As one of the most progressive sports in terms of embracing betting, MMA has a lot to offer bettors. As a result, many MMA betting lines offer some of the best odds in all of sports, particularly when it comes to wagering on which fighter will win a match.
Mma betting is a popular form of entertainment for millions of people around the world, and can often prove lucrative. Those who do their research and follow a few simple rules can make some serious bank in this sport. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
Understand the odds and public perception
One of the biggest mistakes bettors make is placing a bet on the favorite in an MMA fight. While it’s easy to see why this would be a tempting proposition, the fact is that in MMA betting, the underdog can often come out on top. This is due to the fact that the sport has a tendency to produce upsets and is highly unpredictable.
Often, bettors overcomplicate things in MMA betting by trying to do what’s called “MMA math.” This means looking at the records of two opponents and seeing that FIGHTER A lost to FIGHTER B, but FIGHTER A beats FIGHTER C. This is a very flawed thought process, and can easily distract bettors from studying fight film and learning about fighter styles.
Another mistake that bettors frequently make is overestimating the ability of older fighters to overcome younger opponents. While experience and wisdom is important in MMA, the explosiveness and fierceness of young fighters are increasingly showing themselves to be a formidable obstacle for older fighters to overcome. In fact, over the last eight years, when a fighter is five or more years younger than their opponent, the younger fighter has won 62% of the time.
Pay attention to injuries
Injuries are a common occurrence in MMA, and bettors should always be aware of the condition of both fighters entering a fight. A fighter who has been sidelined with a big injury is unlikely to be at full capacity for a fight, and this can give the underdog some significant value in MMA betting.
Look for fighters with a good stylistic matchup
While this isn’t something that will influence every single fight, it’s worth checking the fighters’ coaches and professional fighting histories to determine if there are any styles that would appear to be a perfect fit for a particular opponent. Taking the time to do this can sometimes result in some very interesting MMA betting predictions, especially when it comes to method-of-victory props like inside the distance (ITD), submission, and KO/KO.
Place a parlay bet
Mma parlays are riskier bets than individual fight bets, but they can also offer much higher payouts. In a parlay bet, you are placing a bet on multiple outcomes of the same fight and need all bets to be correct in order to win. This makes them a great option for those who have some experience with MMA betting and want to increase their profits with a low amount of risk.