UFC Odds and Betting Lines Today

By Betting.com | Sponsored Content

November 17, 2021 at 4:58 p.m.

There is a certain sport that is building up a ton of attention and momentum in the sports betting world, and that is MMA. Mixed martial arts is a combat sport, but the violence and unpredictability is one of the main reasons that it has become so popular.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has sort of taken over this sport, and it’s hard to miss the rapid growth. This article will introduce you to the UFC and MMA, specifically when it comes to choosing UFC betting picks, odds and spreads.

The UFC is the top league or organization when it comes to the sport of MMA, but it’s not the only option. UFC fight nights draw plenty of attention, but you can also find MMA odds and spreads throughout the week as well.

UFC betting odds work differently than the other sports that you have probably spent time wagering on. If you are planning on betting on the UFC or other forms of MMA then you have to know what these odds and betting lines mean.

Here is our list of recommended bookies that are famous for their UFC odds coverage:

T&C Apply, you must be at least 21 years old, please read all terms on the sportsbook site.

Hopefully, you’ll be able to stay awake while reading all of this information, but feel free to take some breaks if needed. If you’re ready to begin then buckle those chinstraps up and let’s get going.

How to Read UFC and MMA odds

If you are someone that already has a good handle on reading betting odds then feel free to skim over this section. If reading betting odds has always been a mystery to you then you’ll really want to focus on what you are about to read.

UFC and MMA odds work in the same way as odds with other sports, and here in Colorado, you are going to see American style odds being used. Other countries use fractional or decimal odds most of the time, but we simply stick to whole numbers.

Each type of UFC or MMA bet will have slightly different odds, or at least the odds will mean different things. As long as you know a couple of basic things then you should be able to figure the rest out.

American odds use a (+) or (-) sign to indicate which fighter is considered the betting favorite. Fighters that have a (-) before the odds are the favorites and a (+) sign is used for an underdog.

American odds also tell you how much the potential payout will be in relation to $100. You don’t have to throw a $100 bill down for each bet, but it’s the easiest way to know what the odds mean.

As we take a closer look at moneyline and over/under lines all of this will start to make more sense. This might seem like an impossible thing to learn, but it’s really pretty simple once you get the hang of it.

So now that you have a better understanding of how to read these odds, what are you supposed to do with them?

Why is it Important to Compare UFC odds

Comparing UFC odds is the first thing you should do before you decide which of the top Colorado sportsbooks you are going to use. You’ll likely be surprised to find so much variation in the odds, especially on some of the more unique UFC betting markets.

The biggest reason that you should compare UFC odds is because it can save you money in the long run. Betting on a line of -115 as opposed to -105 is a big difference depending on how much you are planning on throwing down.

Hopefully, you aren’t one of the lazy bettors that just take whatever line your favorite betting site is offering. You need to be a bargain shopper when it comes to UFC odds and that should determine what sportsbook you are going to use.

Here is our selection of sportsbooks with extensive coverage on both betting markets and odds:

T&C Apply, you must be at least 21 years old, please read all terms on the sportsbook site.

UFC betting lines

UFC fights are usually announced weeks in advance, but betting apps won’t waste any time in getting the UFC betting lines and odds out. The opening lines are likely going to change leading up to the event, but you’re free to wager as soon as you see the lines.

The two most common betting lines you will see for UFC fights are moneyline or over/under. There are other options available as well, but that’s usually what bettors tend to focus on.

You already know that these betting lines will show you which fighter is the favorite in the fight, and you can figure out how much money you will win as well. If you see a betting line being offered for a market that you don’t know about then it might be best to sit that one out.

Alright, you think you’re ready to learn more about over/under and moneyline UFC betting?

UFC over/under Lines

Over/under is a common term used in the sports betting industry, but it usually refers to the total number of points scored. While there are points when it comes to the UFC, that’s not what you are going to be wagering on with this type of bet.

Instead of betting on how many total points will be scored, you’re actually going to bet on how many rounds a fight will go. Before we go any further, there are just five rounds in the UFC, so there isn’t a ton of leeway here.

It can be common for sportsbooks to set the over/under at 4.5, which would seem like taking the under is the right move. If you aren’t familiar with the UFC then you’ll be surprised to know that many fights go all five rounds. Usually the UFC betting odds will be higher for the over 4.5 option.

Let’s use an over/under set at 2.5 rounds for this example. Here is what you would see at the BetRivers:

Connor McGregor vs Khabib Nurmagomedov

Over 2.5 Rounds -110
Under 2.5 Rounds -110

The first thing that you should note is that the potential payout is the same for each side of this wager. Since the total payout would be the same then you don’t have to worry about factoring that in.

If this fight would go at least three rounds then the over would be the right pick. A fight that lasts two rounds or less would make the under be the right play.

This might be a common UFC bet to make, but it’s not the easiest.

UFC Moneyline odds

UFC moneyline odds are the first odds that you are going to find, and these are clearly the easiest to understand. Moneyline odds are available for every single sport, and it is what you will see mentioned after the name of each fighter in a bout.

The reason that moneyline odds are the easiest to understand is that they tell you how much the potential payout will be. It’s also the easiest bet to make because all you are doing is simply picking the winner of the fight.

Let’s use the same two fighters as above with imaginary odds from BetMGM for this example:

Khabib Nurmagomedov -180
Connor McGregor +160

Khabib is clearly the favorite in this particular matchup judging by the odds, which means that the potential payout is much smaller. It would take a bet of $180 to win $100 in return.

McGregor is an underdog and a $100 bet on him would net a return of $160. There is clearly more value when looking for an upset, but that isn’t always the best strategy to use.

If you want something a bit more challenging or interesting, you still have some other options to look at.

UFC Prop odds

If you aren’t interested in betting on which fighter will win the fight then there are still some options available to you. Prop betting has made its way to the UFC as well, and this can add some fun to betting on a UFC fight.

Prop betting odds are going to be all over the board, and this is where you really need to shop around and find the best odds. Each sportsbook will do things differently and have different markets when it comes to UFC props.

Here are some examples of some possible prop bets available at Betway that might see for UFC fights:

Will Connor McGregor break a leg during the fight?
Will Stipe Miocic be knocked down before the third round?
Will any fighter announce his retirement during the post-fight interview?

UFC Parlay odds

If you want to be in complete control of the UFC odds then you need to take a look at parlay betting. Creating a parlay involves adding at least three bets to one single wager, which does add some extra risk as well.

The reason for making a UFC parlay bet is because there is a chance that you could have a huge payout. You had better do some research if you are going to put together a UFC parlay, because even one loss will ruin the entire wager.

UFC odds This Week

The UFC continues to do a great job of putting together a loaded fight card seemingly every week, but that doesn’t mean that there are title fights in every class. Title fights always draw the most attention, but each weight class has a long list of up and coming contenders.

You will find UFC odds each week for all weight classes that are set to have an important bout. Be sure to watch the UFC odds each week to see if the odds are moving and try to figure out why that is.

MMA Welterweight odds

Kamaru Usman is the current welterweight champion, but this is a class loaded with some top competitors.

Here are the odds to hold the welterweight title belt at the end of 2021:

Kamaru Usman +125
Colby Covington +300
Gilbert Burns +600
Khamzat Chimaev +650

MMA Light Heavyweight odds

Glover Teixeira is the current light heavyweight champion in UFC, and this is a weight class that doesn’t always have a ton of fights. UFC 267 was the most recent title fight, but you should keep an eye on the odds for the next time a fight takes place.

MMA Bantamweight odds

The bantamweight division of UFC has had a champion since March 2021 and Aljamain Sterling currently has the belt. This weight class doesn’t always draw a ton of attention at the major events, but there will be odds available when title fights take place.

MMA Lightweight odds

This is where things get a bit confusing and that is sometimes a common theme in MMA. There are currently two players that lay claim to the lightweight champion, but one is currently “retired.”

Khabib Nurmagomedov retired in 2021 with a perfect record and he obviously held the lightweight belt at that time. Since Nurmagomedov gave up his belt when he retired, Charles Oliviera has stepped into that role.

MMA Heavyweight odds

Francis Ngannou is the current MMA heavyweight champion after defeating Stipe Miocic in March 2021. This weight class obviously features the biggest fighters and it also features some violent clashes.

Conclusion

If you spend time on a sportsbook app then you simply can’t ignore all of the UFC betting lines and odds that are thrown in your face. You might have stayed away from these bets in the past, but you now should have the knowledge and confidence to make some wagers.

The best UFC fights usually take place late at night on a Saturday, and it’s a perfect chance to wrap up a long day of wagering. Be sure to shop around and do a UFC odds comparison before you decide which bet you want to pursue.

Even if you can’t stomach the violence and blood that usually comes with a UFC fight, you should still explore the available betting options. The UFC and MMA in general is only going to get more popular, and you might as well win some money on the sport.

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