Guide to Betting on MMA
As the world of MMA has grown, so has betting on the sport. Now we have a fantastic range of betting markets out there for anyone who wants to bet on MMA, giving you more choice than ever before.
If you're a fan of the UFC, Bellator, or any other MMA organization, and you’ve looked into betting in the past, but felt there wasn’t enough opportunity, it may be time to look again. So, for those who want to get involved, here is our guide to betting on MMA.
Best MMA Betting Markets
There are two ways to bet on MMA, and the option you take will more than likely be decided by your betting experience. The first option is to keep things simple and bet on the winner of the fight, while the second adds a little more complexity by adding in a variety of other elements.
If you are new to MMA betting, the best way to start is to keep things nice and simple, bet on the simple win market and try to build up your knowledge and experience without taking too many risks.
Those more experienced can dive into markets that offer bigger odds, such as how the fight will be won and round betting. This is what new players can eventually move onto.
To Win the Fight
If you are looking to start somewhere simple, or you would rather place a bet on a big fight and not get into more complex markets, this is the betting market for you. Here you are choosing the winner of the fight, nothing else, and it doesn’t matter how they win.
This can be a first round knockout, or a fight that goes the distance, it doesn’t matter as long as your fighter comes out on top. This market is often used by those who are placing accumulator bets, and don’t want to have added risk on top of picking multiple selections.
The downside to this market is that the odds are often short, so you won’t get the chance to win big, unless you go down the acca route like many do and put together a few fighters on the same card to win their bouts.
Method of Victory
This is where you can go if you wish to bet on the outcome of a fight but increase the odds by adding another element. The element you are adding here is how the fight is won. The options are to win by KO, TKO, DQ or submission, or to win by decision or technical decision.
For many people, this is used when they fancy a knockout by their chosen fighter. Rather than taking shorter odds on them to win the fight by any means, punters will back a fighter to win by knockout in a bid to boost the odds.
With a lot of explosive fighters who are known for their big blows, this is certainly something you can focus on if you have a little MMA knowledge.
Round Betting
Another option if you are looking at fights is to bet on when the fight will be won. This is done by round betting, either by picking out individual rounds, or groups of rounds together, depending on the markets that are available with your bookmaker.
The best part about this market is that you don’t need to pick the winner of the fight if you don’t want to. Some bookmakers will offer you the chance to back a fighter and a round, while others will have markets available on the round, regardless of who wins.
To Go the Distance
The final option you can look at is whether a fight will go the distance. This can be used when you feel that a fight will be tactical, and the fighters may struggle to land the telling blow, meaning the full number of rounds are played out.
When you are betting on this market you are simply betting on ‘yes’ or ‘no’, so again this is a market where you do not need to back the winner of the fight. When things look tight, and you are struggling to see who wins the bout, this market may be an option for you.
MMA Betting Strategy
After choosing your markets, you then need to work on your MMA betting strategy. There are two aspects to this.
The first is the type of bets you place. If you are taking a risk on your betting market, it is often better to not take a risk with your selections, so go for single or small multiples. Those not taking a risk and using the standard win market can be a little more adventurous here, using bets such as accas across the fights they are watching on the card, in a bid to increase their potential winnings that way.
Secondly, you need to put time and effort into working out the fighters, their strengths and weaknesses and which ones are the best to follow. As the fighters grow and become household names, like Conor McGregor or Ronda Rousey, bookmakers know of their ability and shorten the odds on them winning. However, if you can find out about them first, there is a chance you can back them in the early part of their career at better odds.
This is all about gaining MMA knowledge and using what you know against the bookmakers, from young up and coming fighters to how different styles will go against each other.
What Does a Great MMA Bookmaker Look Like?
If you are looking for a new MMA bookmaker to place your bets with then here is what you need to look out for. The bookmakers should offer strong betting markets, giving you the ability to place a wide range of bets, depending on the bet types you are placing and your feelings about the fight.
You also need competitive odds, and if you can find any kind of betting offer, either as a welcome offer or a regular offer, which enhances your bets, then this will be an added bonus. This includes things such as acca bonuses, so if you are placing this type of bet then certainly look out for those to increase your odds.
You might also be interested in:
Top 20 Betting Offers
18+ New customers only. Place a £5+ bet at minimum odds of 1/1 (2.0) within 14 days of sign-up. Get £25 in Free Sports Bets + 50 Free Spins (valued at £0.10 each), valid for 7 days on selected bets and games. Free stake not returned with winnings. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org | |||||
18+ New customers only. Opt in and bet up to £40 (min. £20) via mobile or app on any football (odds 1/1+) within 7 days of registration. Get up to £40 in free bets on selected markets, which expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply, see below. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly | |||||
New customers online only. Valid with code B10G50 on registration. Bet min £/€10 at odds of 1/1 (2.0) or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min £/€10 Win + £/€10 Place) within 7 days of registration. Receive £/€20 Tote Credit, £/€10 Sports Bet, 2 x £/€5 Sports Acca and 50 Free Spins. 7-day expiry. Qualifying bet is the first racing pool or sports bet added to the bet-slip. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org. | |||||
New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 football, 1 x £10 horse racing & 2 x £10 Bet Builders. Free Bets cannot be used on e-sports and non UK/IE horse racing. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply. | |||||
T&Cs apply. 18+ New customers only. You must place a single win-only bet of £10 or more with odds of evens (2.00) or greater to qualify. Money back as £10 in free bets. Free bet is credited the day after the qualifying bet has settled. Must use code B10G10 when creating an account. | |||||
New Customers Only. Sign up with bonus code: EB20. Bet £20 and get £20 in Free Bets. Paid as £5 Free Bet on Soccer, £5 Free Bet on Horse Racing, £5 Free Bet on Multiples and a £5 Free Bet on any Market. Terms apply 18+ gambleaware.org. | |||||
New Players Only. Sign Up with Bonus Code: NEW30. Bet and Settle 1x£10 Bet on Matchbook Exchange at odds of 2.0 or more. Bet and Settle 1x£10 Bet on a Bet Builder or Multiple at odds of 3.0 or more, with min 3 selections. Within 72 hours of Qualifying Bets settling user will receive 1x £10 Exchange Free Bet, 1x £10 Multiples Free Bet, and 1x £10 Bet Builder Free Bet. Users making their first deposit by Skrill, Neteller or PaySafe card will not qualify for this promotion. 18+ Only. T’s and C’s Apply. Be Gamble Aware. | |||||
18+. New customers only. Deposit and place first bet of £20 or more at min odds Evens (2.0). Get £20 in Free Bets credited as x1 £10 Free Bet and x2 £5 Bet Builder Free BetsT&Cs Apply. Please gamble responsibly. | |||||
New Customers use code EPL10. Deposit £10 and place a bet of £10 on any Premier League Outrights 2025/26 market at minimum odds of 2.0. Free Bet credited within 24 hours and must be wagered on English Premier League markets only. Full Terms apply. Bangers N'Cash rewards are a separate promotional scheme and must be opted into during the weekly promotional period via the BetWright Rewards Section. 18+ begambleaware. | |||||
*New UK customers only. Min Stake: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football, Horse Racing, Tennis, Cricket or Basketball multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. Earn a £30 Uber Eats Voucher on successful Acca qualification. Debit Card deposit only (exclusions apply). This offer is valid 7 days from the new account being registered. 18+ GambleAware.org. Bet the Responsible Way. Full Terms apply | |||||
Place a £10 fixed odds bet at minimum odds of 1/2 and get 3 x £10 free fixed odds bets, 3 x £5 Total Goals football spread bets and 3 x £5 Winning Favourites spread bets and a £1 racing Race Index spread bet.18+ www.gambleaware.org. | |||||
New customers only. Register, deposit with Debit Card, and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility exclusions & T&Cs Apply. | |||||
18+ New Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4 x £5 free bets. Free bet available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply. | |||||
18+ New Customers Only. Place a single £10 bet within 3 calendar days of registration. Bet must settle on the same day of placement. Min odds Evens (2.00). 4 x £5 Free Bets valid for 7 days. Max win £250. T&Cs apply. Ends 28/02/25. GB residents only. Gamble responsibly | |||||
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New customers place a £10 fixed odds bet at minimum odds of 1/2. Get 2 x £10 free bets. 18+ begambleaware | |||||
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New Customer only. £10 in real money. Bets placed on sports at odds of 2.00 or more to qualify. Bets must be placed 24 hours within registration. £10 free bets must be wagered on sports. Full terms apply. Gambling can be addictive, play responsibly. 18+ |
