Fight night has taken on a whole new meaning in recent times. From humble beginnings, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has grown into a respected sport with mainstream appeal. The UFC is now the dominant brand name in combat sports.
The interest extends over to the betting window as well. The top UFC events bring in tons of action for sportsbooks, and the numbers only continue to grow as legal sports betting debuts in more and more states.
If you’re new to betting on UFC, looking to improve your skills, or just on the hunt for the best places to bet, we’ve got you covered with everything you need to know. Read on as we explore UFC betting in Arizona in full detail.
Best sportsbooks for betting on the UFC in AZ
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You don’t have to look far and wide for the latest UFC betting odds. Our live odds feed pulls together the live numbers from all of the top sportsbooks. If you’re ready to bet, just click on the odds, claim the bonus, and prepare to get in on the action.
Odds Boosts For UFC Fights
All of the top legal online sportsbooks in Arizona will feature the UFC prominently whenever there’s an event on tap. Before finalizing your wagers, take the time to check out the betting bonuses and promotions as they’re often not shy about dishing out incentives.
One of the most common promos revolves around odds boosts. In a nutshell, they’ll bump up the potential returns on a standard wager or put together a special bet for users to take advantage of. For example, the standard odds for a fight at BetMGM in Arizona could look like this.
- Robbie Lawler -125
- Nick Diaz +105
Lawler is a slight favorite in the fight, but BetMGM could make things more interesting for bettors on that side by flipping his odds to +125. Instead of having to drop $125 to win back $100 on a Lawler win, you could bet $100 and get back $125 if all goes well.
For other examples, Caesars Sportsbook AZ could offer up an odds boost on a knockout win in a specific round for one of the fighters on the card, while WynnBET could offer enhanced returns on a special parlay revolving around the winners of select fights.
If you’re planning to bet on the card anyway, then it makes a ton of sense to see what sportsbooks are offering on the promotional front. In addition, don’t be shy about taking advantage of the promos from various books to give yourself even more chances to win.
Why bet on the UFC?
UFC and other MMA events are appealing to sports bettors for a variety of reasons. The rapid nature of multiple fights taking place throughout a fight card keeps viewers interested in every bout. The matches are very short compared to other sports, so bettors do not have to wait for hours to determine whether they have a winning bet.
UFC does not have nearly the amount of betting interest as a league like the NFL. That, however, could lead to an edge for the bettors. To take advantage of a smaller betting market, bettors can research and become experts on MMA in an attempt to identify profitable betting spots where they deem oddsmakers’ numbers to be off. Finally, the bets on the sport are very easy to understand.
How to bet on the UFC
The most common MMA bet is picking the winner of a fight, but there are many more wagering options to choose from. Below is a look at some of the basic UFC bets that are available at sportsbooks in the United States.
- Moneyline: Place a bet on the winner of the fight. As we know, not all competitors are created equal, so the odds provide the underdog a larger payout with a victory than the favorite would receive.
- For example, UFC 196 between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz had McGregor as a -380 favorite, and Diaz had +290 odds as the underdog. This meant bettors would need to bet $380 on McGregor to receive a $100 profit if he were to win, while a $100 bet would have paid out $290 for Diaz if he earned the upset victory.
- To go the distance: This is a wager on whether the fight will complete all scheduled rounds. Determining how fighters typically win or lose fights is key in this wager.
- Over/under for rounds: Over/under bets are popular for a variety of sports. Here, oddsmakers will set a number of rounds, and you can bet on whether the actual total of rounds will be over or under that number.
- Round betting: Place a wager on how many rounds the fight will last.
- To win fight in specific round: Bet on the winner of the fight as well as the exact round it will end. With so many options, a payout could potentially be quite large. For example, in the UFC 229 fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and McGregor, there were 13 outcomes, such as Nurmagomedov in Round 1 (+550), McGregor in Decision (+900), draw (+6,600), etc.
- To win fight in range of rounds: For a better chance at winning in round betting, you can choose a certain range of rounds when the fight will end in addition to who the winner will be. Because they are easier to win, these bets pay out less than picking the winner and round number exactly. Betting options could look something like McGregor in rounds 1-2 (+550), Diaz in round 5 or decision (+105), and so on.
- Winning methods: To receive a victory in a winning method bet, you must correctly predict the winner and how that fighter will win. Examples would include McGregor by decision (+162), McGregor by knockout/technical knockout/disqualification (+375), McGregor by submission (+600), etc.
What makes UFC odds change?
Sports betting odds can change for a variety of reasons leading up to a UFC fight. For some of the most anticipated bouts, the opening odds could come out well in advance of the fight taking place. A lot can happen from that time until the start of the fight. Oddsmakers tend to adjust the numbers based on the amount of action coming in and where it is headed. The sportsbooks do not want to see a significant loss if it goes against them, so they aim to limit the damage by shifting the odds to even out the bets. Line movement occurs right up until minutes before the fight starts.
Vegas UFC odds vs. Arizona sportsbook odds
Sports betting in Arizona became legal in April 2021, and officially launched in September. Oddsmakers set the UFC odds in a way that will benefit the sportsbook, be it in Arizona or Las Vegas. That’s is the case everywhere sports betting is legal. One trick to ensure you are getting the best possible odds is by opening accounts at multiple sportsbooks. Not all oddsmakers will have the exact same numbers, so if you are looking to bet on a fight, scouring the odds markets and finding the best possible payout is a smart thing to do.
Using sportsbook apps to live bet on UFC
One of the most popular innovations in legal sports betting is live betting, and there are many perks to this style of wagering. Live betting refers to placing wagers while an event is taking place. You no longer have to get your bets in prior to the start of the game, match, or event. For a UFC fight, the lines will fluctuate rapidly as the fight goes on, and it can be a thrilling way to wager.
Odds move by the second, and bettors have to be quick in getting their bets in. Additionally, live betting works well via your preferred sportsbook app on your phone. This means you can use a UFC betting app to wager on fights from anywhere with a connection. The convenience and excitement of live betting has been among the biggest changes to the sports betting industry in recent years.
Tips for betting on UFC fights
If you’ve read enough and are ready to dive into placing some money on the UFC once sports betting launches in Arizona, here’s a look at some basic betting advice to get you started.
- Find your niche: Especially when just starting out, it makes sense to focus on certain aspects of the UFC. This could mean following a select few fighters and becoming an expert on how they perform. Or it could be studying a particular weight class. Focusing on one area of the betting market could help you out against oddsmakers who are responsible for the broader landscape.
- Identify fighting styles: This is geared toward round betting or betting on fights going the distance. Some fighters are known for big knockouts early, while others rely on stamina. It’s important to look at each competitor’s fight history before placing your wager.
- Track your bets: If you decide to place a variety of wagers like round betting, moneyline, and so on, be sure to log how each one does. Then periodically check and see your records on each option. After a while, you might identify a strong suit that you may want to focus on.
- Start small: This can go for bettors of any experience level, but never bet an amount of money that you would not feel comfortable losing. Sports betting can be a fun activity, but wagering above your means can take you down a dangerous path.
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Sportsbook house rules for UFC
It’s important to be aware of some of the situations that could arise when betting on the UFC. Various sportsbooks may operate differently, so be sure to check the rules at the sportsbooks you are using. A sportsbook’s customer service department should be able to help you if you have any questions.
- When do betting lines close for UFC fights?
- Betting lines are open right up until the start of the fight. With live betting, they will continue to fluctuate throughout the duration of the bout.
- What happens to your bet if there’s a draw?
- If you place a moneyline wager on a fighter to win and the only options to choose from are the two fighters, a draw would result in a refund for all bettors who bet on the moneyline.
- What happens to a bet with a DQ?
- If you bet on a fighter to win on the moneyline and the opponent is disqualified, you win. If both fighters are disqualified, all bettors receive their money back.
Betting on other MMA organizations
While the UFC is the No. 1 name in MMA, there are other promotions that receive attention as the overall sport continues to grow. The second most well-known MMA organization is Bellator MMA, which also has a number of betting options from American sportsbooks. Others include Absolute Championship Akhmat, AMC Fight Nights, and ONE Championship. The UFC is going to receive a significantly higher handle. With some of the lesser known events, however, there could certainly be value in a less saturated betting market.