“McGregor VS Poirier” by UFC is licensed under CC BY 3.0
Mixed Martial Arts has never been as popular as it is today, and that’s thanks to the success of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The global MMA promotion headed by Dana White boasts some of the greatest names the sport has to offer and gave Irishman Conor McGregor a platform to showcase his talents and become a sporting sensation.
UFC cards take place in major cities worldwide, from Las Vegas to New York, Glasgow to London. Each event is sold out, with millions more watching the action live on television through pay-per-view. There’s no doubt UFC is hot, and it’s only getting hotter as the success of fighters like McGregor and Khabib inspire the next generation.
When watching the biggest bouts on television, fight fans also love to place bets on the outcome. The leading UFC betting sites offer a list of attractive markets, promotions and odds. In this article, we explain how you can beat the bookies and make a profit by betting on UFC after the bout has started.
Traders love to give us options
When a bout is shown live on TV or through a live streaming site, it often catches traders’ attention at the biggest and best online sports betting apps. Traders love to get in early and offer their views on who the favourite should be and how the fight might play out. Members can place their gambles before the opening bell and hope to and profit from the bout. Using their knowledge to earn cash while watching live MMA is a perfect scenario for a follower of UFC. The leading sportsbooks ensure we are never short of markets to bet on.
You can keep it simple and gamble on the fighter you think will win the bout. This is an easy and popular way to gamble on UFC. If you back Fighter A at the odds and they win, you land the profits promised by that wager. If Fighter B is victorious, however, you lose your stake to the bookie.
Other famous betting markets on MMA include the method of victory, total rounds over/under 2.5 and exact winning round. The method of victory option is well used in the industry as it gives backers a shot at a decent price and works well when there is a hot favourite in a clash. With this market, you are gambling on the fighter you expect to win but also predicting how they will achieve it – on points, submission or KO.
Shrewd bettors take advantage of in-play markets
The majority of bets placed on UFC are done before the bout begins, but a growing number of shrewd gamblers are beginning to see the benefit of waiting. Biding their time and increasing their chances of landing a profit from the fight. They do this by taking advantage of the betting in-play options.
When gambling on UFC, you’ll notice a list of pre-bout markets, including those mentioned above. Many of these options remain live and available to bet on throughout the contest. That’s known as in-play betting. For example, you can bet on the winner of the fight before round one or at any time during the contest. A gamble is just as exciting and just as possible going into the final round minute of the fight as it was a week before the start.
With in-play betting, odds are updated to reflect the flow of the fight. For example, you’ll see the odds of a favourite shorten if they make a fast start and quickly assert their dominance over their opponent. In-play betting works best when you are watching the clash live on TV at home with a reliable Wi-Fi connection.
Pay close attention
The more attention you pay to a fight, the better your chances of beating the bookies. Watch the action closely and keep on the lookout for any signs, hints or clues. If a fighter suffers an early injury, as McGregor did against Justin Poirier, act swiftly and back the opponent to win by knockout. If a fighter is looking fatigued, place a bet on the under rounds.
Perhaps an underdog has started well and in the fight of their life. Back the upset win before the traders notice it. When betting in-play, you are involved in a race with the bookies to spot bets worth having and get your stake down before the market suspends, or the odds change. Give in-play betting a try on the next big fight night.
