Mma betting is a popular way to wager on MMA fights. It requires extensive research on the fighters, their strengths and weaknesses. It is also important to understand the fighting styles of each fighter and how they relate to each other. While many bettors try to do what is known as “MMA math,” which is comparing a fighter’s record against their opponent, this can often mislead bettors and take the focus away from handicapping style and studying fight film.
A bet on a fighter to win a match will generally have negative odds, while a bet on an underdog will have positive odds. These odds can vary based on the amount of juice (the percentage of bets taken by the sportsbook) that is applied to each bet. This can make the difference between winning and losing a bet.
The most basic bet is a moneyline bet, where you choose which fighter will win the fight. This bet does not factor in the number of rounds or method of victory, and it is a good place to start for beginners. However, it is important to remember that the plus and minus system will apply to this bet as well. Favorites are expected to win and will offer a lower payout, while underdogs will have higher risk and therefore a higher reward.
Several MMA sportsbooks offer Over/Under bets on how many rounds the fight will last. This is an easy bet to make and can be a fun addition to your MMA betting experience. For a more nuanced bet, you can even place a bet on the specific round in which the fight will end. This type of bet can be very lucrative as the payouts are much higher than for simple over/under bets.
Mma betting also offers prop bets, which are additional bets that can add some variety to your betting strategy. These bets are offered on different statistics, such as strikes landed and absorbed, and can give you a more in-depth understanding of the fighters. Some of these bets can be very profitable, especially if you are able to spot patterns and trends.
Another popular prop bet is the Method of Victory bet, which involves predicting how the fight will end, whether it will be by knockout, technical knockout, submission, or by a decision. These bets require a deeper understanding of the fighters’ styles and can be very lucrative, but it is important to set a budget and stick to it. If you don’t have a budget, you may want to consider placing a parlay bet, which combines several bets into one unit for a larger payout.