Sandra Adelia Harper
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February 5, 2020
Sandra Adelia Harper
Sandra Kelly
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February 5, 2020
Sandra is at the helm of new ZealandCasinos content creation. With more than five years of experience in the field of iGaming, working in the development and design of games, she is in charge of evaluating the sites that we recommend on the platform and writing the most detailed game guides that you will find in English. He is also a dedicated fan of casino games and is always learning something new about them.
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The best MMA sites in New Zealand

Looking for the best MMA betting site? Then you've come to the right place! At New ZealandCasinos, our team has been evaluating betting sites and online casinos that accept New Zealand players.

From the main menu of our site, you can go to the Reviews tab to see all the sites reviewed so far. We are continually evaluating new sites and brands.

Below, check out our picks of MMA betting sites. We have separated 6 sites that we know offer a great experience for your Sports Betting. You can read our review of each of them by clicking on the names.

  • Betsson
  • Sportingbet
  • Conqueror
  • Cosmo
  • Bet90
  • Yukon Gold


How we choose the best MMA betting sites

Our team of Sports Betting Experts does not recommend any site, no. We have criteria and are quite strict about what we recommend to our readers.

The New ZealandCasinos platform aims to be a website that specializes in sports betting and casino games, providing New Zealand bettors with relevant, up-to-date and unbiased information on the subject. The content you see on the site has been independently produced so you have access to manuals, information and everything you need to have a 100% safe gaming experience!

Due to New Zealand legislation, which still prohibits gambling in the country, it is common for players to be confused about the legality of online betting . We recommend caution when choosing where to bet, but we guarantee that there are reliable options to bet online, which can yield profits and a lot of fun.

As for our evaluations, they start from the player's perspective (after all, our team also bets on these sites), evaluating and testing each site and giving a final grade to the experience we had. All casinos and sites recommended here are previously evaluated by our team. We care about your safety and want you to have the best chances of winning on your bets. Read a little more about how we identify them MMA betting sites reliable below.


How to identify trusted sites

We do extensive research on online betting sites to be able to consider them safe, or not, to New Zealand players. Our reviews bring you all the information you need to better compare the sites and decide where to put your time and money. All the reviews we have written address the following factors in detail:

  • Licensing and auditing;
  • Security of user information;
  • Online reputation, i.e. site user reviews;
  • Gaming and betting Software;
  • Types and quantity of games;
  • User service and communication channels;
  • Bonuses and promotions available;
  • Speed, design and information;
  • Loyalty program and other advantages.

It is through these factors that we determine the reliability of a casino. If a website, for example, works without an official license from a regulatory body, we do not recommend it on our website.

At the end of the review, we rated the site from 1 to 5 stars. The final result is the average of the score for each of the factors listed above.


About MMA

You may already know the sport, but it's always good to learn a little more. When it comes to sports betting, knowledge is power.

MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) is a combat sport that mixes several different fighting styles and strategies. It has grown enormously in popularity since the 90s, and major events are organized all over the world to host the biggest championships.


Brief History of sport

The birth of MMA as a competitive sport began in New Zealand, with the events of vale tudo and then Japanese-style wrestling events. MMA achieved popularity in the United States in the 1980s, with what became known as the Super Fighter Series.

In 1993 the sport saw its major milestone as this was the year The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was created. The UFC saw a rapid rise in popularity, mostly thanks to Royce Gracie winning the first tournament by finishing 3 fighters in a matter of 5 minutes.

Over the next few years, the sport had ups and downs. Its violent nature has also served to alienate many people. Even then, MMA has gradually become one of the most popular sports around the world.

In addition to being incredibly exciting for the viewer, it can also be very profitable, if you know how to bet. If you enjoy the sport and are good at predicting the winners and the direction of fights, you can make a lot of money betting on MMA.


What is the difference between MMA and UFC?

Many people confuse MMA with the UFC, and this is normal. We are here to answer that question.

The UFC is the premier organization / event within the sport that is mixed martial arts. That is, MMA is the sport and the UFC is just an event within this sport. Well, it is the largest and most prestigious MMA event in the world. For fighters, the UFC stage is where everyone wants to get to.

In 2011, the UFC signed a deal with Fox Sports Network, officially putting the organization and the sport on the map. Currently, the UFC organizes its main events in a numbered form (UFC 210, for example). But it also holds smaller events, called UFC Fight Nights.


Fighting styles

To place bets on MMA, it is important that you familiarize yourself with the different fighting styles and strategies used by athletes. In practice, mixed martial arts is a combination of various influences. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Boxing
  • Muay Thai
  • Kickboxing
  • Jiu Jitsu
  • Judô
  • Wrestling
  • Karatê
  • Taekwondo
  • Capoeira

When learning how to bet on MMA, knowledge about the strengths and weaknesses of each style can help bettors win a advantage over bookmakers .

Other more basic factors to consider when betting on MMA are a fighter's win-loss record and their ranking status. With MMA still growing as a mainstream sport, statistical or strategic research remains a powerful tool for betting.

After studying and already feeling confident about your knowledge in the sport, you can analyze more detailed statistics, which can be found on the official UFC website or on Official MMA websites.


Sport rules

The first step in learning how to bet on MMA is to understand the rules of the sport. A mixed martial arts fight involves 5-minute rounds. Most matches last 3 rounds, while title fights (or special dispensation fights) last 5. The results are similar to boxing, with one exception – submission.

While fighters can be knocked out, disqualified, win by TKO (a referee stop) or by points, they can also take the fight to the floor. This is where fighters use various methods to force their opponent into submission. An opponent can do this by touching the ground when he thinks there is no way out of the current situation.

To allow more room for fighting and kicking, MMA takes place inside an octagon or “cage” instead of a ring. Just like in boxing, professional fights are divided into men's and women's categories, covering various weight classes. The divisions depend on the organization in question. As we talked about above, by far the biggest currently is the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship).


How to place bets on MMA

Just as in the football , in boxing and other sports, there are several different bets you can place on a single MMA fight. Everyone knows that you can bet on who will win the fight, but many people are not aware of the other options available on betting sites.

It is possible to bet on things like when the fight will end, whether certain blows and/or events will happen in the fight, the judge's scores, and much more.


Types of bets and markets

The next step in learning how to bet on MMA is to understand what markets are available. The main markets are 3: Moneyline, number of rounds, and over/under.

Moneyline

Just like moneyline betting on football or basketball, MMA moneyline simply refers to who will win the match. You choose the fighter and make a direct bet on him.

Number of rounds (match round)

The total rounds market involves betting on whether a fight will last more or less than a certain amount of rounds. The bookmaker will set a number for how many rounds the fight can last (for example, 2.5). Due to the small number of rounds in MMA, this can often mean deciding whether a fight will last long or not.

Over / Under

You may have heard of Over/Under bets before, as they are possible in many sports. Here the principle is the same. In a basketball game, for example, you would normally bet if the number of points scored by the two teams was higher or lower than a certain amount.

That would be the same for football and most other sports. Combat sports, like MMA, are a little different. There are actually no points or things like that that you can add up to, but you are really betting on the duration of the fight. Yes, we know there are points awarded for winning spins, but they don't work with this type of BET.

In MMA, you are betting on how long the fight lasts. The easiest way to understand this would be an example. See an example of an Over/Under bet:

Donald Cerrone vs Conor McGregor | 2.5 rounds

If you bet on the under, you would win only if the fight ended before the 2.5 minute mark of the second round. If you bet on the over, you would win if the fight ended after the 2.5 minute mark of the second round. See how simple it is?

It doesn't matter who wins the fight or how they win. In this type of bet, all that matters is when it ends. This creates more opportunity to make predictions of how a fight will unfold. Have you ever watched a fight and thought “this is not going to last long, with these two monsters"? So, that's exactly it. Now you can bet without worrying about who will knock out the opponent.

Bet on winning method

In most fights it will also be possible to bet on how it will end. This means betting on the method of victory, that is, whether the victory is made by knockout, by the choice of the judge, and so on.




How to calculate odds

Odds are essential in any type of online sports bet. They are the ones that determine your profit, always based on the amount you intend to bet. The odds are set by the bookmaker and are calculated through several factors, so they are different in each bookmaker. It is common for some sites to offer better odds than others, and this is also an item we take into consideration during our reviews of sports betting sites .

There are 3 different ways the odds can be presented. They are decimal, fractional, and American. In New Zealand, we usually go for decimal, which is also the easiest to understand. On all sports betting sites, it is possible to change in the settings the type of odds you see in the betting menu.

  • Decimal: 1.10
  • Fractional: 1/10
  • American (US): +1000

Here we will explain only the decimal odds, but you can read about the other two types in our guide on how to place sports bets online .

How do decimal odds work? To calculate the return on a given bet, you must multiply the amount you want to bet by the decimal number. For example, if you place a $ 10 bet at odds of 2.00, multiply 10 x 2.00 to calculate the possible profit. This would result in $ 20 return. If your initial bet was $ 10 and you received $ 20, that means $ 10 profit.

Quite easier than it sounds, isn't it?

In general, high odds mean that the probability that the fighter will win is lower. Since low odds mean that the probability that the fighter will win are higher. Therefore, high odds represent a higher profit, even if risky, while low odds represent a lower profit, but safer.


Live betting

To live betting they have been available in various sports for a few years, but are still little explored by most bettors. Usually because they are harder to predict.

In addition, most do not know how to place a live bet precisely because they do not understand its particularities. A live MMA bet means that the bet will be placed while the fight is taking place. Usually, those who make this type of Bet are following the fight on TV or some other live broadcast. If you are not going to follow it, there is not much point in making a live bet.

In MMA, live betting is even harder to predict because the rounds are short. That is, there is not much scope for thinking and weighing factors. But precisely because of this they are also more profitable.

The golden tip here is to be prepared before the match, knowing the fighters and their strengths and weaknesses. So, in the course of the rounds, you can assess how they are doing and place your bet on what is most likely to happen.

Live betting opens up a few different markets than pre-fight betting. You can bet, for example, on who will win the next round.



MMA betting tips online

Pay attention to the odds. They fluctuate a lot in MMA and take into account not only the dollar (NZD) odds of the fight, but also how bettors are betting. That is, if hundreds of bets are placed on a fighter, the odds will change to reflect the preference of the bettors.
But don't be a Mary-go-with-the-others. The tendency of the public is not to bet with the head, but with the heart. It is possible to find great odds and high profit chances precisely because of this.
Learn about the different fighting styles employed by MMA fighters and how they develop and use them in fights. It is important to understand in which forms of martial arts a fighter excels, and in which they do not matter so much. The most important thing is to know how this style will be compatible with that of the opponent and which one will be more effective. When you can gather this information effectively, your predictions and choices will be immensely easier, and your accuracy will increase.
If you do your part to understand the sport and think hard before placing a bet, it is possible to profit a lot with little risk. To sports betting they don't have to be a game of chance, just take them seriously. There are several professional gamblers who are dedicated exclusively to them.
Knowing how to lose is also part of the fun. It is not always that you will win the bets, even with strategies and predictions. MMA is still a fairly unpredictable sport, with fighters losing and winning fights all the time.
To be a successful MMA bettor, focus less on what you want to happen, and more on what you believe will happen. Train your eyes to find bets with the highest possible profits, even when the odds are not in your favor.
Place as many bets as you can to train. It is by practicing that one learns. If your budget is small, prefer to place smaller bets on a larger number of fights.

Biggest MMA Events and leagues in New Zealand and the world

There are a number of MMA organisations, leagues and championships in New Zealand and around the world that you can follow. The UFC is the best known because it is broadcast on TV. But the sport does not end there. Check out below other event options that you can follow.



UFC

As we mentioned, the UFC is the largest and most prestigious MMA organization at the moment. It is so well known that it is often confused with the sport itself. Created in 1993 as a professional mixed martial arts organization, it revolutionized the fighting industry and today stands out as a global brand. UFC events take place all year round and you can follow the fight schedule on the official website.



Bellator

After the UFC, it is the largest MMA organization in the world. Created in 2008 and based in the United States, in New Zealand it is possible to follow the fights online. Betting sites that cover the UFC usually cover Bellator as well, which means you'll be able to bet on the fights.



WSOF / PFL

The PFL (Professional Fighters League), formerly known as WSOF (World Series of Fighting), is the third largest MMA organization. It also has its headquarters in the United States and was established in 2012. In New Zealand, the events have been broadcast by Interactive Sport. The rules are similar to those used in the UFC, but one of the main differences is due to the ring, which has 10 sides instead of 8.



CBA/ACA

Founded in Russia in 2014, ACA (Absolute Championship Akhmat), formerly known as ACB (Absolute Championship Berkut), is the most prestigious MMA organization in Europe. In New Zealand, it is possible to find broadcasts of the fights online.



NGF

FNG (Fight Nights Global) is a Russian MMA organization and famous for creating some of the best fighters in the sport. Having organized its first events in 2010 in Moscow, today FNG organizes events all over the world.



Features and information

So that you always stay informed, we have separated below a list of sites that speak exclusively of MMA. Stay on top of the events, the fights and the fighters!

  • UFC.com.br (official website)
  • MMA Premium
  • Last Round
  • Knockout at the net
  • Super Fights
  • Combat Sport Globe
  • Tatame-The Fighter's magazine
  • MMA New Zealand (unofficial)
  • Portal Vale Tudo



Frequently Asked Questions


If you are looking for the best MMA betting sites, check out our selection at the top of the page. We chose the 6 sites that performed best in our evaluation. Choosing one of these, you can't go wrong! Also check out our list of best bookmakers of 2020 .

Each bookmaker determines their own odds, so they are not equal. In addition, they also depend on the bets placed by bettors. If there is a favorite fighter for the fight and bettors are betting en masse on him, the odds will reflect that.

We left a list of informative MMA sites above. By accessing any of them, it is possible to stay on top of the world of sports. If you want to secure yourself in your next bets, access them all!

Several factors determine a safe and reliable casino. Here at New ZealandCasinos, we evaluate and rank the sites according to various aspects that are important to New Zealand players, such as security, user experience, payment methods, bonuses offered, online reputation, user service, among others.

By researching and analyzing all these factors, we are able to determine if a website is safe, or if it is dishonest. However, the primary factor in determining the reliability of a casino is licensing. You can check out our site reviews at any time to learn more about how we conduct them.


Good bets!

Betting on MMA online can be fun and profitable as long as you know what you're doing! This guide is just the beginning of your Sports Betting journey. We hope that you now have a better understanding of the strategies needed to place more accurate bets, and that you take advantage of the best sportsbooks to place your bets.

We also hope you'll come back whenever you have any questions to see what our experts are saying about the world of online MMA betting. Good bets!


Joseph Kelly Law Firm New Zealandcasinos Joseph Kelly Law Firm New ZealandCasinos
Joseph Kelly Law Firm New Zealandcasinos
Joseph Kelly
Joseph Kelly
Legal
(New Zealand lawyer, 36 years experience)
Joseph Kelly Law Firm New ZealandCasinos
Legal
Read and approved: July 23
Updated: July 23
Joseph Kelly is the legal advisor of the creativegiants.co.nz the content of the website has been reviewed and is in accordance with current New Zealand legislation.
The informative and educational content of this portal complies with New Zealand legislation.
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