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MMA Betting: Key Points

Attitudes toward MMA fights vary. Some believe it’s not a sport but rather a show that promotes cruelty and violence (since it has almost no rules). Others, however, are convinced that it is a tough but legitimate sport. Regardless, the popularity of betting on MMA fights is growing, and soon, betting on Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) may rival the popularity of betting on professional boxing. For those interested in this growing trend, MMA sports betting online is becoming a popular way to engage with the sport.

Getting to Know MMA

Mixed Martial Arts didn’t get its name by accident. It’s a real fight between two fighters that combines traditional boxing (punching the opponent's body and head), kickboxing (striking with fists and kicks), and wrestling (with popular moves like grabs, throws, chokes, and submissions).

Without prior experience in betting on boxing or wrestling, a beginner bettor will find it difficult to understand the logic behind MMA betting. Though, let’s be honest, it won’t be easy for those who are experienced in boxing betting either. While the logic is similar to boxing betting in many ways, MMA has its own unique elements that one must get a feel for through small bets before diving into serious betting.

As in professional boxing, MMA has several organizations that host their own tournaments, such as UFC, Bellator, One FC, and others. The most prestigious are the fights organized under the UFC banner.

MMA Rules

The alternative name for Mixed Martial Arts is “no rules” fighting. But that’s not entirely true. While MMA allows for a lot of “freedom,” there are clearly defined rules, and violations can lead to fighters losing their match or even being disqualified for extended periods.

MMA fights do not take place in traditional square boxing rings; they occur inside an octagonal cage ("octagon") with a diameter of 9 meters (distance between opposite sides) and 2 meters in height.

Depending on the fight's status, it can consist of:

  • 5 rounds – for title fights (championship bouts) and some exhibition matches;

  • 3 rounds – for ranking fights.

Each round lasts for 5 minutes.

If the fight goes the full distance, the winner is determined by the fighters' points (the scoring system is quite complex, and we don’t want to overload you with this detail).

An early victory can be awarded if:

  • A fighter's team throws in the towel;

  • A fighter refuses to continue the fight – does not return to the octagon after the break or taps out during the fight;

  • Knockout – after a punch, a fighter is deemed unable to continue the fight after a 10-count;

  • Technical Knockout – the referee stops the fight due to a clear advantage of one fighter, to prevent further health damage to the other;

  • Disqualification – one fighter is disqualified for a major rules violation (e.g., repeated low blows, elbow strikes to the head, and several other violations).

For most ranking fights, bookmakers like Favorit offer a limited set of betting markets, such as the outcome of the fight or total rounds. However, for title and exhibition fights, a broader selection of markets is available.

Exploring the Full List of Betting Markets at Favorit

Fight Outcome

Given that draws are very rare in MMA, many bookmakers, including Favorit, do not offer odds for a draw. They only provide odds for a winner. This is one of the key “traps” in MMA betting – if the fight ends in a draw, all bets on the winner lose, and the bookmaker keeps 100% of the stakes.

Total Rounds

This is quite simple and straightforward. One thing to keep in mind is the round length. For example, the "Over 1.5 rounds" bet will lose if the fight is stopped in the first half of the second round.

In Which Round the Fight Will End

Here, it doesn’t matter what specific minute of the round the fight ends. The key is that the fight concludes within that round before the break.

Important Nuance: If a fighter survives the round and goes to their corner after the round, but for some reason refuses to continue in the next round, all bets on the specific round finish will be voided. This is because the fighter didn’t lose the round but refused to continue between rounds.

Method of Ending the Fight

This is a large section of betting options. Possible bets include:

  • “Will the fight go the distance?” (Yes/No) – Will there be an early victory, or will it be decided by the judges' scorecards?

  • Early victory by a specific fighter;

  • The fight will end in a knockout, technical knockout, or disqualification of either fighter;

  • The fight will end in a knockout, technical knockout, or disqualification of a specific fighter;

  • The fight will end by submission or submission hold by either fighter;

  • The fight will end by submission or submission hold by a specific fighter;

  • The fight will end by knockout, technical knockout, or disqualification in a specific round;

  • The fight will end by knockout, technical knockout, or disqualification in a specific round for a specific fighter;

  • The fight will end by submission or submission hold in a specific round;

  • The fight will end by submission or submission hold by a specific fighter in a specific round.

Features of MMA Betting

For MMA betting to be successful, it’s essential to understand the nuances of this sport. It’s not just street fighting – there are many subtleties and intricacies. While some boxing matches are often described as “chess matches” for fighters, nearly every MMA encounter can be characterized the same way. An obvious advantage by one fighter in the first or even two rounds doesn’t mean that fighter will win the match – the other might simply be waiting for the right moment to land a knockout punch, choke, or submission.