MMA betting is becoming more popular as the sport continues to grow and legal sports gambling becomes more available. Despite the many different ways to bet on MMA, the most common bet types include moneyline/match bets on who will win a fight, over/under bets on how many rounds a fight will last, and parlays. Regardless of which bet type you choose to place, there are certain things you should keep in mind when making your MMA betting predictions.
One of the most important factors to consider when analyzing a matchup is the fighters’ styles. Having technical insight into a fighter’s fighting style will help you see past the hype and make smarter bets. This will also allow you to analyze a fight more thoroughly and find any hidden weaknesses that an opponent might exploit.
Another important factor to consider when analyzing a matchup are the fighters’ recent performance histories. In particular, look for any glaring holes in a fighter’s resume. For example, if a fighter has lost to a lower level competitor, it is likely that they will struggle against a similar opponent again. Likewise, if a fighter has won most of their matches by submission or knockout, it is likely that they will do the same again.
In addition to analyzing a fight’s history, it is also important to consider the current state of a fighter’s health. Especially in MMA, a slight injury can have a major impact on a fighter’s performance. If a fighter is coming off of an injury, it is often best to avoid placing bets on them until they have fully recovered.
A third factor to consider when analyzing a fight is how the fight was decided. In MMA, the most common methods of victory are inside the distance (ITD), submission, and knockout. Depending on the matchup, style of the fighters, and the number of rounds scheduled, oddsmakers will set different odds for each method of victory.
It’s also worth noting that a KO or TKO is generally considered a winning bet, while a split decision or majority decision is a losing bet. While this may seem like an obvious point, it’s a crucial aspect to consider when making a bet.
Finally, it’s important to remember that MMA is a very volatile sport. A single lucky punch can completely change a favorite’s chances of winning a fight. In addition, a fighter can put on a poor performance for 4 rounds but then sneak a KO in the 5th. These factors create a high level of variance in the betting market, which makes MMA betting more difficult than other team sports such as basketball or baseball.