MMA Betting Guide
Oh yes. There will be blood.
Even if you’ve never been into MMA, one thing’s for certain.
The flamboyant and notorious Conor McGregor versus his silent rival, the lightweight champion of the world, Khabib Nurmagomedov. Is going to peak the interest and make anyone take a look at MMA’s betting potential. Bookmakers reported quite the buzz after the match was officially confirmed. Because of this there has been a lot of interest in betting alternatives and general guidelines by those who are about to place their first step inside the world of sports betting.
McGregor’s return has been eagerly anticipated and it seems that he is giving fans exactly what they want. The UFC 229 Press conference turned into McGregor’s one-man show, and a lot is riding on October 6, 2018.
The notoriety of one fighter and the victories of the other has intrigued the public and a number of experienced gamblers. The gambling neophytes as well are quite willing to get their slice of the action. Fortunately, even though the day of the fight is just around the corner, it is not too late to join the frenzy. Gamblers both new and pro are looking to make some money out of the conflict that has spilled over outside the octagon.
The bookmakers have already launched the odds, expectations are running high. Now is time to acquire some basic knowledge on betting types, from standard wagering options to more outlandish alternatives. After all, the match between the two opponents is going to come and go. However, once the MMA betting basics are acquired, they can be applied on the co-main fighting events that follow: Tony Ferguson vs Anthony Pettis and Ovince Saint Preux vs Dominick Reyes.
The Definition of MMA
MMA is short for mixed martial arts. Although everyone is fairly familiar with the concept, a general definition might be in order so that a clear connection between the betting process and the logic behind it can be established.
In MMA, the fighters are allowed to use various techniques that combine skills and strength to defeat their opponents. Not only the methods borrowed from different fighting disciplines, but also the moves invented by the fighters themselves. Throughout the years, MMA evolved and became more creative, with fighters incorporating multiple styles and doing exactly what the name indicates. Mixing martial arts and various elements of a certain variant, often using all of their skills during a single fight.
The match can end in one of the following ways, and if you are feeling confident, you can bet on the exact outcome and be as precise as you wish in your predictions:
Predetermined number of rounds
The scheduled number of rounds between The Eagle and Mystic Mac is 5 since we’re talking about the title fight. Otherwise, the norm would be three 5-minute rounds. If the fighters go all five rounds, the decision is made by the judges, using the 10-point system. In 10 out of 26 Khabib’s matches, he won by decision. For many players, this bet is definitely a decent option.
Knockout
Not a lot of explanation is needed here, as we all know what the knockout is. This option is in favour of McGregor since 18 of 21 fights that he won were resolved by knockout.
Submission
Using various submission techniques that will place your opponent in a position where admitting defeat is the only alternative. If you bet on this outcome of the match, Khabib would have an advantage. So far, he has won 8 of his fights this way, locking down the opponent with the triangle choke.
Referee Stoppage
Depending on circumstances, the referee can stop the fight at any time. This happens when a fighter is not able to protect himself and stopping the fight is the thing to do.
Doctor Stoppage
If a fighter is severely injured, a doctor will need to intervene and stop the fight.
Corner Stoppage
A conscious decision made by the fighter’s coach to stop the fight when the odds are against them. In general, corner stoppage is rare in professional competitions.
Disqualification
Either way, someone’s going home with a good old fashioned ass-whoopin’!
Breaking rules and destroying the integrity of the sport inside as well as outside of octagon can result in disqualification. Although MMA welcomes creativity, certain moves are definitely not allowed and introducing them in your style can end the fight. The first offence is usually met with a warning and point deduction, whereas the repeat offence will result in disqualification.
No Contest
An accidental illegal move or some other issue that disables a fighter to the point where they are unable to safely continue the match will be ruled “no contest” without a winner. Certain organizations will employ the same rule if the fight prolongs.
Start from scratch and do your homework
In Sports Betting, you are betting on somebody else’s skill, not your own. Instead of wagering on your proficiency at a Blackjack table, you’re investing in somebody else’s strength and ability to win. However, in a certain way, you are required to develop your own strategy. You must be able to process information that you’re given so that you can make an educated guess about the final outcome.
Learning curves are inevitable but you can learn a lot from your mistakes. Just take the time to reflect on what went wrong and then eliminate those factors. Those who are just getting acquainted with the process can use odds and predictions published by the bookies. In most cases, the outcome of certain sporting events is calculated using advanced software. This software processes the input data and produces the most likely results according to entered values. This is very useful for the beginners or those who lack the time to get into the context of the fight and research themselves.
The first thing to do is to study the fighters and compare the odds. History, track records, strong and weak points – everything counts. Once all the info is collected and analyzed, you convert the knowledge into bets. Fortunately, acquiring someone’s personal history is pretty easy and the internet will generate a fighter’s entire career with all the numbers in no more than a few clicks. This will include the number of professional fights, win, wins by knockouts, amateur record, fighter’s reach, the total of successful and avoided UFC strikes, etc. The detailed information can be obtained on ufc.com and the fun part of comparing and analysing the fighters’ profiles can start.
When you are ready to place your first bet, you will be presented with the following options:
Moneyline aka Match bets
The most common form of wagering: simply pick a winner and you are good to go. Understanding the odds is, of course, crucial. According to the bookies, the odds for Khabib vs Conor match are as follows:
Make sure you understand the odds. Most prefer the American way, but not everyone.
- Khabib – 160
- Connor +120
This is the American way of displaying the odds. The players can also choose decimal and fractional odds to be displayed when comparing the numbers, converting them as they see fit.
Looking at the numbers above, we can see that Khabib is a favourite and that Conor is the underdog. The value +120 means that players will win $120 on a $100 bet.
For a lot of players, decimal odds are a preferred layout. The gist is the same, but there are no negative and positive values. The odds that go over 2.0 indicate the underdog, and everything under 2.0 means that the fighter is a favourite. To figure out how much money you will win, you will need to multiply the wagered amount with the odd value. Represented in decimals, the odds for Conor and Khabib would look like this:
- Khabib – 1.63
- Conor – 2.20
Finally, in fractional odds, the first number will show you how much you will win for a bet amount that matches the second number in the fraction:
- Khabib – 5/8
- Conor – 6/5
or
- Khabib – 10/16
- Conor – 12/10
Over / Under Bets
As mentioned, the fight should last up to 5 rounds, but you can bet that it will end before the 2.5-minute mark of the 2nd round (Under) or after the 2.5-minute mark (Over). Taking this bet will make the winner quite irrelevant, but you can always check the fighters’ history and find the average duration of their fights, which may be helpful in selecting the final bet. This type of bet is a great option when you really want to try your luck but are not too confident about the winner. In some cases, Over/Under bet can be bundled up with the winner, but more often than not, it is settled individually. There are three variations to this bet: Over/Under 1.5 rounds, Over/Under 2.5 rounds, and Over/Under 3.5 rounds.
The first option is usually offered with heavyweight category matches or when the fighters are “hungry” and eager to win, which may very well be the case with Conor and Khabib. Betting on Over/Under 3.5 is a popular choice in Championship 5-round matches.
Prop (Proposition) bets
A “Prop Bet” can be about literally anything, right down to which Ring Girl is coming out next.
These bets can be classified as Skilled and Fun (or Crazy), and traditional bettors tend to avoid them and go for the conventional bets that are closely related to the fight. Some people consider Over/Under bets as a subcategory of Prop bets, although they can be viewed as a completely separate betting group.
Will the fight go the distance?
This is a great example of the skill Prop bet as it requires a background knowledge and some research. On the other hand, fun Prop bets can be compared with games of chance because they rely on a fluke. A lot of times, they may reach a point where they are downright bizarre. Some of the craziest prop bets for the Khabib vs Conor fight are The Next Dolly Drama (due to the incident with the dolly that Conor threw at the UFC 223 bus with Khabib inside), Putin himself making the appearance at the match (with 1001.00 odds), The Referee Knockout, Weight Requirements Not Being Met (which is actually more realistic than most on this list), McGregor Winning & Announcing His Retirement, etc.
Victory Bets (Fight Outcome Bets)
These should not be confused with Moneyline where you need to pick a winner. With Victory bets, the objective is to predict how the match will end, in terms of method (winning by submission, TKO, winner by decision…). Since these types of bets are much more precise than Over/Under and Moneyline, the payouts are more generous.
Distance
Betting whether or not the fighters will go the distance with each other. This bet is very useful with “non-dramatic” matches between the opponents that share similar fighting style and strategy.
Finishing Round
Betting on a specific round that will finish the fight. This can be bundled with selecting the actual winner, but bookies often offer it as a separate bet. Successfully predicting both the winning round and the winner carries the most generous payout.
Draw
A very rare occurrence, which is the reason the Draw bet is classified as a Prop bet.
Whatever type of wager you make, this is bound to be a good one, and make sure while you’re here to also check out