The MMA sport has experienced a lot of growth in recent years. This can be attributed to the many entertaining personalities, different styles of fighting and a growing fan base. With this growth has come an increase in MMA betting opportunities. However, the complexities of this sport make it more difficult to predict a winner than in other sports. In this article, we will discuss seven important things to look for when making a MMA bet.
The most common MMA betting type is the money line bet. This bet is based on the probability of a fighter winning a particular fight. The odds on this bet will usually reflect the favorite and underdog in a match. Favorites will be reflected by a minus symbol, while underdogs will be reflected by a plus sign. In addition to the moneyline bet, there are also prop bets, parlays (accumulators), over/unders, round bets and method of victory bets.
Method of victory bets are unique to MMA and offer bettors an opportunity to bet on how a fight will be won. These bets are based on the different methods of victory in a fight, including submission and judge decision. This bet type can be a great way to spice up a fight.
Over/Under rounds is a popular MMA betting market that allows bettors to wager on the expected number of rounds in a fight. This bet is made by calculating the total amount of rounds the fight will last and then setting odds for both the over and under. In order to place a bet on the over/under, bettors must be located in a state that offers legal sports betting.
Many MMA bettors will do what is called MMA math when handicapping a fight. This involves comparing the records of two fighters and looking at which opponents they have both won and lost against. This can be misleading and should not take the focus away from studying fight film and handicapping style.
Some MMA fighters will even upload public videos of their training sessions, which can help bettors to determine how they might approach a fight. This can be a useful tool for predicting tactics, but bettors must remember that these videos are not filmed under the same conditions as a live fight and can be skewed by outside factors.
One of the most common mistakes MMA bettors make is placing too much value on unbeaten prospects. The reality is that the majority of fighters with an undefeated record will lose at some point, especially as they face higher level competition.
The most effective MMA betting strategy is to study fight film and make educated bets. It is also a good idea to shop the odds at multiple sportsbooks and do so as early as possible. This practice is known as line shopping and is an integral part of any sharp bettor’s strategy. Often, a sportsbook will post odds that significantly undervalue a particular fighter, which is why it’s so important to keep shopping.