Betting on MMA is a fast growing sport that is attracting big money at the betting windows. The simplest wager is on which fighter will win the fight straight up, but more advanced bettors try to predict how the fight will end. These types of bets are known as method of victory and can be placed on knockout, submission, or judge decisions. Some bookmakers also offer a over/under rounds bet that predicts how many rounds the fight will last.
To make the most profitable bets, you need to understand how the odds for a particular match are set. There are a variety of factors that go into creating a fighter’s win probability, including the fighter’s experience, style and strategy, physical attributes, and divisional ranking. You should take the time to compare these factors against each other to determine whether a fighter’s given odds represent value.
When making a bet, you need to look beyond the hype that is pumped into a fighter’s name by the UFC or other sportsbooks. A fighter’s win record does not necessarily mean that they will win every fight, as one lucky punch can change a favorite’s chance of winning. This is what makes MMA different from betting on team sports like baseball or basketball, and it is one of the reasons that MMA betting can be so profitable and risky at the same time.
A MMA match is usually divided into multiple rounds, with each round lasting five minutes. This means that the total number of rounds in a bout is often much higher than in traditional boxing matches, and this is why over/under bets are popular for MMA matches. The Over/Under total is a bet on the expected number of rounds in a fight, and the vig or juice charged by the sportsbook is calculated on the total amount of money that will be bet on the Over/Under.
To place an Over/Under bet, you must know how long each round will last and what type of fighting the two opponents use. For example, an aggressive fighter may try to score early knockouts while a more defensive fighter will attempt to gain advantages by fighting smart. In order to make an informed over/under bet, you should also pay attention to a fighter’s previous experience in the octagon and their training habits.
Besides Over/Under Rounds, other popular MMA bets include Method of Victory and Over/Under KO/TKO bets. These bets are made on specific methods of victory and can be placed at online sportsbooks that offer MMA betting. For instance, you can bet on Karl Williams to win by submission in the second round of his fight against Chase Sherman. You can also bet on which fighter will finish the fight in the first or second round, and some online sportsbooks offer a DRAW bet that lets you place a bet on a draw. The payout for this bet is much higher than if you place a bet on which fighter will win the fight.