promotional company. There are matches from other promoters as well, including Bellator, ONE Championship and KSW.

If you’re serious about MMA betting, it would be good to become familiar with the fighters and rules of other leagues if you aren’t already. Doing your due diligence before making a bet is always recommended.

The Main MMA Competitions You Can Bet on
Competition Name Competition Logo Since Season
UFC 1993 Year Round
ONE Championship 2005 Year Round
Bellator MMA 2009 Year Round
KSW 2004 Year Round
PFL 2018 Spring & Fall

While big fights attract a lot of action, there is a lot of opportunity in the smaller ones. On weekends the UFC may be off, there are usually a couple of other organisations there to fill the void, leaving you more chances to find bookmakers’ mistakes.

That’s why it’s crucial to find bookies that offer odds on various organisations and not just the UFC. Once you start following and researching the fighters in other promotions you can bet on them more confidently.

The MMA Events You Can Bet On

Individual events for most promoters are simply numbers, like UFC 258 or Bellator 233. There is no playoff system or regular season so instead of one special event a year, each new fight brings something singular and unique.

That being said, there are weight classes and titles within those weight classes, which could be up for grabs on any given night. If you’re just starting out with MMA betting, it may be beneficial to specialise in one or two weight classes at first.

Weight Classes by Maximum Weight
Weight Division Kg Lbs Stone
Strawweight 52.2 115 8.3
Flyweight 56.7 125 9
Bantamweight 61.2 135 9.9
Featherweight 65.8 145 10.4
Lightweight 70.3 155 11.1
Welterweight 77.1 170 12.1
Middleweight 83.9 185 13.2
Light Heavyweight 93.0 205 14 st 9
Heavyweight 120.2 265 18 st 13

Specialisation prevents you from becoming overwhelmed with decisions. Betting on MMA is a decision based process and reducing the potential for wrong choices allows you to make more right ones.

Over time you’ll become more comfortable with the dynamics of each weight class and with the sports books themselves. Once you are doing well in one or two weight classes try adding a couple more until you can apply your process to all of them.

Markets on Offer

Once you decide the bout you’d like to bet on, you can look up its available betting markets. There aren’t as many markets available at MMA betting sites when comparing it to a sport like association football, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

There are many angles you can take betting on MMA fights when you aren’t necessarily sure who will win. Choosing between two bruisers who typically come out swinging could be a 50/50 proposition, but you may find value on the method of victory being a knockout.

To Win the Bout

An MMA fighter celebrating a win.Exactly how it sounds, with this straightforward bet type you wager on who wins the match. Typically displayed as a money line bet, the draw is often available on the 3-way.

Method of Victory

An MMA fighter scoring a knockout.On top of picking the winner, you can wager on whether they will do so by decision, DQ, technical knockout or submission. This is very hard to get right but brings big payout potential when you do.

Total Rounds

A UFC round three sign.The bookmaker sets the number, and you wager on whether the fight will be longer or shorter than the number of rounds given. This needs a lot of knowledge of fighting styles, past form and fighter quality is imperative for total rounds bets.

Winning Round

A UFC referee and victorious fighter.If you’re feeling confident enough to pick the exact winning round instead of betting on total rounds, winning round bets can bring larger payouts. While the knowledge needed is similar, it is harder to predict the winning round than total rounds.

Live & In-Play Betting

On top of betting before the match, most operators allow you to bet on fights as they’re happening. You can pull up the live betting client on your chosen site and often get live streams or updates on the fight as it happens.

This means you can see how the two participants are performing before placing your wager. If you think someone is outclassed early, it might be good to live bet on the match being short.

How Does In-Play Betting Look at the Top Athletics Sportsbooks?
  • The live betting suite at BetVictor.Best Live Betting User Interface
  • The live betting suite at Unibet.Most Popular In-Play Sportsbook
  • The live betting suite at Betway.Many Live MMA Betting Markets
  • The live betting suite at Paddy Power.Highest In-Play Odds

Another benefit of in-play MMA betting is it provides you an opportunity to hedge your original bet. If you’re not feeling confident in your original pick, you might be able to bet on the opponent at decent odds later in the match to minimise your losses.

However, this is an extremely advanced strategy best reserved for experienced bettors. Beginners should stick with smaller bets until they’re confident enough in their bankroll to raise their stakes.

Bonuses Available

Since MMA is still finding its way into the mainstream outside of the United States, it’s rare to find MMA promotions. Occasionally a site will offer enhanced odds or a free bet in return for a wager as a way to entice new gamblers.

It’s also possible to take advantage of an operator’s welcome bonus when you’re betting on MMA. You can check out our list of the sites with the best betting bonuses for the most generous ones.

A crowded UFC Arena.
  • Generous Welcome Bonus
  • Excellent Live Betting Suite
  • Good Odds
IBAS eCOGRA Licensed by:

While there aren’t many specific MMA betting bonuses, operators sometimes make offers that apply to the entire sportsbook. An example would be an operator offering a free bet in return for wagers totaling a certain amount over the course of a week.

That being said, it pays to be aware of the bonuses being offered on specific matchups. When there is a highly publicised bout, operators tend to compete with each other for MMA online betting traffic by making promotional offers.

How to Bet on MMA

MMA betting strategy is a lot less complex than many team sports. There aren’t many opportunities for bets on peripheral stats like corner kicks in football. Most of it comes down to knowing the participants and their styles, and how these styles might affect the course of the bout.

You can find this information by researching the past form of competitors. You can deduce whether they’re more of a grappler or a boxer, or whether their matches end quickly or if they grit out longer victories.

Ultimately, MMA betting, and sports betting in general comes down to your ability to find value over the long term. That might mean betting on different markets for different bouts.

Facts, History, Stats

Though MMA doesn’t have the long and storied history of a sport like boxing or football, it is still quite colourful. Originally founded as a way to find out which form of martial arts was superior, competitors began mixing styles giving the sport the name mixed martial arts.

Creation of the UFC

Dana White at a press conference.While the UFC was officially founded in 1993 as a way to discover which martial arts are superior to others. The company struggled until 2001, when Dana White brokered a deal between Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta and the brand’s earlier owner. Afterwards, he was installed as UFC president and steered the brand into the multi-billion dollar powerhouse it is today.

The Ultimate Fighter

The Ultimate Fighter logo.The Ultimate Fighter is a reality show and proving ground for many of the fighters who make their way to the UFC. The winner is awarded a UFC contract. The show is notable for perhaps the most memorable fight in MMA history, when Forrest Griffin narrowly defeated Stephan Bonnar. This bout is widely credited as one of the best fights ever, launching MMA into the mainstream.

Welcoming Women into the Octagon

Fighter wearing her championship belt.“Rowdy” Ronda Rousey put the sport of women’s MMA on the map by becoming the first ever female MMA champion, going undefeated for a period of over 1,074 days. She defended her title six times. Her eventual loss against Holly Holm was the most watched event in the sport’s history at the time.

Dana White facilitated the sale of the original, almost defunct UFC in 2001 to his friend Lorenzo Fertitta and turned it into the spectacle it is today. Valued at over $4 billion and growing, it’s fast becoming one of the major sports worldwide.

Final Thoughts on MMA Online Betting

Overall, betting on MMA is a great choice for beginners and advanced punters alike. It’s a lot less complex than team sports and there are multiple markets for you to find potential value in.

While it’s not quite big enough for most major sportsbooks to provide exclusive MMA bonuses, the sport’s growing at a rapid rate. It will be interesting to see which of the international betting websites will start capitalising on its popularity.

FAQ

While we try to make our betting guides as comprehensive as possible, occasionally readers will have more specific questions, which we answer in the FAQ section below. Here are the most often asked MMA betting questions:

πŸ† What are the best MMA betting sites?

The best MMA betting sites are ones licensed through a regulatory authority like the Gambling Commission. You can see our list of the best MMA bookies by clicking the link.

πŸ”Ž Is betting on MMA allowed?

Betting on MMA is allowed where sports betting is legal. If you live in a jurisdiction that allows sports betting and want to begin betting on MMA, begin by looking at our section on MMA betting bonuses and choosing an operator meeting those criteria.

πŸ“ˆ What are the average MMA betting odds levels?

The average MMA betting odds levels vary by sportsbook. Some are more generous than other and charge a lower commission. Click the link for a table listing the average MMA odds at top bookmakers.

πŸš€ Is there a strategy I can follow to bet on MMA?

Yes, there is a strategy you can follow for betting on MMA. While this is a great starting point, it's best to develop your own process until you create your own MMA betting strategy.