The UFC is one of the fastest growing sports in the 21st century. And it has come a long way from its beginning in the 1990s to here. Without a shadow of a doubt, the organization, which today is a global brand, has become the flagship of mixed martial arts (MMA) around the world.
But there are many facets of the UFC that fans of the sports betting they don't know yet. Betting on a match on the weekend is different from being a frequent bettor, who knows what he is doing and is not going in the direction of others ' guess.
In this guide, the team at New ZealandCasinos has put together everything you need to know to get started betting on UFC Events. Here, you will get to know the history of the sport, the rules of the events, the types of bets and markets offered, learn to read the odds and see our selection of the best UFC betting sites.
Once you have finished reading, you will already know how to bet on the UFC and will be able to make your own predictions of upcoming events. Enjoy without moderation!
The 6 best sites to place UFC bets online
If you are still looking for the best bookmakers to bet on UFC Events, look no further!
Below, we have selected the 6 best sites to place your UFC bets. All of them have been evaluated by our team and are recommended for New Zealand players.
To read our reviews of each, just click on the site name. And don't forget to take advantage of the welcome bonuses available !
- Betsson
- Sportingbet
- Conqueror
- Cosmo
- Bet90
- Yukon Gold
Criteria we use to choose the best websites
The team at New ZealandCasinos is made up of experts and lovers of sports betting and casino games.
Our platform is packed with useful (and unbiased!) about online betting in New Zealand. Navigating through the main menu, you will find the Reviews tab, where all the casinos and bookmakers that we have already reviewed are gathered.
It is important for us to be transparent about the criteria we use in these assessments. That is why we explain our process in detail in the article How to identify a reliable Casino . There you will find all our criteria and what we expect from a betting site. Some of the factors we look at are the reputation and track record of the company, the reputation among players, the bonuses and promotions available, the place where the company was licensed, among others.
It is worth mentioning that we are quite strict about the sites we recommend to our readers, and we do not promote any that are not 100% safe and reliable. So you can rely on our lists of best sites and, whenever you want, contact us if you have any problems.
How to identify trusted sites
To give you an idea of everything we consider in our reviews, see below for the full list of factors we researched on each site before recommending it on our page:
- 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.
Through this list and what we find, we can determine the safety and reliability of a casino. At the end of each review, we rate the site from 1 to 5 stars (none of which have reached 5 stars yet!).
About UFC
The UFC is the largest and most popular mixed martial arts (MMA) organization in the world. With 12 or more fights per event, it offers fans many opportunities to bet on the sport, mainly because there are several ways to bet on each fight.
That's why learning the fundamentals of UFC betting and the sport itself (MMA) will be crucial to becoming a successful bettor. Below, see a brief history of how it grew to become what we know today. On the official website of the brand you can find more information about the organization.
A brief history of the UFC
When we talk about UFC, we also need to talk about MMA. Mixed martial arts is a contact combat sport that allows for a wide variety of fighting techniques and skills. They mix various combat sports such as boxing, jiu jitsu and muay thai. The rules allow the use of blows both standing and on the floor. Art makes it possible for athletes from different backgrounds to participate in the same competition.
The UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) was created as an MMA organization in 1993. He was born precisely from the popularity of free fights of that time. Their initial goal was to find the” Ultimate Fighting Champion " by organizing a one-night tournament with the best athletes from various martial arts disciplines, including karate, jiu jitsu, boxing, kickboxing, grappling, wrestling, sumo and other combat sports. The winner of the tournament would be crowned the champion.
Today, nearly 30 years later, the organization has grown to be broadcast in more than 165 countries and territories in 40 different languages.
In addition, over time, a strict framework of rules was consolidated, consisting of the unified rules of MMA, and its own rules of events. For example, the UFC has a special mat (ring).
In 1993, UFC events were the first to feature the eight-sided competition setup, which became known worldwide as the UFC Octagon®, or the Octagon. Around it, a plastic-coated fence eliminates the chance of athletes falling out of the Octagon, as can happen in a traditional ring.
What is the difference between UFC and MMA?
If you also confuse the UFC with MMA, or if you thought they were the same thing, calm down! This is a normal confusion. See below the definitions of UFC and MMA to never confuse them again:
MMA (Mixed Martial Arts)
They are the sport called mixed martial arts, which incorporate different types of fights. There are several MMA Events and organizations around the world, the UFC being the largest of them.
UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship)
It is the main organization/event within the sport that is mixed martial arts. The UFC was largely responsible for the popularization of MMA, and therefore the terms generate confusion.
Rule
The UFC establishes fighting categories, which are defined by the weight of the athletes. The organization has set a weight table for women and men, and this is how fighters fall into a certain category. In each of them, the belts will be disputed.
Although they follow the rules of MMA, UFC fighters have the freedom to fight as they please. They can be specialists in boxing, wrestling, karate, jiu-jitsu or a combination of these and other disciplines. They can fight as they please, as long as they avoid certain prohibited movements (such as bites and groin attacks).
Wrestlers agree to wrestle and meet at specific events (mostly in the United States). These can be major UFC numerical events, such as UFC 230, but can also be special UFC Fight Night nights, which take place around the world.
In a fight, athletes will compete for a set number of rounds, usually 3 or 5 in the case of championship fights. They fight in the Octagon and the goal is to win by one of these ways:
- Knockout : A wrestler knocks his opponent unconscious through any legal attack.
- Submission : The wrestler clearly hits the mat, conceding a defeat by submission.
- TKO : The referee decides that the fighter can no longer continue.
- Judge's decision : Points are scored in each round, and if the fight is getting too long, the judges decide the winner.
- Surrender : A wrestler intentionally walks out of the match.
- Disqualification : An illegal move leads to the wrestler being disqualified.
- No Contest : The fighter cannot continue the fight as a result of an unintentional illegal move.
How to bet on the UFC
Now that you know the rules of the sport, let's get down to business: it's time to learn about the online betting . It doesn't matter if you are a newbie to the subject or if you are already a frequent bettor of another sport. Here we start with the basics, so there is no doubt.
Below you can find the types of UFC bets you will find, how to read the odds of UFC fights and even some details about live betting.
UFC betting types
The next step is to understand what markets are available. If you already bet on any other sport, you know that there are different types of bets (markets) for each modality. However, similarities can be found between combat sports such as boxing.
It is noteworthy that the moneyline (the single bet on the outcome of the fight) for the main event of the biggest UFC fights is usually available on betting sites months in advance. More specific bets, such as the number of rounds, are usually placed a week or two before the event. Still, in the bulk of bookmakers you can also bet live, in the course of the fight.
It is also important to remember that you are not limited to making only one type of bet on a fight. It is possible to place several different types of bets, one independent of the other.
We then go to the main markets, which are 4: Moneyline (single bet), number of rounds, proposition bets and over/under (Over/Under).
Moneyline
This is the simplest bet you can make on a fight. Either you bet that fighter A will win the match, or you bet that fighter B will win. Although they are quite simple to make, they are not simple bets to predict, as mixed martial arts is a rather unpredictable sport. It is not uncommon for the favorite to win a fight to lose.
Number of rounds (match round)
In this type of market, you bet on how many rounds the fight will have. To decide, one should analyze the opponents and compare them. If both are on the same level, it may be that the fight is longer. If the fight is a little lopsided, with a favorite side to win, it may be that the fight is shorter.
Proposition
We call proposition bets all random UFC bets that do not fall into the other categories. In this type of bet, usually something is proposed, and you bet on whether it will happen or not.
For example, you can bet on which fighter will deliver more blows. This bet does not directly affect the outcome of the fight, and it does not matter who comes out the winner. If you bet that fighter A will give more blows, and he really gives 10 more than Fighter B, but Fighter B knocks down fighter A with a direct blow, you still win the bet!
The most popular proposition bet in the UFC is the win method bet. Victory bets are bets on how the fight will end. For example, if you think that the fight will end by knockout, you can bet on it. Usually, victory bets are tied to one fighter, so you bet that this particular fighter will win by knockout.
Since predicting the exact way to end a fight is much more challenging, the profits are higher. Expect to get paid well if you land one of these win bets, especially if it's tied to a particular fighter.
Over / Under
This type of betting is very common in sports that use points, or even goals. Surely you've heard of them before.
In the UFC, the principle of over/under betting is the same. In a football match, for example, you would normally bet if the number of goals scored by the two teams was higher or lower than a certain amount.
Since in the UFC there are no points that you can add up, you bet on the duration of the fight. For example, in a given fight there may be an over/under market with 3 rounds. You bet if you think the fight will last more or less than 3 rounds. It's quite simple.
Again, here it does not matter who wins the fight or how it ends. In this type of bet, all that matters is when it ends.
Odds explained
Knowing how to read and understand the odds is vital before you decide to bet on UFC fights. They are present in any type of online sports bet, and work the same for everyone, reflecting the odds of the event in question.
They are the ones that determine your profit, always based on the amount you intend to bet. Good odds, for example, are those that offer the greatest potential profit on the favorite fighter to win.
The odds are set by the bookmaker and calculated through various factors, so they are different in each bookmaker. In addition, they are also influenced by the bets of bettors. This means that as a fighter Gains Preference over his opponent, the odds change to reflect this.
You will see them in one of 3 forms: decimal, fractional and American. In New Zealand, we usually opt for decimal, which is also the easiest to understand. In best sports betting sites , it is possible to change in the Settings how you want to see the odds.
- Decimal: 1.10
- Fractional: 1/10
- American (US): +1000
Here we will give an example of how to calculate Profit using decimal odds as a reference.
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.
Easier than it sounds, isn't it?
In general, high odds (3.00) mean that the probability that the fighter will win is lower. Low odds (1.30) mean that the probability that the fighter will win are higher. Therefore, high odds represent a higher profit, but riskier, while low odds represent a lower profit, but safer.
UFC live betting
If you still don't know the live betting , or the live betting , is wasting time. They are the latest novelty that has shaken up the world of online sports betting. Today, they are already available in most sports, but no less exploited because they require a little more technique and attention.
A UFC live bet means that the bet will be placed while the fight is taking place. That is, if you want to make live bets, you will have to make them during the fight, preferably when you are already following the broadcast on TV or online.
In the UFC, live betting is quite difficult to predict because the rounds are short, for a few minutes. With little time to evaluate the performance of the fighters, there is not much room to think and decide. You need to be fast – and use a fast betting site too.
Precisely because they are more complicated, they are also more profitable. The tip that is worth gold here is to prepare before the fight, knowing the fighters and their strengths and weaknesses. That way, over the course of the rounds, you can gauge how they're doing and place your bet on what's most likely to happen.
Strategies to win in UFC betting
Now that you know how UFC odds work, let's focus on a few aspects that can help our overall betting strategy. Pay attention to the following topics:
- The best strategy when betting on UFC online is to learn the basics of sports betting and increase your knowledge of fighters and mixed martial arts.
- In UFC rematches, the winner of the first contest wins the rematch approximately 68% of the time. Of the 28 title fights that have had an immediate rematch, 19 times the winner of the initial fight has won the second as well. When analyzing rematches, it is also important to look at the time between fights and how fighters have progressed or regressed.
- Is betting too early a good thing? Usually, UFC betting odds for fights between big names in the sport are released shortly after the fights are made official. Bet lines for a full UFC card are released in full at the beginning of Fight Week. One of the advantages of betting in advance is to take advantage of possible errors in the initial odds. If bookmakers do not have complete information about a fighter, the odds may be in favor of the bettor. Another advantage is that the odds can be better before the action starts to emerge over the competitors. Some disadvantages of advance betting include potential injuries to a fighter, a bad weight cut, the market making the odds more favorable, and the lack of complete information on strategies and matchups.
UFC fights-Events Calendar
To see the full picture of upcoming events in New Zealand and around the world, check out the brand's official page. Going to the Events tab, you check out all the fights already released, including where it will take place, how to buy tickets and where to watch.
The best fighters
The UFC has brought dozens of fighters to fame. New Zealand is not missing from this list. In 2016, the organization itself made a ranking of the best fighters in a list that includes representatives of all weight categories.
Check out the UFC's biggest names below, and note that the first name on the list is New Zealand Anderson Silva. Paulista leads the ranking with 33 wins and only 4 losses.
- Anderson Silva
- Jon Jones
- Georges St-Pierre
- Jose Aldo
- Benson Henderson
- Cain Velasquez
- Dominick Cruz
- Demetrious Johnson
- Frankie Edgar
- Dan Henderson
However, instead of talking only about those most famous, What are the athletes of the moment, those for you to keep an eye on?
According to the official UFC Channel, American Curtis Blaydes is the knockout of the new generation of fighters, with 9 victories by knockout. New Zealand Rafael dos Anjos is the complete fighter, with 4 wins by knockout and 10 by submission. And finally, there's American Michael Chiesa, who is a versatile finisher with 11 submission wins.
FAQ
Usually fights take place on weekends. The highest impact fights are usually on Saturday night, to maximize worldwide viewership as well as sell out the stadium. Occasionally events may be held on Friday or Sunday, but Saturday is the main night.
Most of the major events take place in the United States and Canada, but there are UFC specials throughout the year in Europe, Asia and South America. The main UFC Events (the numbered ones) take place approximately every six weeks. These clashes will have the biggest disputes, with fighters fighting for the most coveted titles in the sport.
Check out at the beginning of this article our list of the 6 best UFC betting sites online. All of them have been evaluated by our team and are recommended for New Zealand bettors.
On the official UFC website, you can see a full schedule of upcoming fights, as well as information on where to watch the broadcasts.
Good fight!
We hope we have answered all your questions regarding UFC betting. Without a doubt, learning to bet on a new sport is challenging, but it can become very rewarding. The thrill of winning a bet really is overwhelming.
If you're a UFC fan and want to cash in on your hunches, the time is now! Place your UFC bets online on any of the sites we recommend.
The informative and educational content of this portal complies with New Zealand legislation.