Fight sports refer to martial arts that typically include striking and involve two athletes battling each other. Fight sports are not only incredibly exciting to watch but also great value to bet on. In our article, we are going to show you the best martial arts and combat sports to gamble on. Let’s get started!
Is Boxing Worth Betting On?
Boxing is one of the biggest sports in the world as millions of fans tune in from around the world to watch big fights. Superstars like Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, and Tyson Fury earn tens of millions of dollars every time they step into the ring. Boxing is also one of the top combat sports to wager on as it has extensive gambling markets, you can easily bet on cards from all over the globe and make a variety of different wagers.
In boxing, athletes are separated into different weight classes and compete for over 12 rounds in title fights or over between 4 to 10 rounds in non-title fights. Judges score the match based on how many punches land and the damage these strikes cause. Boxing matches can be ended by a knockout or go to the judges’ scorecards.
When gambling on boxing you can predict which fighter is going to win, how they are going to win, how long the fight will last, and make other exotic prop bets. One of our favorite wagers is an over/under on the number of rounds the fight will last. We also like choosing which particular round the fight is going to, especially when gambling on heavyweight boxing.
To help you predict the outcome of a boxing match you should study these factors:
Numbers of wins and losses – A fighter’s record can tell you a lot about their skill level. If a fighter is undefeated and has beaten numerous champions they are a safe bet.
Quality of opposition – It doesn’t matter if a boxer is undefeated if they have only fought taxi drivers! You should always make sure a fighter has fought and beaten strong opposition before you bet on them.
Style – Before placing a bet you need to know what style the boxer is, are they defensive, an in or out fighter, do they have power?
Stance – Southpaws (right foot forward) can cause orthodox (left foot forward) fighters lots of problems. Always know the stance of the different boxers before you gamble.
Age – It is much riskier to bet on fighters who are considerably older than 30 unless they are heavyweights. Even if an older boxer has looked good in their last fights they can become old overnight and look slow and weak.
If you enjoy fight sports then you have to check out the boxing gambling markets. By gambling on boxing, you will enhance your viewing experience and give yourself the opportunity to win extra cash!
Should You Gamble On MMA Fights?
Even though boxing is still an incredibly popular spectacle in recent years a new combat sport has emerged on the scene, MMA. MMA involves two athletes using a variety of martial arts to compete against each other. In MMA athletes can wrestle, kick, punch, elbow, and even use different submissions such as chokes and joint locks. Due to the lack of rules, this is an incredibly exciting sport to watch and bet on.
MMA gambling markets are similar to boxing and you can make a match-winner and method of victory wagers, predict how long the match will last, and pick the specific round. The two biggest MMA organizations are the UFC and Bellator who both host regular events around the world and feature the very athletes.
Betting sites have been growing as well as MMA gambling markets so no matter the day or time you should be able to find matches to place some cash on. If you are looking for value, we recommend you avoid major UFC events as the handicappers are pretty good at setting odds. The value often lies in smaller events and promotions where the handicappers don’t spend a lot of time setting the lines and don’t have much information on the athletes.
To help you win your MMA wagers make sure you perform your research prior to the event and study these factors:
Martial arts base – In MMA, athletes specialize in particular martial arts for example some are expert kickboxers while others are amazing wrestlers. Before betting on a fighter make sure their martial arts base performs well against their opponents. For example, wrestlers tend to do very well against pure strikers.
Power – Being able to hurt and knock out your opponent is incredibly important. We always prefer to gamble on athletes who have shown the ability to score KOs because even if they are losing a contest they have the ability to win at any moment.
Previous performances – In MMA an athlete’s total record is not that important because unlike in boxing it is normal for fighters to lose a lot of matches. However, what you should pay attention to is an athlete’s last 3 or 4 fights. If an MMA fighter has lost 2 fights in a row we like betting on his opponent.
Hometown advantage – Athletes who are competing in front of their hometown have an advantage and tend to perform above their potential as they feed off the energy of the crowd. We like to bet on Brazilians who are fighting in Brazil.
MMA is an amazing sport that offers gamblers incredible value and variety. Check out the next Bellator or UFC card and look up the odds at your local sportsbook.
Time To Bet On Boxing Or MMA
Now you know that boxing and MMA are the two best fight sports to gamble on, look up the next big PPV boxing match or UFC card, analyze the fighters based on the above criteria, and place a wager!