It’s only been a few weeks since we released lines for McGregor vs. dos Anjos, but the lines have already fluctuated wildly for the highly anticipated matchup.
Given McGregor’s popularity and the media coverage the historic fight has been receiving, it’s not surprising to see a flood of action driving movement for the money lines.
Bet on UFC 196 odds at BookMaker.eu
Conor McGregor -127
Rafael dos Anjos +107
Over/under 2.5 rounds, over -110, under -110
Please note, the odds listed here may have changed, as BookMaker makes updates on a daily basis. Sign into the sportsbook to view all our current bets.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The odds at BookMaker show McGregor as a slight favorite to beat lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos. When we first reported on the money lines a few weeks ago, the Irishman was the underdog at -105, with dos Anjos at -125. The fact that McGregor’s line has shifted nearly 30 points into chalk territory implies that most of the early action has been coming in on “The Notorious”.
SHOULD YOU BELIEVE THE HYPE?
Honestly, it’s hard not to hop onto McGregor’s bandwagon. He has toasted every opponent he’s faced in the octagon, and it hasn’t even been close. And while it’s natural to assume that he’ll have a harder time adjusting against bigger fighters, the truth is that he’s only an inch shorter than dos Anjos and also has a four-inch reach advantage. McGregor is a huge featherweight and a natural lightweight.
When it comes to personalities, dos Anjos is McGregor’s polar opposite. He doesn’t talk trash, publicly loves Jesus and respects his opponents. And that could be why his own meteoric rise has been largely ignored. Starting in August 2014, dos Anjos has thrashed Benson Henderson, Nate Diaz, Anthony Pettis and Donald Cerrone. And none of those fights were competitive either. That might just be the most impressive four-fight winning streak in the UFC right now.
WAR OF THE WORDS
You know Conor McGregor was going to talk. We just didn’t know how dos Anjos would react. Now, it’s clear the Brazilian is irked by the outspoken challenger’s antics. He was visibly frustrated during a promotional press conference last month, when McGregor poked fun at his religion, questioned his Brazilian patriotism and predicted a win in the first round.
Like every other opponent who’s faced McGregor, dos Anjos just wants to shut up the best trash talker in the fight game. And he doesn’t want to just silence him, the lightweight champ wants to punish him.
“I’m going to have a chance to finish this fight in the first round, but I won’t,” dos Anjos stated. “I’m going to punish him all the way to the third or the fourth rounds. I’m going to make him bleed. He’s going to pay for every thing that he’s talking.”
A word of advice to dos Anjos: if you get a chance to put McGregor away, take it. Has he not seen Game of Thrones? Oberyn Martell showed us what happens when you start gloating before finishing the job. Your skull gets crushed through your eye sockets, that’s what. Just don’t do it, Rafael.
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Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker sportsbook! Real-time money lines, totals, props and money line are all available now. You can even wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. UFC 196 takes place on Saturday, March 5, 2016 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.The main card will be televised on pay-per-view starting 10 p.m. ET.
