UFC Events and Betting Odds

The UFC puts on anywhere between 39 and 42 events on average every year. With fights happening nearly every week, the reality is that the UFC owns the fight game. Now, there are some competing organizations like Bellator, ONE Championship, and the PFL.

Furthermore, the UFC looks to put on at least three massive cards every year. Usually, these cards take place in early July and at the end of December. Moreover, Mixed Martial Arts was legalized as a sport in New York in 2015. The UFC has brought massive fights to the famed Madison Square Garden Arena every November for years.

Best Sportsbooks for UFC Betting Odds

SportsbookPromo
DraftKings Sportsbook$50 free bet & 20% match up to $1,000
BetMGM Sportsbook$1,000 risk-free bet in most states
Caesars SportsbookFirst bet up to $1,250 on Caesars

UFC Betting Overview 

Nearly every sportsbook offers the opportunity to bet on women’s UFC fights. Most websites offer a variety of betting types aside from the typical moneyline bet. UFC online betting is particularly fun because of how quick in nature the sport is. One fighter can be winning an entire fight and then lose at a moment’s notice. Thus, it can be extremely difficult to truly predict the outcomes of the fights.

What to Look for in a UFC Betting Site 

It is very important to pick your UFC betting site wisely. The reason for this is quite simple: many sportsbooks give great odds for moneyline bets but bad odds for props. Others are the other way around: they give bettors great prop odds but terrible moneyline odds.

DraftKings Sportsbook typically offers rock-solid moneyline odds but is very leery about hanging big prop bets out there. PointsBet gives the best variety of bets but rarely has the best odds. FanDuel Sportsbook typically offers the best UFC odds across all departments. This includes round props, method of victory props, and moneyline bets. 

FanDuel has very solid UFC prop bets making this a strong option. Overall, it is important to find the app that is right for you as all of those offer great app quality with strong stability and promotions

How to Sign Up for a UFC Betting App

Whether you choose DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, or any other online sportsbook, the sign-up process is generally the same. The steps are listed below to sign up for a UFC betting app:

  1. Confirm that sports betting is legal in your state.
  2. Download the app for the sportsbook you wish to use.
  3. Create an account with your desired UFC betting app.
  4. Register for your sportsbook. Please note: Some sportsbooks will require a picture of your driver’s license and may even require an in-person registration depending on your state.
  5. Deposit money into the account.
  6. Begin placing your first UFC bet.
  7. You’re done — it’s that easy! 

Types of UFC Bets You Can Place

UFC Moneyline Bets

Betting on the moneyline in the UFC means that you are betting a fighter to win in any way. Regardless of whether the fighter wins by knockout, submission, or decision, your bet wins if you pick the correct winner. In this case, a draw usually means that the bet is voided.

UFC Parlay Betting

UFC parlay betting continues to gain in popularity despite its unpredictability. Many bettors will parlay big moneyline favorites to get a better price on them to win. Many sportsbooks promote UFC parlays because they are more profitable for the sportsbook. 

UFC Method of Recovery Bets

This is the best way to bet on the UFC. Favorites often win in the UFC. The best way to bet is to take a favorite’s most likely win condition and bet that. You can often get a favorite’s most likely win condition at plus money. This is a very wise and profitable way to bet on big-time UFC favorites.

UFC Round Props 

Each fight is either 3 or 5 rounds. Sportsbooks give users options to bet Over or Under 1.5 rounds or 2.5 rounds depending on the fight. Some fighters are known for working towards getting decision victories; others are not. This can be particularly fun when fighters are really going after each other early in the fights if you want to bet on under 1.5 rounds. 

UFC Time Props

This is a bit of a different type of bet. In this case, you can bet on a fight to start an individual round. For instance, the fight to start Round 2 will result in a yes or no answer. You can also bet on “Will the fight go to a decision?” which will also be a yes or no answer.

How Will a Fight End?

Similar to the time prop but slightly different. In this case, you can bet on either fighter to win via KO/TKO, submission, or points (decision). Regardless of who wins the fight, if you choose the correct method of victory, your bet wins. 

UFC Prop Bets

UFC prop bets go even further than just your standard method of victory bets. You can even bet on which round the fight will end and the method of victory. Below is a list of typically available UFC prop bets:

Method of Victory

Think your fighter is the superior striker? Bet on your fighter to win by a knockout! Think there is a clear grappling advantage? Submission could be a big opportunity if you want to bet on your fighter by submission. What about grinding out a victory? Tons of fighters can grind out decision victories. Feel free to check out all of these options! 

  • Fighter by KO
  • Fighter by submission
  • Fighter by decision
  • Round Betting

Are you ready for your favorite fighter to storm their opponent inside Round 1? Well, you can bet on that. Oftentimes you get these opportunities at big money odds. If the fighter wins by KO or submission in a round that you have bet on a round prop, your bet wins.

  • Fighter in Round 1
  • Fighter in Round 2
  • Fighter in Round 3
  • Fighter in Round 4 (if applicable)
  • Fighter in Round 5 (if applicable)

Method and Round Combo

Want to get even more specific? Do you think your fighter has such a striking or grappling advantage that they will storm their opponent inside a specific round? Well, look no further than here if you are ready for a big opportunity at big odds!

  • Fighter via KO/TKO in Round 1
  • Fighter via KO/TKO in Round 2
  • Fighter via KO/TKO in Round 3
  • Fighter via KO/TKO in Round 4
  • Fighter via KO/TKO in Round 5
  • Fighter via Submission in Round 1
  • Fighter via Submission in Round 2
  • Fighter via Submission in Round 3
  • Fighter via Submission in Round 4 (if applicable)
  • Fighter via Submission in Round 5 (if applicable)

UFC Live Betting

UFC live betting can be extremely fascinating and exciting. When betting on the UFC live, odds can swing very quickly. For instance, it is not uncommon for a fighter to be +100 before the start of the fight and -1000 after Round 1. Then, without a moment’s notice, that fighter can get knocked out. Anything is possible in the UFC so be sure to bet smart when betting on fights.

Almost every sportsbook allows for live betting on the UFC. Sportsbooks’ reactions to the crazy swings in fights are fascinating to see at different events. Whether it is a takedown, head kick, or submission attempt, expect the odds to change instantly. 

UFC Betting for the Belt

Title fights in the UFC are always 5-round fights instead of the normal 3-round fights. When betting on UFC championship fights, expect a high-level chess match as these fights are high-risk, high-reward fights. A UFC champion stands to make significantly more money than they do as a contender.

Many times there is a feeling-out process between the fighters and other times they are attempting to put in a highlight reel KO. To correctly predict these types of outcomes, it is important to look at past results, the stylistic matchup, and the build-up going into the fight. 

Women’s UFC Rankings

Pound-for-Pound

  1. Amanda Nunes (22-5-0)
  2. Valentina Shevchenko (23-3-0)
  3. Zhang Weili (23-3-0)

Strawweight 

Champion: Zhang Weili (23-3-0)

  1. Carla Esparza (19-7-0)
  2. Rose Namajunas (11-5-0)
  3. Amanda Lemos (13-2-1)

Flyweight

Champion: Valentina Shevchenko (23-3-0)

  1. Manon Fiorot (10-1-0)
  2. Talia Santos (19-2-0)
  3. Katlyn Chookagian (18-5-0)

Bantamweight

Champion: Amanda Nunes (22-5-0)

  1. Juliana Pena (11-5-0)
  2. Ketlen Vieira (13-2-0)
  3. Holly Holm (14-6-0)

Featherweight

Champion: Amanda Nunes (22-5-0)

UFC Betting FAQs

Is betting on the UFC legal in the US?

Yes! The UFC became legalized in every state across the country when New York began allowing events in 2016. Since then, every state that has legal sports betting allows users to bet on the UFC.

Where can I bet on the UFC?

You can bet on the UFC at any legal sportsbook. The UFC prop bets that are offered vary. But most legal sportsbooks at least offer moneyline-type bets. 

How old do I need to be to bet on UFC fights?

In order to bet on the UFC, you must be 21 years or older.

Do all legal online sports betting apps offer UFC betting lines?

Yes. All legal sports betting apps offer UFC betting lines. 

Are UFC betting apps safe to use?

Yes. Any UFC betting app that legally allows for betting is safe for use.

How do I find the best UFC betting picks?

You can find the best UFC betting picks on the SheBettor website. This is where we give a full analysis of each UFC PPV card for bettors to find the best value. Hint: never lay big money on moneyline favorites.

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