BetVictor
A stalwart of the UK betting industry, BetVictor have developed into one of the industry’s leading online bookmakers.
- Great coverage of UFC
- Competitive odds for UFC
- Long-standing reputation in the industry
Bottom line:
BetVictor cover the UFC really well offering a range of markets and quality odds
Why we like BetVictor
BetVictor have very competitive UFC odds and provide a range of betting options for punters.
What BetVictor offers you
- Great coverage of MMA as a whole: UFC is covered well at BetVictor, as are some of the smaller MMA promotions.
- Competitive odds: BetVictor offer competitive odds for UFC. For three UFC matches the bookie’s average payout margin was 94.4%, which compared well with other leading bookies.
- Trending bets feature: See where other punters are putting their money with BetVictor’s trending bets feature.
- Security for your funds and data: There’s no need to worry about the safety of your data or money with BetVictor, thanks to their long-established reputation for security.
Unibet
Renowned for providing one of the best welcome offers, great stats, competitive odds and competitive futures odds, Unibet is an excellent all-round bookmaker.
- Excellent futures betting odds and options
- Competitive UFC odds
- Range of betting options for UFC
Bottom line:
Unibet provide competitive outright odds for all of the major weight divisions in UFC and provide great overall coverage of the promotion.
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.
- Great UFC betting options: Unibet offer great betting options including round betting, method of victory bets and fight parlays.
- 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.
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 UFC 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 and their UFC odds are great. For three UFC matches Betway’s average payout margin was 94.8%, 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.
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 91.8% payout margin across two MMA bouts.
- 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.
Bet365
A giant of the industry, Bet365 is one of the largest bookmakers in the world and has very few flaws in its offering. It is unquestionably one of the best MMA betting sites in the UK.
Bottom line:
Bet365 cover the UFC and a number of other MMA promotions and events in depth, giving punters a range of betting options.
Why we like Bet365
For regular UFC punters, bet365 is a bookie who can provide great value. They offer a wide range of betting options which include the result, round betting and betting on the method of victory. Their odds are very competitive too. They offer a range of outrights and future bets with odds offered on fighters becoming world champions within a certain period of time.
What Bet365 offers you
- Great range of markets: Bet365 cover the UFC, Bellator, the PFL and other promotions thoroughly, providing a number of betting options.
- Bet Boost: Bigger prices are available through Bet365’s Bet Boost feature at major events. This will apply to the UFC and a number of other promotions
- Stellar customer service: You will find it easy to contact Bet365’s customer service, and their team is helpful to address issues and answer queries through whichever contact method you prefer.
- New promotions: MMA won’t be at the forefront of Bet365’s promos, but many of their offers will still be applicable.
Check out the best betting sites in the UK and the best bookmakers for MMA with Betting.com.
How our experts choose the best sites to bet on UFC
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 feel that the the best 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.
Compare the best UFC betting sites of 2024
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 | 4.7/5 | UFC odds | Review |
| Unibet | 4.6/5 | UFC futures bets | Review |
| Betway | 4.6/5 | UFC stats and info | Review |
| 10bet | 4.5/5 | Website and app design | Review |
| bet365 | 4.5/5 | Odds boosts | 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 UFC, 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 UFC odds: The quantity and quality of UFC odds will inevitably vary. Look around to see how easy it is to find the UFC 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 UFC explained
The UFC is the largest MMA promotion company in the world, attracting the best fighters.
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.
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.
MMA is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, with UFC at the forefront of this.. There is plenty of excitement due to the sport’s unpredictability – matches are close and anything can happen. Bettors can often find value in UFC 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.
A variety of weight classes are used in UFC, for both male and female fighters:
Weight class & Upper weight limit
- Atomweight 105 lbs (47.6 kg);
- Strawweight 115 lb (52.2 kg) – UFC female;
- Flyweight 125 lb (56.7 kg) – UFC female/male;
- Bantamweight 135 lb (61.2 kg) – UFC female/male;
- Featherweight 145 lb (65.8 kg) – UFC female/male;
- Lightweight: 155 lb (70.3 kg) – UFC male;
- Super lightweight 165 lb (74.8 kg);
- Welterweight 170 lb (77.1 kg) – UFC male;
- Super welterweight 175 lb (79.4 kg);
- Middleweight 185 lb (83.9 kg) – UFC male;
- Super middleweight 195 lb (88.5 kg);
- Light heavyweight 205 lb (93.0 kg) – UFC male;
- Cruiserweight 225 lb (102.1 kg);
- Heavyweight 265 lb (120.2 kg) – UFC male;
- Super heavyweight – No limit.
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
UFC 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 UFC 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 UFC bets
A lot of UFC 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 UFC 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 UFC, 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 UFC 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 game boxing 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 mma 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 UFC.
In-play betting
Lots of UFC 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.
UFC betting strategies
Betting on UFC, just like any other sport, is focussed on finding value. Nobody can prove 100% accurate when predicting a fight in UFC. 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
UFC 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 UFC 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 UFC you can use in-play betting to your advantage by placing your wagers as you see the action unfold.
Get to know more about the UFC to bet smarter
.The UFC is an American MMA promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a fully owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA promotion company in the world as of 2022. It produces events worldwide that showcase 12 weight divisions (eight men’s and four women’s) and abides by the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. As of 2022, it had held over 600 events. Dana White has been president of the UFC since 2001. On White’s watch the promotion has grown into a global multi-billion-dollar enterprise.
The UFC has almost weekly events and fights tiered between early prelims, prelims, main card and main event, the UFC offers plenty of fights to bet on. It offers punters 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.
Who is competing in the UFC in 2024?
At the time of writing there are 2833 fighters signed to UFC. The full list can be found on the UFC website.
What are the key dates to keep in mind?
The key dates for the UFC are on the calendar which can be found on their website.
Check out the best betting sites in the UK and the best bookmakers for MMA with Betting.com.
