MMA Odds and Betting Lines
For successful gamblers, the MMA odds they are placing their bets on are of utmost importance. For someone new to gambling, the first big step is knowing how to read and understand MMA and UFC odds and betting lines.
Nowadays, with so many MMA betting sites available, it is easy to find where to place your bets. Finding the best odds, however, is much trickier. Stick to the rest of this guide and find out everything you need to know about UFC and MMA odds and how to use them to maximize your winnings.
The Basics of MMA Odds and Bets
Understanding how to read odds is a crucial step to becoming a successful sports bettor. Odds are displayed in a variety of different formats, but all are easy to understand. The three primary display types include American odds, decimal odds and fractional odds. The majority of odds you'll see in legal and regulated online sportsbooks in Canada will be decimal odds. You can always switch between the different types of betting odds from the settings menu on your gambling site.
Reading MMA Betting Lines
The bookmaker sets the odds and determines the favorite and underdog fighters for the match. Decimal odds are shown as one number, which is the amount a winning bet would collect on a $1 bet, including the money you risked. Unlike with American odds, where the favorite is represented by the minus sign (-), while the underdog is represented by the plus sign (+), here it is the number.
Lets take Claudio Silva vs. Nicolas Dalby on an UFC Fight Night, for example. Bets that are offered for this fight will look like this:
- Claudio Silva 3.00
- Nicolas Dalby 1.40
Even if you don't know who these fighters are, you will see at first glance who is the favorite to win in this match by just looking at the betting line.
How are winnings calculated
Calculating your potential winnings is easy and all that is required is simple math. Multiply the amount you bet with the odds given by the sportsbook. The amount you will get is the total payout, which includes your initial bet. Deducting your initial bet from that number will give you the net profit earned.
If you decide to back the favorite in our example, and place a $20 bet on Dalby, you would potentially win $8. 20 x 1.4 – 20 = $8
If you bet that same amount on Silva, however, you could potentially win $40. 20 x 3 – 20 = $40.
Important things to consider when Betting on MMA in Canada
Nearly every popular sport is available on all of Canada's top sports betting apps, and MMA bets are no exception. The federal ban on single-game sports betting in Canada was officially lifted in 2021. Provincial governments still have to determine who is authorized to offer sports betting.
Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has already approved 26 sportsbooks, This makes Ontario the best province to live in if you want to bet on MMA.
Canadians living in Nunavut and several other territories and provinces, however, still experience betting limitations. Without any retail sportsbooks or online sports betting options, bettors are limited to in-person wagers at select retail outlets. For gamblers there offshore sportsbooks remain the best alternative to place their online MMA bets.
Types of bets you can find
MMA is a sport that offers many different types of bets. Even thought moneyline is the most popular bet, exploring the other options is always a good idea. In most matches one fighter is the heavy favorite and betting on him to win does not offer great return.
Moneyline
MMA moneyline betting simply means that you are betting on who you believe is going to win the fight. Draws are extremely rare in MMA which makes moneylines the perfect way to bet on the outcome of an MMA fight. To win a MMA moneyline bet, the fighter that you bet on needs to win the fight.
Spreads
Handicap betting is not very popular among MMA gamblers. The sportsbooks offer odds where points are given or taken away from a fighter before the fight start. The point spreads are typically (-3.5) or (+3.5) for a 3 round fight and (-5.5) and (+5.5) for a 5 round fight. Important to note that if either fighter wins by DQ, KO or TKO, that fighter wins the handicap regardless of the scoring at the time of the stoppage.
Totals
Totals or Over/Under is one of the easiest ways to bet on MMA. The sportsbook will set a line and you will be betting on the fight going over or under that offered number of rounds. The totals offered for our Dalby vs. Silva fight look like this:
Prop bets
Prop betting is a popular form of MMA gambling, very different from the standard bet on the fight winner. The most common MMA prop betting options you are likely to come across are on how a fight will end. This includes odds on whether a fight will end via knockout, submission, or decision. There are also combinations of 2 props like method + round and these offer some huge opportunities to win big.
Future bets
Major MMA promotions are giving out fight awards. Such awards include Performance of the Night, Fight of the Night, Title fights and others, depending on the event. Sportsbooks will offer you to bet on who you think is going to win these awards. Place your bet on the fight or fighter you think is going to win.
Parlays
A parlay is made up of two or more bets in the same wager. This type of betting is very attractive. Decimal odds are multiplied together, resulting in a huge potential payout. MMA parlay bets are difficult to win, however. All it takes is one of the bets in the parlay to lose, for the entire parlay to be a loss.
How to use MMA data on Oddspedia to increase your chances of success
Every gambler knows how important odds are. The higher the odds, the bigger the payout.
A sportsbook makes money setting the odds so that it will generate a profit over the long term. The profit margin percentage depends on the sportsbook and type of bet. Furthermore betting lines move as a result of bets being placed. For these reasons the odds found on one gambling site are different than those found on another. Oddspedia will greatly reduce the time and effort needed to find the best odds for the UFC fights you want to bet on.
Compare odds for higher bet payouts
When making your MMA bet, ideally you want to compare the odds different sportsbooks provide for that fight. The higher the odds you bet on, the bigger the payout from your winning bets. As mentioned earlier, the odds for betting on Nicolas Dalby are 1.40. This means that if you bet $100 on him to win the fight, you could potentially win $40. Upon visiting the MMA section on Oddspedia, however, we see another betting site has that fight with much better odds and if you chose to place that same bet there, you would be winning $48 instead.
Get the best MMA lines and odds for Today
Oddspedia compares the odds from more than 80 reliable sportsbooks and shows you where to find the best odds for the fight you have selected. These are refresh in real time which guarantees you will be always seeing the best possible odds.
Track betting lines movement
Depending on how people are betting on the fights, the odds will shift from the moment they open up right until the start of the fight. Any news about a fighter like a possible injury, for example, will also change the lines. One powerful tool Oddspedia provides is a graph where you can track the odds' movement throughout the time period that bets have been up. You can see the odds at which the bets were opened.
Check Oddspedia's Betting Guides
The format of MMA works great for betting, and with Oddspedia you will learn how to get the most out of your bets. There are bets available for the different outcomes of a fight, with multiple markets available for what can happen in the ring. On Oddspedia.com you may find detailed beginners guide to MMA, as well as the popular betting strategies. You will get detailed information on strategies like Kelly criterion, Fibonacci system, Martingale and many more.
Find the Best MMA Sportsbooks
There are many MMA betting sites available to Canadian gamblers. Choosing the best is a serious task. You would want a reliable sportsbook with extensive coverage of MMA events. Bonuses and promotions are also important because they present opportunities for additional winnings.
By comparing the odds at Oddspedia, you can easily spot those sites that offer the best UFC betting odds and this is arguably the most important criteria when choosing a sportsbook and sportsbook bonuses. Additionally Oddspedia provides you with reviews on each of the sportsbooks available in Canada. Below you will find reviews of MMA betting bookmakers and their bonuses:
| Sportsbook review | Sportsbook promo code |
| Stake.com review | Stake.com promo code |
| Fezbet review | Fezbet promo code |
| Tonybet review | Tonybet promo code |
| Powbet review | Powbet promo code |
| Bet365 review | Bet365 promo code |
Bettors from Ontario we also did not leave out and made separate rankings with Ontario betting sites and reliable Ontario betting apps that comply with local laws.
FAQ
What are moneylines?
Moneyline is the most basic type of wager you can make on a fight's outcome. It is a bet on which fighter is going to win. If your selected fighter wins, you win.
Which are the best MMA markets to bet on?
Moneyline is the most popular market when betting on MMA. This is a great betting option for beginners, as it is easier to just pick winners. The payouts are usually minimal so experienced gamblers prefer round and prop betting markets as they usually give better payout.
Are there MMA markets I should avoid?
You should avoid making your parlay bets too long. Adding multiple underdogs on one bet slip will also significantly decrease your chances of having a successful parlay.
What does +200 moneyline mean?
Money line odds are popular in the United States. The underdog will have a positive (+) sign. The number 200 is the amount you could win with a $100 bet. If you were to place a bet of $100 on a fighter with odds at +200, you would win $200 for that play.
Which bookie has the best odds for MMA?
Because of other people who have placed their bets before you, odds will be different on the different MMA betting sites. When using Oddspedia, you will always find the bookie that is offering the best odds for MMA. Some of the sportsbooks offering the best odds are Bet365, Bovada and BetMGM.
How does Oddspedia's odds comparison work?
Oddspedia compares the odds from more than 80 reliable sportsbooks and presents you with the best possible odds for the fight you want to bet on. Simply choose MMA in the sports menu and pick an event.
Is there a betting strategy I can use for betting on MMA?
There are plenty of MMA betting strategies you could use in your games. Find what works for you, determine what you’re good at and focus your efforts there.
