MMA betting is an interesting and fun way to wager on fights, but it can also be risky. Whether you’re placing a bet on the winner of a specific round, the method of victory or the total number of rounds, it’s important to understand the rules of the game and how to make smart decisions.
One of the biggest mistakes people make when betting on mma is not knowing the rules of the game. The first thing to understand is that in MMA, each round is five minutes long, and the fight ends when one fighter scores ten points on two of three judges’ scorecards. In case of a draw, your money is returned to you.
Another mistake people make when betting on mma is being influenced by emotions and not analyzing the fights carefully. Gambling should be seen as a form of entertainment, and it’s important to set a budget and stick to it. A wise strategy is to be selective with your wagers and focus on the ones you’ve done the most research on.
Mma odds are typically presented as money lines, which indicate the payout associated with betting on each side of a bet. A favorite will be indicated by a minus sign (-) while an underdog will have a plus sign (+). Understanding the basics of odds can help you determine how much you can win on a bet, and this will also allow you to see when the price is too good to pass up.
Prop bets, parlays (accumulators) and over/under bets are common MMA betting types. The over/under bet is based on the expected number of rounds in a fight, and oddsmakers will often set an Over/Under number depending on how likely they believe it is that the number of rounds will be reached or exceeded.
The MMA odds are also often affected by public perception and the amount of money that is being bet on both sides of a wager. Sportsbooks try to balance the amount of money bet on each side of a wager, but this can sometimes create opportunities for bettors who are able to read the odds and understand how public perception influences them.
Mma betting is often more complex than other types of gambling, and it requires the bettor to have a thorough knowledge of the sport, its history and the fighting styles of the fighters involved. Researching the fighters’ strengths, weaknesses and recent performance will give you an edge over the oddsmakers. Consider the fighters’ stances as well — for example, a southpaw fighter may have an advantage against an orthodox opponent.