Best UFC Betting Sites USA 2024 – How to Bet on UFC Fights?
In our guide to UFC betting sites, we’re going to talk about what is often dubbed the world’s fastest growing sport. We’ll reveal the most popular betting lines, explain common sportsbooks bonuses, and of course, share the best sites for UFC betting. Ready? Then let’s begin!
Top UFC Betting Sites in the USA
When it comes to gambling, the UFC has certainly grown quickly. In fact, the sport has already caught up with boxing in terms of the volume of bets. Do you want to join the increasing number of fans who like a flutter on the big fights? Then you’ll need to know the best UFC betting sites.
Below is a list of the top online sportsbooks offering MMA and UFC betting. Our experts have vetted each one to ensure they have all the features required. Convenient payment methods, on-site security, rewarding promos and of course, plenty of UFC betting opportunities.
Contents
Okay, now that you’re aware of America’s finest UFC betting sites, what else can you expect to learn about? Our guide will address all of the following topics. So if you want to skip ahead, feel free to use the links below.
- Best UFC Betting Sites USA
- Is UFC Betting the Same as MMA?
- Understanding UFC Betting Odds
- Popular Lines at UFC Betting Sites
- Our Top 5 UFC Betting Tips
- Interesting UFC Facts
- Bonuses at UFC Betting Sites
- How To Start Betting on UFC
- Conclusion
- FAQs
Is UFC Betting the Same as MMA?
Newcomers to UFC betting sites are often confused about the difference between MMA and UFC. Mixed Martial Arts is a term first used back in the early 1990. But prior to its mass adoption, the sport was so new that it never really had a name. Terms like Cage Fighting, Extreme Fighting, No Holds Barred and Ultimate Fighting were all thrown around. But nothing really stuck.
The latter term of course, was adopted by the Ultimate Fighting Championship at UFC 1 in November 1993. The idea of that event was to identify the style of fighting which was most effective, by pitting multiple disciplines against one another. Fighters soon began to take the most effective elements of each style, “mixing” these martial arts together.
As it began to grow in popularity, pay-per-view broadcasters eventually settled on the name MMA for this new sport. So the UFC is just one particular organization underneath the MMA umbrella. Others include the ONE Championship, Bellator MMA and AMC Fight Nights. But the UFC is undoubtedly the biggest Mixed Martial Arts company in the world today.
Understanding UFC Betting Odds
If you really want to understand how UFC betting sites work, you’ll need to be able to understand the odds. These tell us a couple of important things. Firstly, we can calculate our exact returns when placing a bet, should we successfully predict the outcome. But UFC odds also tell us what the probability of those outcomes actually are.
Let’s take a look at an example of how UFC betting sites lay out their odds:
Mohammed Usman (+200) vs Zac Pauga (-240)
Whenever you see a negative (-) number, this tells us that the fighter is well fancied to win. The number is the theoretical stake needed to return a profit of exactly $100. So in the above illustration, a $240 bet on Pauga would show a profit of $100 if it were a success. That makes for total returns of $340.
On the other hand, odds with positive (+) are more commonly observed at UFC betting sites. These numbers tell us what our profit would be should we stake exactly $100. Taking the above example once more, a $100 bet on Usman would make a profit of $200. That means overall returns of $300, since the stake is always given back after a winning bet.
Different Odds Formats
In the above example, we have been dealing with US odds, sometimes referred to as American odds. And why not, since we are talking about the best UFC betting sites in the United States? But the UFC and MMA generally is extremely popular across the globe. So it’s entirely possible that you’ll encounter odds written in different formats.
In the UK, for example, the traditional way to present odds is as a fraction. Across Asia, there are several different ways to display betting odds. You can see some examples in the table below.
But the Europeans have nailed probably the best way to display the odds, with their decimal format. Simply multiply your stake by the odds to calculate your overall return. For instance, a $10 stake at odds of 2.75 makes for exactly $27.50 in returns. When calculating parlays, there’s no easier system than decimal odds.
How are UFC Odds Compiled?
Bookmakers have a team of odds compilers with expertise in multiple fields. They make use of statistical models to help set their lines. But ultimately, a knowledgeable human will make the final call about a UFC match up, determining the probability of each fighter winning.
After establishing the relative probabilities, these are then converted to odds. But not before an adjustment is made to build in the bookmaker’s mathematical edge. After all, betting sites need to turn a profit in order to stay in business. They do this by paying slightly less than the true probability of a result, marginally reducing their own losses when bettors win.
Once the initial moneyline has been priced up, UFC betting sites will then start taking bets. If these initial odds are incorrect, then bettors will naturally want to wager on the price which is deemed too big. As money floods in for one fight, the bookmaker will need to trim those odds and increase the other side of the line.
Popular Lines at UFC Betting Sites
The top UFC betting sites in the United States offer several different fight markets. Here are the most popular wagering opportunities in the MMA world.
Moneyline
Most bettors will have a view on the fight winner, even if they don’t feel strongly about any other aspect of the bout. As such, the moneyline is the most commonly played UFC betting market by far.
Parlays
Many punters like to try and pick the winner of several fights on a card. Rather than simply placing a series of individual moneyline bets, they will combine them into one big parlay bet. The appeal of such a wager is that all of the odds are multiplied together, making for a much bigger possible return if all of the picks win.
Method of Victory
As the name implies, this particular UFC market requires you to predict not only who will win the match, but how. Will they win on a points decision or by knockout? How about a disqualification? Because this is harder to guess, the odds tend to be greater than a standard moneyline wager.
Round Betting
Similarly, for bettors looking to generate bigger potential returns than from a moneyline bet, round betting is a popular choice. You are still trying to predict the winner of the fight, but you also need to specify exactly when the match will end. Some UFC betting sites offer a choice of individual rounds, while others band them together.
Total Rounds
Almost all sports have totals betting markets, and UFC is no different. The most popular involves the total number of rounds in the fight. This is essentially trying to guess how long the contest will run. If you think it’s going to last longer than the bookmaker’s theoretical line, bet on Over. If you think it’ll end sooner, go with Under.
Handicap
UFC fights adopt a similar points scoring system to boxing. So at the end of the bout, each fighter will have a total points score. Bookmakers will give the underdog a theoretical advantage before the fight begins, known as a handicap. Here you are trying to guess which fighter will rack up the most points after the application of the handicap score.
Our Top 5 UFC Betting Tips
Next up, it’s time to share our advice on improving your results when using UFC betting sites. Pay attention to the following tips and your bottom line is sure to look healthier in the long run.
Tip 1: Be price sensitive
No matter what sports you bet on, shopping around for the best odds is crucial. Why would you accept a price of +250 if another site was offering +300? It would be like paying $200 for a product on offer at $150 elsewhere!
UFC betting sites are no exception to this, so make sure to register multiple accounts at several different bookmakers. You can also use odds comparison websites to speed the process up, rather than manually checking each sportsbook.
Tip 2: Don’t place parlays
We know how tempting it is to place a parlay when you’ve identified several fighters who you fancy to win. By multiplying the odds, you’ll greatly increase your potential returns if all of them deliver .
However, you’re also multiplying the risk and the bookmaker’s juice. All it takes is for one of the fighters to lose and your entire bet is down. The parlay is the UFC betting site’s best friend.
Tip 3: Keep detailed records
If you’re going to make a success out of betting in the long term, you must do your own research. The key to beating the bookmakers is to bet when there is value. But you cannot know when they have made a mistake unless you are keeping your own data.
Pay attention to which fighting styles frequently come out of top, how often upsets take place and break everything down by category. Gender, weight division, position on the card. The more details you collect, the better you can analyze and draw conclusions.
Tip 4: Ignore “expert” pundits
With more televised sport than ever before, not to mention social media and the internet, there is a need for opinions. Websites, newspapers, radio stations and TV channels all need to produce content, and often at short notice.
As such, there’s a tendency for the pundits to talk nonsense. It’s great for generating clicks and selling their product. Just because someone has a connection to the world of UFC, it doesn’t necessarily mean they know what they are talking about. Or that they even believe what they’re saying.
Tip 5: Take your time
The rapid growth of UFC means that there are now more than 40 events annually. Most fighters are competing two or three times per year and there are so many contests to enjoy. So you don’t need to force a bet that isn’t in your favor.
If you’ve done the research and you’re not quite sure, walk away and just enjoy the fight. You don’t have to bet on everything. Be selective, find the right spots and trust your instincts. Don’t look to push a tiny edge if you can wait for a better bet in just a couple of weeks.
Interesting UFC Facts
The Ultimate Fighting Championship was founded in 1993. Under the leadership of Dana White, it has become a multi-billion dollar organization and the biggest MMA company on the planet.
UFC 1, held in November 1993 in Denver, Colorado, was won by Royce Gracie, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert. The only rules in those days were no eye gouging, no shots to the groin and no biting. Anything else was legal and the events quickly garnered a reputation for being extremely violent.
Although there were none in the beginning, today the UFC has 12 different weight divisions; four for women and eight for men. The organization abides by the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts.
UFC Records
Bonuses at UFC Betting Sites
With the proliferation of UFC betting sites out there today, companies have to fight for our dollars. That’s the reason you’ll see so many spectacular signup bonuses around. Not to mention ongoing promos for existing customers.
You’d be crazy not to take advantage of some of the incredible deals out there. Here is a little more detail on how the most common examples work.
Deposit Match Bonuses
Many online sports betting sites prefer the first time deposit match as their welcome offer for new players. When you fund your wallet for the first time after registering an account, the bookmaker will match that amount.
Often, they do much more than simply match it. It’s not uncommon to see deposit bonuses of 150%, 200% or even more.
UFC Free Bets
A free bet token is a popular alternative to the deposit match as a signup bonus. But equally, they are often provided to repeat bettors as a thank you for their loyalty.
How do they work? Instead of debiting your wallet when you strike a bet, the sportsbook foots the bill instead. If you lose, it obviously costs you nothing. But if you win, you can keep the profits. However, you won’t have the stake returned, since this was provided by the betting site.
Risk-Free UFC Bets
Unlike a proper free bet, the risk-free bet does need a real money bet to be placed. But there is a kind of insurance protecting it should the wager lose. This usually comes in the form of a consolation prize, often a free bet token of equal value to the bet.
Since you know that you’ll get your money back if you don’t win, risk-free bets allow you to be a little bold. You can shoot for a generous payout knowing that, should you lose, you can alway have a second try.
UFC Bet and Get
Several popular UFC betting sites like to offer “Bet and Get” deals. As you might be able to tell from the name, in order to “get” the bonus, you must place some real money bets.
The terms of the promotion will vary from site to site, so make sure you check them to avoid disappointment. However, it will often require you to bet several times, for instance, three wagers of $25 each. Then you’ll pick up a free bet token as a reward.
How To Start Betting on UFC
Having made it this far through our guide, we’ve probably whet your appetite to get involved and place some bets. But if you’re not sure how to begin, check out the following walkthrough.
1: Choose a reputable bookie
The majority of UFC betting sites are trustworthy, but sadly, there’s always one bad apple. Don’t worry though, by sticking to the trusted bookmakers named on this page, you’re guaranteed a safe and secure betting experience.
2: Open your new account
All of the top UFC betting sites these days pay attention to the user-experience and design of their product. They make the registration process as simple as possible and it shouldn’t take more than a few minutes before your new account is open.
3: Pick up a bonus
Each bookmaker handles this differently, so take care. Many will ask for a sports betting promo code on the registration form. But it could also be a choice that you make immediately after registration. Or a bonus code as a part of the next step, making your deposit.
4: Fund your betting wallet
There can be no UFC betting without real money being added to your new sportsbook account! Head off to the cashier page, choose your favorite payment option from the list and follow the instructions found on the screen.
5: Place a UFC bet
It’s honestly as simple as that. With a fully funded betting account, you’re all set to go. Browse through the sportsbook to find the UFC section and check out the bets on offer. Clicking on the odds will add that pick to your betslip. Enter a stake, confirm the bet and enjoy the fight!
Conclusion
Thank you for reading our guide to betting on the Ultimate Fighting Championship. We’ve tried to supply you with all of the tools you need to get started. Everything from explaining how the odds work, through to the most common markets and of course, the top UFC betting sites.
The only thing left to do now is get involved and place your first bets. Have fun and please remember to gamble responsibly.
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