Mma betting can be fun and profitable, but it requires careful research and understanding the oddsmakers and the public. Oddsmakers are often influenced by public perception and may adjust the lines to balance the amount of money on both sides. A few simple strategies can help you make better decisions and increase your chances of winning.
Look at fighters’ records against similar opponents. A lot of fight fans like to do what’s called MMA math when they compare two fighters. They look at the record of a given fighter and note that their opponent lost to someone else that their current foe defeated. That can mislead bettors and divert attention away from studying fight film and handicapping styles.
Unlike football, where you place a bet on a team to win a game, there are a number of MMA betting markets. Money line bets are the most common, but you can also place a wager on Over/Under Rounds, Method of Victory and other types of prop bets. Some sportsbooks even offer in-fight betting, which allows you to make a wager on specific rounds during a live fight.
It’s important to pay close attention to a fighter’s training camp and their health. It’s not uncommon for a fighter to pick up a minor injury during their fight camp that could have an impact on their performance. If you notice that a fighter is injured it might be best to avoid placing a bet on them.
Another thing to consider when making a bet is how much a fighter will be able to take in the first couple of rounds. If a fighter is known for fighting aggressively, they might try to score early knockouts. This could be a problem for a more passive opponent that prefers to craft victories over the course of several rounds.
You should also keep an eye on a fighter’s weight. If they’re close to missing their weight class, that can leave them drained and weakened in the opening rounds of a fight. In addition, some fighters will try to bulk up before a weigh-in and can have an unfair advantage over smaller opponents.
Finally, it’s important to understand how judges score a fight and be aware of what a split decision means. A split decision is when two judges score a fight in favor of one fighter and the third judge scores it in favor of the other. A majority decision is when two judges score a fight for the same fighter. In either case, the winner of a split decision or a majority decision will be declared the victor by a 2-1 margin. If a judge scores the fight 3-2 in favor of one fighter, it will be a majority draw and will require a rematch. Similarly, if a judge scores the fight 3-1 in favor of the same fighter it will be a split draw and will not require a rematch.
