Bruce Dias 
The UFC basically organizes fights all over the world, in a total of 15 different countries, but the vast majority take place in the USA. Since the start of the UFC in 1993, the tournaments have been banned in various states, and there have thus often been restrictions on where the fights can be arranged. However, Las Vegas is one of the really big arenas for the UFC, closely followed by Houston, Texas and Glendale Arizona.
Betting at non GamStop bookmakers on the UFC is not easy, and often takes many years of training. The first thing you must have in your luggage is solid strength and knowledge in martial arts. For most, this means starting with fights at a local level, preferably against already active UFC athletes. In order to be considered at all, you must have proven that you can stand up to strong opponents, preferably over a longer period. The UFC currently divides male athletes into eight weight classes and female athletes into four weight classes.
The Story Behind the UFC
The first tournament organized by the UFC was held in Denver, Colorado in 1993. The point then was to find the most effective martial arts by having athletes from different disciplines compete against each other. Back then, the matches had minimal rules and no weight classes to match athletes. In the first matches, the athletes stuck relatively strictly to their own martial arts, and there was competition in, among other things, boxing, Muay Thai, Judo and kickboxing. As the sport developed, however, many of the athletes began to pick up tricks and techniques from other combat sports, and the fighting style developed towards what we call MMA today.
In 2012, the UFC also started to host fights for women, and the female part of the sport has increased greatly in recent years. In recent years, the UFC has also become more international, and matches and tournaments are now held all over the world, although not all countries allow events from the UFC. The crowd-pleasing reality show The Ultimate Fighter first aired on television in 2005, giving promising MMA fighters the opportunity to fight for a contract with the UFC.
Odds on the UFC
Odds on UFC will vary somewhat from betting site to betting site, but the vast majority of non GamStop bookmakers of betting odds are quick to update, so the differences are not that great. It can still pay to check a couple of different sites, both to see what odds they offer, but also to find out what types of bets you can place. Many betting providers initially focus on the short-term odds, and it can therefore be a little more difficult to find opportunities to bet on long-term odds. With a little searching, however, you usually find what you’re looking for, and you can often play both short-term and long-term at the same place.
How High Odds Can One Expect?
The size of the odds can vary greatly depending on which athletes and matches are involved. There will always be higher odds for a lower ranked athlete to win over a highly ranked athlete, but this also means that the chance of winning on that bet is also smaller.
The very highest odds at non GamStop bookmakers are often found on less likely outcomes, such as a match that is ruled a draw. The greater the differences between the two athletes, the more the odds will go up for the lowest-ranked athlete to win in the second or third round.
The lowest odds are usually found where you have absolute favorites against athletes with little chance of reaching the top. In these cases, the favorite is expected to win, preferably within a short time. Thus bets on victory, quick victory, knockout and the like will have much lower odds than in cases where the athletes are closer to the match. As the UFC is not as widespread as, for example, football, the non GamStop bookmakers are also not as experienced in setting handicaps when two athletes are unequal. This provides an opportunity to exploit large odds differences.
What Can You Bet on in the UFC?
As mentioned above, it is least uncomplicated to bet on a winner of a single match, and the odds are set according to which athlete has the best ranking. In addition to betting on a simple winner, you can also bet on when in the match you think victory will come. For example, this can be round-by-round, or it can be during the first 60 seconds of the match. It is also possible to bet on how the match is won, such as by submission, knockout or referee’s decision when time has expired. The most popular bets are:
- Match winner
- Over/under the number of rounds
Short-term Bets
Short-term betting on the UFC is incredibly exciting, as fights can last anywhere from a few seconds to around fifteen minutes. This depends on how many rounds the match goes on and how the match is decided. In other words, it is not the case that you have to sit and wait for 90 minutes before you get a result, as in football. Due to the varying match times, there is also extra tension attached to how long the match will be and whether it will be finished on time or otherwise.
Long-term UFC Bets
As the UFC does not follow fixed leagues or cups, it is not the case that you can easily bet on a “final winner”.
What one can think of as absolute top performers within the UFC are those who are currently holding the title in their weight class, and this can change quickly. Betting on titleholder changes is an exciting way to follow the UFC over time. It is also possible to bet on the outcome of the series The Ultimate Fighter, and the earlier in the series you choose to place a bet, the greater the uncertainty will be around the result.
Live Betting on UFC
Live betting at non GamStop bookmakers is extremely popular within the UFC, but it is really important to follow if you are to make the most of this opportunity. Things can happen very quickly in a UFC match, and thus it is also important that you keep up with the changes if you are going to place bets after the match has started. There are a number of examples of knockouts within the first minute of a match, and then it becomes quite clear why you can’t take a lunch break while the match is on.
To really do well at live betting at non GamStop bookmakers, you should have made good preparations before the match. You must also be prepared to make decisions at a second’s notice and not be afraid to take a small risk.
