BetVictor
A trusted bookmaker since 1946, BetVictor have moved with the times and are one of the industry’s leading online sportsbooks.
- Great coverage of UFC and PFL
- Competitive odds for MMA
- Long-standing reputation in the industry
Bottom line:
BetVictor cover the UFC and the Professional Fighters League (PFL) really well offering a range of markets and quality odds
Why we like BetVictor
BetVictor have very competitive MMA odds, especially in UFC. They provide plenty of betting options for MMA punters.
What BetVictor offers you
- Range of MMA competitions to bet on: UFC is covered well at BetVictor, as are some of the smaller MMA promotions.
- Competitive odds: BetVictor offer competitive odds for MMA. For a PFL bout and two UFC matches the bookie’s average payout margin was 94%, which compared well with other leading bookies.
- Promotions: Only BetVictor has plenty of promos and features to keep new and existing customoers interested.
- Top level of security: There’s no need to worry about the safety of your data or money with BetVictor, thanks to their long-established reputation for security.
Betway
Betway is an online-only bookmaker with a strong reputation worldwide.
Bottom line:
Punters can do some research for their wagers through the well-designed statistics graphics on the Betway website.
Why we like Betway
Betway’s website and app are slick and quick to load. Part of this offering is the statistics provided on each bout, giving MMA bettors some information to help them pick a wager. The bookie covers the UFC and the PFL well.
What Betway offers you
- Useful statistics: You want to be well-informed before placing your wager. Betway gives you plenty of info on the fighters leading up to bouts.
- Excellent website and app: Betway’s website and app give punters a hassle free and user friendly experience. This makes browsing on the site and making wagers an enjoyable process..
- High odds on MMA: Betway has high odds across the board. MMA is no exception, with their prices comparing favourably. For three MMA matches, one from the PFL and two from UFC, Betway’s average payout margin was 94%, which compared really well to the leading UK betting sites.
- Free Bet Club: Opt in to the Free Bet Club and you can win up to £10 in free bets every week to use on the Betway website or app.
10bet
Offering online betting since 2006, 10bet has developed really well over the last few years to become a top sportsbook.
Bottom line:
10bet have a top quality website and app and provide great coverage of the UFC and the PFL.
Why we like 10bet
10bet provide consistently good odds on MMA. They cover the sport thoroughly and the design of their website and app is second-to-none. Their VIP programme, The Ten Club, gives members various benefits and is a little different to loyalty schemes offered by other online bookies.
What 10bet offers you
- Good MMA odds: 10bet averaged a 90.6% payout margin across three MMA bouts, two from UFC and one from PFL.
- Award-winning design of website and app: The 10bet website and app feel modern. Navigation is easy, plus the load times are minimal. Odds are straight-forward to find.
- The Ten Club: From tailored deals to their private WhatsApp service, 10bet have taken the concept of a VIP program to another level with The Ten Club.
- Rapid payouts: You won’t be waiting long for your winnings at 10bet. They are known to move quickly when you withdraw funds.
Unibet
Renowned for providing one of the best welcome offers, great stats, competitive odds and competitive futures odds, Unibet is a great all-round betting website.
Bottom line:
Unibet provide competitive outright odds for all of the major weight divisions in UFC and provide great overall coverage of the promotion and of the sport as a whole.
Why we like Unibet
Unibet provide great options for outright markets on the different men’s and women’s weight divisions. Their odds and betting options for individual bouts are attractive to punters too.
What Unibet offers you
- Competitive futures odds: You will often see Unibet near the top of the table when it comes to comparing futures odds for the different weight divisions in UFC and other MMA competitions.
- Great MMA betting options: Unibet offer great betting options including round betting, method of victory bets and fight parlays for UFC and for other MMA competitions.
- User friendly website and app: Unibet has an excellent website and app. It has a slick design and is easy to navigate. Their app provides fantastic service for those who bet on the move.
- Competitive odds for individual bouts: For three UFC bouts Unibet’s payout margin averaged at 94.1%, which compares well to other leading bookies.
Check out the best betting sites in the UK with Betting.com.
How our experts choose the best sites to bet on MMA
There is a lot to consider as you try to narrow down the best MMA betting sites. Some sites have more markets than others, some have websites which are easier on the eye. Parts are down to personal choice.
Chris Sampson: I am looking for the best MMA/UFC sites to provide odds for bouts in advance. They should provide plenty of betting options, antepost and in-play, including the result, method of victory, time of victory and round betting. Future bets should also be available. For all round coverage of MMA the best sites should cover the sport beyond UFC and include other MMA promotions such as PFL.
Compare the best MMA betting sites
All of the recognisable bookmakers in the UK have some form of MMA betting available. However, the amount of attention paid to MMA varies considerably.
Still, among the top MMA online betting sites, there isn’t much to choose between them. So, here is a rapid rundown of the leading contenders so you can compare, contrast and find the best MMA betting site for you.
| Site Name | Betting.com Rating | Best For | Full Review |
| BetVictor | 4.6/5 | MMA odds | Review |
| Betway | 4.6/5 | MMA stats | Review |
| 10bet | 4.5/5 | Website and app design | Review |
| bet365 | 4.5/5 | Depth and range of UFC markets | Review |
| Unibet | 4.5/5 | Outright betting | Review |
How to choose the best site for you
Hours of work has been put into finding out the pros and cons of MMA(UFC bookies. Time has been dedicated to comparisons and analysing what each betting site provides for punters. However, It is a personal decision when picking a bookmaker and it is important for you to weigh up the options for yourself.
To aid with that process, here are seven criteria to bear in mind as you look around:
- Licences are important: To be sure of safety when betting on MMA, check that the bookmaker you are using has up-to-date licences in your country. You should never risk your data and financial information.
- Research different welcome offers: You want to bet at a bookmaker which has promotions applicable to your betting habits. The welcome offer is a good taster of how easy it will be to qualify for their various promos and free bets.
- Search for their MMA odds: The quantity and quality of MMA odds will inevitably vary. Look around to see how easy it is to find the MMA odds and make sure they cover the competitions/markets you are interested in.
- Read up on payment options: More payment options is generally better with a bookmaker. If you have a clearly preferred method, have a look at the time it takes for deposits and withdrawals to process and check for any hidden charges.
- Look at a few reviews: Bookmakers earn their reputation. There are reviews available for every bookie. Take a look to see what others think.
- Download the mobile app: Head to the app store on your preferred device and download their app. It is a good way to get a flavour of the mobile experience.
- Go through the sign-up process: Once a bookie has met all your requirements, it is time to try signing up with them. This can be a great indicator of what it is like to be a regular punter.
Betting on MMA explained
A precursor to modern MMA was the 1976 Ali vs. Inoki exhibition bout (which ended in a draw after 15 rounds), fought between boxer Muhammad Ali and wrestler Antonio Inoki in Japan, where it later inspired the foundation of Shooto in 1985, Pancrase in 1993, and the Pride Fighting Championships in 1997. MMA first came to the attention of many in North America after the Gracie family decided to showcase its trademark Brazilian jujitsu in the United States in the 1990s. Hélio’s son Royce Gracie represented the family in a 1993 tournament in Denver, Colorado, that came to be called UFC 1.
Mixed martial arts is the least restrictive combat sport, making it possible for fighters from different combat styles to test their skills against each other. MMA is a blend of different martial art styles to create a comprehensive martial art that is governed by its own rules. Mixed martial arts allows you to punch, kick, elbow, knee, slam, clinch, grapple, and submit opponents. The majority of MMA fighters will know the fundamentals of BJJ, Muay Thai, wrestling, and boxing.
MMA is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. There is plenty of excitement due to the sport’s unpredictability – matches are close and anything can happen. Bettors can often find value in MMA underdogs since they tend to win more frequently than in other sports, and in live betting, as you can use your judgement as a fight develops. The UFC is the largest MMA promotion company in the world, attracting the best fighters. Obviously betting on UFC is popular but you should not neglect smaller MMA promotions like PFL, Bellator or Cage Warriors.
A variety of weight classes are used in MMA and the UFC, for both male and female fighters:
Weight class & Upper weight limit
- Strawweight – 115 lb (52.2 kg)
- Flyweight – 125 lb (56.7 kg)
- Bantamweight – 135 lb (61.2 kg)
- Featherweight – 145 lb (65.8 kg)
- Lightweight – 155 lb (70.3 kg)
- Super lightweight – 165 lb (74.8 kg)
- Welterweight – 170 lb (77.1 kg)
- Super welterweight – 175 lb (79.4 kg)
- Middleweight – 185 lb (83.9 kg)
- Super middleweight – 195 lb (88.5 kg)
- Light heavyweight – 205 lb (93.0 kg)
- Cruiserweight – 225 lb (102.1 kg)
- Heavyweight – 265 lb (120.2 kg)
For women fighters who want to get into the ring, it is usually the case in MMA that there are only titles up for grabs in four weight classes: strawweight, flyweight, bantamweight and featherweight.
However, in some MMA organisations that have women’s bouts on their cards, there is sometimes also another weight class that has been slotted in at the lower end of the scale – which is called atomweight – which has an upper weight limit of 105 pounds (48 kg).
Odds
MMA odds are plentiful at the best betting sites. Odds are calculated on the probability of something happening. In a bout fighter number one could win, fighter number two could win or the fight could be declared a draw. In mma bets are usually cancelled for draws leaving a straight choice between the two fighters. Generally, if you add up the percentage probability of each of the two (or in rare cases three) possible outcomes you can determine whether the odds are good value. Naturally the percentages should make 100, however, that would leave the bookie without profit. What is a fair margin varies from sport to sport, however in mma the bookies who offer the best odds usually average around 107 (93% payout). Obviously the best bookies also offer odds for method of victory (KO, submission, decision etc) and round betting.
Picks
Making MMA picks is similar to many other combat sports. You need to look into form, head-to-head records, fighting styles, strengths and weaknesses of the two fighters and betting trends.
Types of MMA bets
A lot of MMA markets are similar to other combat sports. If you are a fan of the sport, almost all of the markets should be pretty self-explanatory.
Result of the fight
Probably the most common bet in MMA is to bet on the result of the bout. Draws are less common than in boxing and usually this results in bookies cancelling the bet.
Totals (overs and unders)
Over/unders can be much easier to predict than actual fight outcomes. In MMA, you can bet how long a fight will last.
Method betting
Method betting can also give you good value. If you can predict how a fighter will end the fight (KO, Submission or Decision), and even in which round it will happen, you could bag a tidy profit.
Outrights
Outright betting markets are sometimes referred to as futures. In MMA this would mainly involve predicting whether a fighter can win a world title by the end of the year.
Multiple Bets
Parlay: A parlay involves more than one wager combined together for greater odds. You can place a same match parlay — multiple events from one matchup — or alternatively, events across multiple games. Comprising three doubles and a treble, a Trixie is three selections and four bets. At least two of the selections must land to guarantee a payout. These bets are only widely available in the most popular UFC bouts.
Accumulators, where punters try to match a number of results, are becoming more popular in mma betting.
The obvious risk is that all the bets have to win for the bettor to receive a payout. However, some bookmakers, offer accumulator insurance so if one of your selections (minimum five selections) lets you down you will receive your stake back as a free bet.
Handicap betting
Handicap betting helps punters get better odds if a bout appears to be one-sided, however, this is not commonplace in mma.
In-play betting
Lots of MMA bettors enjoy the excitement of live betting as the action unfolds. Bettors can follow the action then use their judgement to place bets as the fight progresses. Live streaming has made this more popular.
MMA betting strategies
Betting on MMA, just like any other sport, is focussed on finding value. Nobody can prove 100% accurate when predicting a fight in MMA. What you can do is look for fighters who are undervalued by oddsmakers and consistently bet on them.
Use stats but be careful how you interpret them
Several sites offer stats for their fighters. On the UFC website, you will find stats such as significant strikes landed, takedown accuracy, striking accuracy, etc. While all of these stats are significant and are based on hard data, they can be misleading due to the way these stats are set up. Significant strikes, for instance, does not include jabs, which are often some of the most significant strikes in any fight. It does include ground strikes, however, some of which can be completely insignificant. These metrics do not show the difference between a striker and a ground fighter, since they do not differentiate between two very different types of strikes. Because of this, a fighter may have amazing striking accuracy and volume, but still be a poor striker on the feet. Ideally, there would be a separation between distance strikes, clinch strikes and ground strikes.
Check odds regularly
MMA odds seem to change frequently. This is because money often comes in on one side or the other. While sometimes this money could be from educated bettors, who know the sport, it could also be casual money that is moving the betting lines. The first is making the odds more accurate, the second possibly is not since casual punters are simply betting on the most famous fighter. If you see odds shift, you should definitely ask yourself whose money is causing the movement.
Keep an eye out for underrated fighters
Some fighters can be undervalued by the bookies. If you can identify fighters, especially up and coming ones, who seem to fly under the radar it can lead to you getting good value.
Look out for overhyped fighters
Famous MMA fighters and those who publicise themselves really well can be overrated by the bookies
Study Prelim Fights
These can be a good indication of up and coming fighters who could climb up the rankings and help you to a profit along the way.
Look for alternative bets
Look for value in over and under markets, parlays and methods of victory.
In-play betting can provide the best value
In a sport as unpredictable as MMA you can use in-play betting to your advantage by placing your wagers as you see the action unfold.
Popular MMA events to bet on
The UFC is the biggest MMA promotion and, naturally, this is where most MMA bets are placed. However, Bellator and Cage Warriers can also give good value for punters.
- UFC: The UFC is the original MMA promotion and still the largest in the world. With almost weekly events and fights tiered between early prelims, prelims, main card and main event, the UFC offers plenty of fights to bet on. This is a punter’s dream, and offers plenty of chances to look for value. Big UFC events often provide up to 14 fights when you include preliminaries. You can bet on all of them at any major bookie. The UFC is home to the biggest names in MMA. The UFC site offers plenty of stats on each fighter which you could use for your betting strategy. Most bookies offer live bets on UFC fights, unlike some smaller promotions. Each UFC event contains several fights. Traditionally, every event starts off with a preliminary card followed by a main card, with the last fight being known as the Main Event. There is also UFC Fight Night, a competition which hosts some of the biggest names in the sport as they clash in the octagon for a top of the card bout. The first UFC Fight Night took place in August 2005 and was essentially one main card without a headliner fight, and all eight matches of up-and-comers were three rounds.
- Bellator: Bellator is the second largest MMA promotion and has several elite fighters. Bellator is trying to compete with the UFC for viewers, but still has a way to go. Most bookies only offer odds on the main card fights, since the prelim fighters are usually unknown local fighters. There are usually fewer options for live betting as well
- Cage Warriors: Cage Warriors is the number one MMA promotion in the UK. It is a breeding pool for UK talent, and plenty of current UFC or Bellator fighters started out here. That includes current and former UFC and Bellator fighters and champions such as Conor McGregor, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Brett Johns, Martin Kampmann, Paul Kelly, Michael Bisping, Paul Daley, and Jack Hermansson. It has become a feeder league, where champions often ‘graduate’ to bigger promotions. Most larger bookies offer odds on Cage Warriors, though often not on all fights.
- Professional Fighters League: Another MMA league based in America is the Professional Fighters League (PLF). Having only been set up recently, it is still early days for the PFL, however, it has a growing fanbase in the world of MMA. A unique ten-sided cage is used for Professional Fighters League events, rather than the familiar octagon.
Check out the best betting sites in the UK with Betting.com.
