In every fight preview, we break down the current UFC odds in the online sportsbook - but we also plug live UFC betting at BookMaker.eu. Live UFC betting (or in-play betting) is exactly what it sounds like: you can actually bet on UFC fights live while they’re fighting. It’s definitely not for the faint-hearted, but it can be as profitable as it is exciting.
We see live UFC betting as a legitimate way to hedge your bet if your original wager isn’t looking so hot. Technically, gamblers hedge their bets by wagering on the opposite outcome of their original lay so they profit either way. Of course, this comes with the risk that you lose both your bets and are out even more money.
But there are a number of sports bettors that make a good chunk of coin just by live betting. It’s not the way we’d do it, but it’s definitely a viable option. In fact, it’s rapidly growing in popularity, especially as the UFC betting market grows.
To start live UFC betting, just make sure you’re logged into your account during the fight and head over to the MMA section. We update our prices in real time so you’ll be able to see what bets you can make.
Live UFC betting options at BookMaker usually fall under a few categories:
Fight result - This is the default option for betting on fights live. The live UFC odds will move based on how a fight is progressing. Obviously, if a fighter is getting dominated his price will move drastically further into underdog territory.
Round betting - This is definitely a high risk play: you have to predict the winning fighter and the round you think it’ll finish. Savvy gamblers can use this in-play when they really think that one fighter really doesn’t have much left - or if they believe somebody is really about to turn it up for a finish.
Over/under - Sometimes you can bet on a shifting over/under during the fights - the online sportsbook will make adjustments in real time.
Method of victory - Also known as the victory bet, this lets you pick how you think a fighter will finish - whether it’s by KO/TKO, submission or decision. Sometimes inside the distance is offered, and any finish falls under this category. You can often get monster payouts on these, but it comes with the caveat that you’ve got to pick the winning fighter AND how they’ll win. Not an easy bet to win.
Strategies for Live UFC Betting
We can clearly point to a few examples - in retrospect of course - where closely watching a fight would have paid off nicely with in-play wagering.
Let’s take a trip to Mexico City in 2015: Brazil’s Fabricio Werdum was challenging then-champion Cain Velasquez for the heavyweight title. This was pre-Sea Level Cain, when the AKA captain was at the peak of the heavyweight GOAT discussions. Velasquez closed at -700 in the online sportsbook, with Werdum at +310 on the comeback.
In the first round, Velasquez did his usual thing of pressuring the hell out of his opponents, seizing control of the fight with some heavy clinch work, takedowns and top control. He won the round on judges scorecards, leading to the online sportsbook updating Werdum as an even bigger underdog.
But if you were paying attention closely, something was different: Velasquez looked tired - which was a huge red flag for somebody who relied so heavily on his famed cardio to grind down opponents. Bonus: if you watched UFC Embedded, which followed the fighters around their training camps, you would’ve known that Werdum had been training at Mexico City altitude for months, while Velasquez came just a week before and expected to be fresh.
In round 2, the tide had clearly turned: Velasquez tried to keep up the pace was exhausted. Werdum took the round - then finished Cain in the third round. Had you bet after round 1, you would’ve gotten huge underdog odds on Werdum. Had you bet after round 2, Werdum was likely the favorite. When you place a bet matters, people.
The other fighter we want to bring up is Max Holloway. In his title defense against Brian Ortega, the Hawaiian actually called his shot. Before the start of Round 4 - in a matchup he was dominating - he pointed to the ground and announced that the next round was his.
If you had been watching the fight, you knew that it couldn’t last much longer. Ortega was busted up beyond recognition - a doctor stoppage could come any minute. Plus, Holloway was cruising so easily that the ref could have stopped the fight a number of times. Round 2 or 3 would have been a great time to bet Holloway inside the distance.
Moral of the stories: always pay close attention before and during the fights you’re betting on. Especially if you’re a longtime fight fan that can analyze how things are unfolding - why not put your fandom to use and make some money from it?
Bet on UFC odds at the online sportsbook now!
