MMA betting is a form of wagering on individual fights and the overall winner of a given event. This type of wagering can be fun and lucrative if you understand how to read the odds, research fighters, and manage your bankroll. MMA betting offers a wide variety of bets, from picking the outright winner to placing over/under bets on how long a fight will last or the method of victory. However, it is important to avoid some common MMA betting mistakes in order to maximize your payouts.
One of the most common MMA betting mistakes is placing bets based on emotion or gut instinct. It’s easy to become a fan of certain fighters, but it’s essential to always place your bets based on your research and knowledge of the sport. Many amateur bettors make the mistake of betting on the fighters they like, which often results in losing bets. This is why it’s important to keep track of your wins and losses.
Odds for mma fights are displayed in moneyline format, where the odds of a favorite fighter are shown by a minus sign and the underdog’s by a plus sign. These odds represent the payout that you can receive for a winning wager, with a higher number indicating a greater probability of winning. The most profitable MMA bets are those placed on underdogs, but this requires extensive research to find the best underdogs.
Another way to increase your payouts on MMA bets is by placing prop bets, which are specialized bets that focus on specific aspects of a fight. These bets are offered by the majority of online sportsbooks and can range from simple wagers on how long a fight will last to more complex bets such as predicting which fighter will win via a submission. Prop bets offer great payout potential but can also be very risky, so it’s important to only place them when they make sense.
MMA bettors should also pay attention to a fighter’s record inside of their weight class and how they fared against similar opponents. It’s a good idea to look into how a fighter trains for their fights and whether or not they have had any issues making weight for their matchups. Fighters that are close to missing their weight cuts may be forced to eat sparingly and starve themselves in order to make the weigh-in, which can lead to fatigue in the later rounds of the fight. This can give their opponent an edge if the fight goes the distance.