Find out how to bet on the UFC online with our in-depth MMA betting guide. Check out how to place your MMA bets, on promotions including UFC, Bellator and Fight Nights Global.
More on How to bet on UFC
- Most Common UFC & MMA Bets
- Upcoming UFC Schedule
- How to watch UFC fights
- How to research MMA bets
- MMA Betting Strategies
- MMA Betting Do’s & Don’ts
- Best UFC Betting Apps
- UFC Weight Classes explained
- UFC Betting FAQs
The most popular UFC and MMA bets
All statistics cited below are correct as of January 3rd, 2024.
The Moneyline
A bet on who will win the fight. The sportsbooks give odds on either fighter to win, with one fighter as the favorite and the other as the underdog.
Occasionally, the odds will be very similar for two evenly matched opponents and this is known as a pick ‘em fight. A moneyline market on the UFC will look something like this:
| Fighter | 2-way Moneyline |
| Israel Adesanya | -300 |
| Robert Whittaker | +240 |
While only 1.7% of all UFC fights ever have resulted in a draw, there are still 3-way moneyline markets that include a draw as a possibility. If you fancy your chances, you can also back the draw as an outcome on a 3-way moneyline market like the example below.
| Fighter | 3-way Moneyline |
| Jared Cannonier | -170 |
| Derek Brunson | +140 |
| Draw | +8000 |
Over/under rounds
In UFC over/under betting, UFC betting sites will set a line on how long the fight will last, and it is up to you to decide if you think the contest will go longer or shorter than that line.
If a bout has an over/under of 1.5 rounds and the odds are -200 on the under and +275 on the over, that means the bettor would have to wager $200 to win $100 on the fight going less than 1.5 rounds or they would need to wager $100 to win $275 on the contest going more than 1.5 rounds.
An example of a UFC over/under market would look like this:
| Total Rounds | Odds |
| Over 3.5 | -175 |
| Under 3.5 | +125 |
Rounds in the UFC last five minutes, so since many over the markets are placed at lines which include half a round, there may be some confusion over whether or not you bet wins.
If you placed a bet on the fight to last over 2.5 rounds, and the fight is stopped three minutes into the third round, your bet will be a winner. However, if you bet on the fight to last over 2.5 rounds, if it is stopped one minute into the third round, then your bet will not win.
Props or proposition bets
Prop bets is a catch-all term for types of bets that are not directly related to moneyline betting. They are very popular among bettors as they offer different ways to bet on fights. Here are some types of UFC prop bets that you can discover on sportsbooks websites.
- How the fight will end
- Points Spread
- Fight to go the distance
- Players touching their gloves
The variety of other prop bets depends purely on the sportsbook. Some will offer a wide range, while others limit players only to certain ones.
Round Betting
Bettors are also able to wager on which round the fight will be won in, and by which fighter.
Often fighters may have impressive records at winning their bouts early, and you can back which round they will win the fight in. An example of a UFC fight round betting market will look like this:
| Round Betting | Israel Adesanya | Robert Whittaker |
| Round 1 | +650 | +1400 |
| Round 2 | +950 | +1700 |
| Round 3 | +1100 | +2100 |
| Round 4 | +1500 | +2600 |
| Round 5 | +2100 | +3100 |
UFC Method of Victory
You are betting on the specific outcome of the fight. A bout can end by decision (split, unanimous, majority), technical decision, draw, KO/TKO, or submission. These types of bets follow the same pattern as moneyline and round betting. Here are some examples of methods of victory odds for a UFC fight.
| Fight Outcome | Israel Adesanya | Robert Whittaker |
| By KO, TKO, DQ or Submission | +160 | +650 |
| By Decision or Technical Decision | +150 | +450 |
UFC Futures Markets
As with many sports, there are UFC bets that you can make for the long term. Futures betting refers to who will win certain weight categories title belts, and usually the odds on this line are pretty high.
You can predict the champion in each category as of the date selected by the bookmaker, with the most common being who will be UFC Champion at the end of the year. An example of a futures market would look something like this:
| To be UFC Welterweight Champion at end of year | Odds |
| Leon Edwards | -110 |
| Shavkat Rakhmonov | +125 |
| Belal Muhammad | +450 |
| Jack Della Maddalena | +800 |
| Ian Machado Garry | +1300 |
| Michael Page | +2000 |
Upcoming UFC Fights for July 2024
| Date | Event | Location |
| July 13 | UFC Fight Night: Barber vs. Namajunas | Ball Arena, Denver, CO |
| July 20 | UFC Fight Night: Lemos vs. Jandiroba | UFC APEX, Las Vegas, NV |
| July 27 | UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2 | Co-op Live, Manchester |
How to watch UFC fights
The UFC is shown all over the world, and the UFC will be broadcast on different providers for each country.
In the United States, the best place to watch UFC fighting and other MMA fighting is ESPN. In 2019, ESPN signed a lucrative contract with the UFC to bring even more fights from even more weight classes to viewers nationwide.
The biggest UFC fights will have to be purchased through ESPN+ pay per view. ESPN+ can be streamed through Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Smartphones, Xbox One and Playstation 5’s.
How to research MMA bets
As with any sports betting, it’s important to do some research before placing any bets. There are plenty of statistics and form websites where you can research fighters, previous fights, form and styles. We’ve picked out some of the best sites to help craft your UFC bets.
| Site | Content |
| ufcstats.com | Breakdown of fighter’s stats, methods of victory and rounds lasted. |
| sherdog.com | Complete UFC analysis site, with fan forums for discussions on upcoming fights. |
| actionnetwork.com/mma | Tips & Picks on UFC, with excellent betting offers available. |
| betmma.tips | MMA Betting tips & statistics, a huge database full of facts and figures. |
MMA Betting Strategies
Take the Younger Fighter
Experience and wisdom is key in many sports, but the explosive and fierce nature of younger fighters is showing in MMA. The younger fighter has won 62% of UFC fights since January 2020.
In the last eight years, the win percentages have been much higher for younger fighters in MMA than for older.
| Age | Win % |
| Under 25 | 61% |
| 25-30 | 59% |
| 31-35 | 51% |
| 36-40 | 46% |
| Over 40 | 42% |
While this table is very helpful, it must be said that it is less so when two fighters of similar ages meet. However, the following statistics are very key in picking your MMA bets.
- When fighters were five or more years apart, the younger fighter prevailed 61% of the time.
- When fighters were 10 or more years apart, the younger fighter won 64% of the time.
Over the course of time, it can be seen that backing the younger fighter could pay off. However, you must still pay attention to form, as there are older fighters out there who know how to win by fighting smart.
Late Replacements — better never than late
Many MMA fights go through late changes, and fighters pulling out is not uncommon. Late replacements refer to Fighters with less than one month’s preparation. In the history of the UFC, late replacements have lost 64% of all fights.
The average odds of every late replacement fighter in the UFC is +181, meaning that generally speaking, the late replacement is the underdog.
| Method of Victory | Late Replacement Win | Late Replacement Loss |
| KOs / TKOs | 10% | 22% |
| Submissions | 8% | 13% |
| Decisions | 18% | 30% |
Take the better striker
If there’s two fighters with close odds, back the better striker of the two. Striking stats take into account strikes landed per minute, striking accuracy and strikes absorbed per minute. The better striker has seen a 64% win rate in the UFC — a strong take.
As of February 2022, there have been a total of 546 UFC fights inside the octagon. Of these, 225 have ended by knockout, 138 by submission, 141 by unanimous decision, 31 by split decision, three by majority decision, and three by disqualification.
The highest number here being a knockout, of which a good striking performance is required in order to knock your opponent out. It’s key to pay attention to specific weight divisions, as some weight divisions will have a higher KO rate than others.
| Weight Division | UFC KO Rate |
| Lightweight | 25% |
| Welterweights | 33% |
| Middleweights | 37% |
| Light Heavyweights | 51% |
| Heavyweights | 61% |
MMA Betting Do’s & Don’ts
DO’s
Stay up to date with MMA news: There’s plenty of media attention surrounding MMA, meaning you’ll always be able to find out any news surrounding upcoming fights that may affect your UFC bets.
Take advantage of underdog opportunities: Whilst not easy to spot, there’s plenty of upsets in the UFC. Keep a look out for underdog opportunities, and make sure you capitalize.
Parlay your bets: Many fights will often have heavy favorites, and parlaying your bets is a great way to return bigger profit. You can combine legs to create one large bet, at increased odds. Parlay betting is available at most of the best online sportsbooks, and is a fantastic method of betting.
DON’TS
Bet with Emotion: it’s easy to become a fan of a certain fighter, but don’t always back them just because they’re your favorite.
Always back the favorite: MMA odds are very difficult to set. It is not uncommon to see favorites lose during major MMA events. Check out the underdogs, and look for opportunities.
Make bets based solely on their record: Whilst a winning record is a good measure of a fighter, it’s not everything. This fails to consider the opponent, the venue, and the training camp situation.
The best UFC betting apps
Betting on the UFC can also be done from mobile devices, with the best sportsbooks all offering fantastic mobile apps for you to wager on. The following apps are the best to bet on the UFC with:
| App | iOS | Android |
| Caesars | Yes | Yes |
| FanDuel | Yes | Yes |
| BetMGM | Yes | Yes |
| PointsBet | Yes | Yes |
UFC Weight Classes
Each UFC fight takes place in a specific weight class, against an opponent of similar weight. There are a number of different UFC weight classes that you will need to be aware of when you are starting to bet on UFC.
These weight classes are the same for both men and women. Here is a list of the current weight classes for the UFC:
| Weight Class | Minimum Weight | Maximum Weight |
| Strawweight | None | 115 lb (52.5 kg) |
| Flyweight | 115 lb (52 kg) | 125 lb (57 kg) |
| Bantamweight | 125 lb (57 kg) | 135 lb (61 kg) |
| Featherweight | 135 lb (61 kg) | 145 lb (66 kg) |
| Lightweight | 145 lb (66 kg) | 155 lb (70 kg) |
| Welterweight | 155 lb (70 kg) | 170 lb (77 kg) |
| Middleweight | 170 lb (77 kg) | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Light heavyweight | 185 lb (84 kg) | 205 lb (102 kg) |
| Heavyweight | 205 lb (93 kg) | 265 lb (120 kg) |
How to bet on MMA FAQs
Is it legal to bet on UFC fights?
Yes, it is completely legal to bet on UFC fights at licensed online sportsbooks. Like other sports, there are no restrictions on placing real money bets on UFC, as long as online sports betting is legal in your state.
Where can I bet on UFC/MMA?
You can bet on UFC/MMA at many of the best online sportsbooks. Check out the best online sports betting sites to place your UFC bets with.
Are there UFC prop bets?
Yes, there are UFC prop bets. Unlike moneyline betting, prop bets include how the fight will end (method of victory), which fighter will win which round and whether the bout will go the distance. Prop bets with UFC often have longer odds, meaning larger potential payouts.
How much can you make betting on MMA?
The money you make from betting on MMA depends on many factors. To give a simple answer to this question, the quality of selections and betting strategy are arguably the two most important factors.