Powered by:
as known from New York Timesas known from USA Todayas known from yahoo!
VA
Contains commercial content
The Grueling Truth - Where Legends Speak / Best UFC Odds 2024: How to Read UFC Betting Odds?

Best UFC Odds 2024: How to Read UFC Betting Odds?

Check Odds for Upcoming UFC Matches

Last Updated on 03/06/2024
Fact checked by: Mike Goodpaster

This article will be focused on how to find the best UFC odds. Odds on UFC matches will vary depending on several factors such as the type of event and also what UFC betting odds bookmaker you choose.

We’ll provide you all the secrets of what to look for when trying to find the best UFC betting odds. This page will feed you a full breakdown on the types of bets available, including live betting and UFC betting odds on prelims. We’ll also teach you how to read UFC betting odds and how bookmakers calculate them too.

Read More
Sportsbook of the month
Bet365 - Get your Bonus Bet now! Get your Bonus Bet now!

Compare sportsbooks with great UFC odds

Bet365
Recommended
Favicon
4.7/5
  • Excellent range of sports betting markets available
  • World-renowned brand
  • Easy to navigate
Bet365 Bonus
First Bet Safety Net up to $2000 OR Bet $5 and Get $150
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
T&Cs apply, 21+
Go to Bet365
Visit Site
Payment Methods
Find out more on Bet365.
Withdrawal
1 – 10 Days
Apps
License
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
Award
EGR – Operator of the year (2017)
At bet365 we don’t do ordinary, that’s why if you sign up now you’ll get the choice of two great New Customer Offers, the First Bet Safety Net up to $2000 or Bet $5 and Get $150 in Bonus Bets. Deposit required. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler 21+
Show less
BetMGM
Hot Offer
Favicon
4.7/5
  • Excellent range of sports betting markets
  • Straightforward user experience
  • Competitive odds
BetMGM Bonus
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
T&Cs apply, 21+
Go to BetMGM
Visit Site
Payment Methods
PayNearMe
PayPal
Bank Transfer
+
Withdrawal
1 – 5 Days
Apps
License
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
Show less
FanDuel
Hot Offer
Favicon
4.6/5
  • Well-known company
  • Excellent range of markets
  • Clever site design
FanDuel Bonus
Bet $5 Get $200 in Bonus Bets if your bet wins
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
T&Cs apply, 21+
Go to FanDuel
Visit Site
Payment Methods
Prepaid Card
PayNearMe
PayPal
+
Withdrawal
1 – 10 Days
Apps
License
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
Award
Global Gaming Awards (2022)
Show less
Caesars
4.
Favicon
4.5/5
  • Exceptional range of betting markets
  • A fluid in-play betting section
  • Competitive odds
Caesars Bonus
100% up to $1000
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
T&Cs apply, 21+
Copy
Visit Site
Payment Methods
E-Check
PayNearMe
PayPal
+
Withdrawal
1 – 5 Days
Apps
License
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
Show More
DraftKings
5.
Favicon
4.5/5
  • Superb range of different sporting leagues
  • Effective in-play betting feature
  • Exciting fantasy team building
DraftKings Bonus
Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets Instantly + All-Customer SGP Insurance
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
T&Cs apply, 21+
Go to DraftKings
Visit Site
Payment Methods
PayPal
VIP Preferred
Play+
+
Withdrawal
1 – 5 Days
Apps
License
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
Award
EGR – Operator of the year (2023)
Show More
BetFanatics
6.
Favicon
4.5/5
  • Brings something new to the market
  • Solid sports betting options
  • An established name in sporting goods
BetFanatics Bonus
Bet $100, Get $100 in Bonus Bets Every Day for 10 Days!
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
T&Cs apply, 21+
Go to BetFanatics
Visit Site
Apps
License
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
Show More
BetRivers.com
7.
Favicon
4.5/5
  • Reputable brand
  • Payments via PayPal accepted
  • Reasonable wagering requirements
BetRivers.com Bonus
Second chance bet: Get up to $500 in Bonus Bets
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
T&Cs apply, 21+
Copy
Visit Site
Payment Methods
PayNearMe
Bank Transfer
VIP Preferred
+
Withdrawal
0 Days
Apps
License
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
Show More
Barstool
8.
Favicon
  • First-time bettors can look forward to 100% up to $1,000 risk-free bets.
  • Barstool is available in close to ten US states.
  • Players can deposit and withdraw using a wide range of convenient banking methods.
Barstool Bonus
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
T&Cs apply, 21+
Payment Methods
E-Check
PayNearMe
PayPal
+
Withdrawal
1 – 5 Days
Apps
License
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
Show More

All Odds for UFC & Mixed Martial Arts

Sportsbook of the month

Most important reasons to compare UFC betting odds – maximize your value

If you want the best value, you must search for it, right? You wouldn’t just renew your house, auto or life insurance every year without checking what else is available. The same applies to finding the best UFC odds and even when looking for the best basketball odds for today too.

If you simply renewed your house or auto insurance, as described above, chances are that you would be losing value, if there were an alternative provider offering the same services at a lower price. Same applies to if you were betting on Colby Covington to win his match at odds +110 odds, yet discovered after placing the bet Colby was +130 UFC betting odds elsewhere.

It does not take a mathematician to work out that if you’d continue making this error, by allowing yourself to take odds without comparing, you will lose a lot of value in the UFC betting odds you are given, over the long run.

This article will help steer you in the right direction.

How do bookmakers determine their odds on UFC – we tell all

Although a UFC match only has two competitors, there are a multitude of factors that bookmakers need to take into consideration before offering UFC betting odds. You see, odds on UFC work a little different to some other sports.

Bookmakers often rely on data and form books to help them decide on betting odds for some other sports. However, when calculating UFC betting odds there needs to be room for discretion regarding an important element where form books or data cannot be relied on as much as they are on other sports.

Styles make fights

If formbooks were anything to go by, UFC fight betting odds would be easy for bookmakers to decide. One fighter [fighter A] may be due to fight a person who had been beaten by a fighter they had previously beaten easily.

On the formbook fighter A would appear to have a commanding advantage. This is not always the case when it comes to UFC betting odds, as different styles of fighters create very different outcomes, regardless of past form, or whether they are mainly strikers or grapplers.

Why do odds vary between bookmakers?

When looking on either UFC or boxing odds comparison websites, there are various reasons why odds may differ. For clarity, we will drop a few highlighting factors below:

Overround / vigorish

Overround or vigorish, abbreviated to ‘Vig’, is a word for the margin bookmakers create to ensure they profit from their betting books. For example, it is very common to see –110 odds, or [if a generous bookmaker] -105 odds, on a betting event that has two outcomes only. An example of this would be an event that has only two possible outcomes, such as a final of a soccer match. If you betted $100 on each, there is no way you would profit, however, the bookmaker would be sure to profit from the vigorish applied on the -110 odds of each selection offered.

Some bookmakers have generous overround, some have terrible overround, for example, if a bookmaker offered +115 of both outcomes mentioned above.

Weight of money

When one selection is betted on a lot, the odds will reduce. This will usually increase the odds of the other selections. This activity can create a difference between each bookmaker.

Opinion

Some bookmakers have their own traders who decide based on their opinions. These bookmakers often give their traders a certain amount of discretion when making these odds.

While checking an odds comparison for UFC, you might notice on the odd occasion that you see betting odds displayed in different odds formats. One thing to note is the odds are all the same, however different they may seem.

In the USA you will more likely see the USA odds, such as +100, or +500 for an underdog. The other two UFC betting odds formats you may see are fractions and decimals. Fractions are most commonly found on UK-based betting sites, whereas decimals are most abundant in European-based betting operators.

We’ll give a few examples below, to help understand this.

Decimal odds explained

As mentioned above the decimal format is found in most European countries. However, even in the USA and UK you will see the decimal representation of betting odds on display on betting exchanges and Tote boards.Tote boards are commonly used in USA horse racing betting. If you ever use a betting exchange, then it would be wise to become familiar with the USA vs decimals conversions beforehand. This is quite easy to achieve, once you know what to look for.

Decimals odds include the stake. Most US bettors will be familiar with the stake not visually being returned on their bets. For example:

$100 at odds +200 will display as $200 profit 

The main thing to be aware of with decimal format is becoming familiar with the different appearance the odds have, which some US bettors may find a little strange at first.

For example:

$100 at odds 3.0 is the same as +200 and is still $200 profit 

Some USA bettors who have switched to using Betfair exchange, or to using Tote boards for horse racing betting, have reported finding this a little strange at first, but easily adaptable.

Most betting exchanges do display a highlighted ‘box’ display of the odds that their native country uses. For example, USA betting odds for USA and fractions for UK.

Fractional odds explained

Fractional odds, sometimes referred to as ‘traditional odds’ are UK and Irish-based. If you’re used to USA odds, fractional odds on UFC are easier to figure than decimal UFC betting odds as they have a closer association with the USA betting odds.

As mentioned above, the USA UFC betting odds do not display the stake returned, unlike with the decimal format which do. The fractional odds are the same as the USA UFC betting odds, in terms of not displaying the stake returned.

For example:

$100 at odds 2/1 will display as $200 profit 

USA bettors will most likely find these odds easier to adapt to, at first, than the decimal display of odds on UFC.

For example:

$100 at odds +200 will display as $200 profit.  

This simplifies the association, +200 in USA betting odds is the exact same as 2/1 fractional. The probability of these odds is 33.33%.  This is due to the odds being 2-to-1 in the bookmakers’ favor that the selection does not win.

This is why you will find odds close to 2/1, or +200 on an event with three outcomes that are very closely matched. A home, draw, away event such as soccer would be the most common market you would find this.

American odds explained

American odds are the most commonly found odds on UFC betting odds. There is now a plethora of online bookmakers in the USA you can choose from to find the best UFC odds.

We discussed above how American UFC betting odds are more closely associated with fractional odds than they are in the decimal format. However, despite being closely associated, American odds are more versatile and can arguably offer more value than fractional odds. The reason for this is there are many more UFC betting odds available when using American odds, versus using fractional odds.

You may notice, when visiting a USA sportsbook and looking for your UFC odds today that there are usually a wider range of odds increments available. One selection for odds on UFC may be available at –310, -300, -305, all the way down to –286, for example. When using a fractional site, for instance in the UK, the odds increments seem to have a farther gap in general. 

How to calculate the expected value from UFC betting odds – a must read

Expected value is commonly abbreviated in the betting world as ‘EV’. The EV amount is how much you can expect to win or lose from a bet if you placed the bet on the same odds every time.

Expected value example

Rather than focus on UFC betting odds, we will use a coin toss as an example. This example could be applied to two fighters who are of equal odds and are priced close to +100.

Of course, a coin toss has two possible outcomes, which makes this calculation very simple and clear for us to base this on for any future UFC betting odds calculations. The probability of the coin toss would be 50/50, as per the odds displayed below:

 1/1 in fractions, +100 USA odds, or 2.0 in decimals.  

To apply this to UFC betting odds, we will display this below. Let’s say that we have taken odds of 2.5 for a fighter A to beat fighter B. We find out closer to the fight day that superior fighter B is now slightly injured, and this has made fighter A shorten in UFC betting odds to 2.0

We have a 50% chance of our fighter losing (0.5), yet stand to win $150 from a $100 bet. We also have a 50% chance of our bet losing, yet will lose only $50. As per the calculation below.

Win = (0.5*150) = $75 

Plus 

Loss = (0.5*100) = -$50 

The above calculation produces a +$25 EV, per $100, or +25% EV outcome. While it would be rare to find these instances, they do occur.

Why loyalty doesn’t always pay with the best UFC odds – bet smart!

If you want to know how to bet smart and the only time it pays to be loyal to your bookmaker, then this part of the article is for you.

Bookmakers will often offer a good choice of promotions, reload offers and loyalty rewards to attract and retain customers. The art of knowing how to profit consistently is first figuring out which offers you are going to proceed with, and which ones are not worth wasting your time on.

Loyalty offers with rewards

There are so many loyalty offers out there, that sometimes it is hard to decipher which ones are valuable enough and worthwhile to proceed with. While it would be tedious to perform an ‘EV calculation’’ similar to that shown above, we would suggest filtering out which loyalty offers provide the best rewards and stick to a chosen few only.

Comparing the best UFC odds

As mentioned earlier when quoting our insurance package analogy, it would be wise to shop about first for the best UFC odds before placing your bets. Filter through our trusted bookmakers of choice on this website which will help you find the odds on UFC. You can also find the best cricket betting odds on offer too.

Getting the value

If you combine the two practices above, this should ensure you obtain the best odds on UFC bets and that should take care of any worry about getting the value from your bets. True, it would be very hard to find only +EV bets, especially if you enjoy betting on UFC regularly. It would be wise to follow these practices as much as possible.

Other factors to consider when comparing odds on UFC – more bang for your buck

Odds are one of the most important elements of putting yourself at an advantage with sports betting, and that includes odds on UFC too!

There are extra additions, outside of odds, that can be used to enhance the chances of winning. These additions revolve mainly around UFC betting promotions. Sometimes, it is a lot more profitable to even take ‘worse’ odds, with a bookmaker that is offering a big promotion, or bonus, when betting on UFC betting odds.

For example, it would be more profitable betting on UFC betting odds that had a negative EV of 20%, yet offered a 100% bonus attached to that bet. The promotion would overpower the +EV found elsewhere, by far.

One more thing worth noting is you will probably find more value and competition within prices surrounding the main events, in general. Conversely, matches such as those in the prelims will generally have less competitive prices from the bookmakers on offer.

Awesome betting bonuses

Bet365
1.
Favicon
4.7/5
First Bet Safety Net up to $2000 OR Bet $5 and Get $150
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
Requirements (WR): 1x Bonus, Min. Deposit: $10
Go to Bet365
Get Bonus
T&Cs apply, 21+
At bet365 we don’t do ordinary, that’s why if you sign up now you’ll get the choice of two great New Customer Offers, the First Bet Safety Net up to $2000 or Bet $5 and Get $150 in Bonus Bets. Deposit required. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler 21+
BetMGM
2.
Favicon
4.7/5
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
Min. Deposit: $5
Go to BetMGM
Get Bonus
T&Cs apply, 21+
FanDuel
3.
Favicon
4.6/5
Bet $5 Get $200 in Bonus Bets if your bet wins
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
Requirements (WR): 1x Deposit, Min. Deposit: $10
Go to FanDuel
Get Bonus
T&Cs apply, 21+
Caesars
4.
Favicon
4.5/5
100% up to $1000
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
Requirements (WR): 1x Deposit
Copy
Get Bonus
T&Cs apply, 21+
DraftKings
5.
Favicon
4.5/5
Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets Instantly + All-Customer SGP Insurance
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
Requirements (WR): 1x Bonus, Min. Deposit: $5
Go to DraftKings
Get Bonus
T&Cs apply, 21+

Odds comparison vs live betting odds on UFC – caution!

When it comes to finding +EV odds on UFC bets, live betting is responsible for providing a large portion of these. However, there is a caveat to this statement and one that comes with caution.

Odds are not static

Due to the event being live, the odds are changing as the activity happens, almost in real time, as quick as the UFC betting odds traders [or the algorithm the odds are attached to] can update and refresh these. So, in other words, when you find a +EV opportunity it will inevitably not last for too long, so you need very fast fingers! You will also find these fluctuations on tennis betting odds, where the complexion of a game changes fast.

How to control fluctuating odds during in play

Firstly, the odds are never going to be static, odds are never static even in pre-event betting. However, you can choose moments during the live UFC betting odds events when things stabilise temporarily for a moment. The best time for this would of course be in between rounds, when the fighters are on their stools.

It will not eradicate this entirely, but will reduce the movements greatly and therefore increase your chances of actually placing the UFC betting odds you see, without them moving.

Conclusion on UFC betting odds

Betting on UFC has improved greatly over the past few years. The markets available for UFC betting odds have increased due to the amount of new online betting sites in the USA now.

Follow the practices mentioned in this article. Look for valuable bets, try combining them with betting promotions and even take a worse price if the betting promotion makes it worth it!

Lastly, be cautious when live betting, while the value is there, odds do change super-fast, so speed will be your best friend if you are to be successful getting the best UFC  odds.

Top UFC betting providers

Bet365
1.
Favicon
4.7/5
First Bet Safety Net up to $2000 OR Bet $5 and Get $150
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
Visit Site
T&Cs apply, 21+
At bet365 we don’t do ordinary, that’s why if you sign up now you’ll get the choice of two great New Customer Offers, the First Bet Safety Net up to $2000 or Bet $5 and Get $150 in Bonus Bets. Deposit required. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler 21+
BetMGM
2.
Favicon
4.7/5
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
PayNearMe
PayPal
Bank Transfer
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
Visit Site
T&Cs apply, 21+
FanDuel
3.
Favicon
4.6/5
Bet $5 Get $200 in Bonus Bets if your bet wins
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
Prepaid Card
PayNearMe
PayPal
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
Visit Site
T&Cs apply, 21+
Caesars
4.
Favicon
4.5/5
100% up to $1000
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
E-Check
PayNearMe
PayPal
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
Visit Site
T&Cs apply, 21+
DraftKings
5.
Favicon
4.5/5
Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets Instantly + All-Customer SGP Insurance
Virginia
Players from Virginia accepted
PayPal
VIP Preferred
Play+
Virginia (US) Lottery Board
Visit Site
T&Cs apply, 21+

UFC betting odds FAQ

🥊 How do I find the best UFC odds?

Finding the best UFC odds will require a bit of practice. Take a look through our recommended bookmakers we have selected for the best UFC odds. We have also written an article of the best ways to ensure you get the value from your UFC bets.

❓ What is the best way to win from UFC betting?

There is a full list of recommended practices you take into consideration that will all add to your compounded UFC profits total. There isn’t just one secret answer nor element to note that will ensure you profit. There are a bunch of tips you can use in combination with each other that will help your overall profits rise. Our article at TheGruelingTruth.com goes into the specifics.

🤷‍♂️ What do odds of +200 mean?

American odds formats work differently to traditional odds [fractional] and decimal odds. Our article gives a full descriptive insight into how these different formats work. We also point out how American odds are closer related to fractional, in terms of understanding, but have behaviors more similar to decimals. Learning decimals will also be useful for USA betting when using a betting exchange, such as Betfair, and also for Tote board odds with horse racing, for example. 

Top Betting Sites
Top Betting Bonuses
Bet365
Bet365
Bet365 Review
4.7/5
BetMGM
BetMGM
BetMGM Review
4.7/5
FanDuel
FanDuel
FanDuel Review
4.6/5
Caesars
Caesars
Caesars Review
4.5/5
DraftKings
DraftKings
DraftKings Review
4.5/5
BetFanatics
BetFanatics
BetFanatics Review
4.5/5
BetRivers.com
BetRivers.com
BetRivers.com Review
4.5/5
Barstool
Barstool Review
4.1/5
Bet365
Bet365 Bonus
First Bet Safety Net up to $2000 OR Bet $5 and Get $150
T&Cs apply
4.7/5
At bet365 we don't do ordinary, that's why if you sign up now you'll get the choice of two great New Customer Offers, the First Bet Safety Net up to $2000 or Bet $5 and Get $150 in Bonus Bets. Deposit required. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler 21+
BetMGM
BetMGM Bonus
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
T&Cs apply
4.7/5
FanDuel
FanDuel Bonus
Bet $5 Get $200 in Bonus Bets if your bet wins
T&Cs apply
4.6/5
Caesars
Caesars Bonus
100% up to $1000
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
DraftKings
DraftKings Bonus
Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets Instantly
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
BetFanatics
BetFanatics Bonus
Bet $100, Get $100 in Bonus Bets Every Day for 10 Days!
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
BetRivers.com
BetRivers.com Bonus
Second chance bet: Get up to $500 in Bonus Bets
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
Barstool Bonus
T&Cs apply
4.1/5
Latest Sport News
How Larry Bird and Magic Johnson Saved the NBA
The NBA today is somewhat of a juggernaut. ...
Top 10 Greatest First Round Upsets in NCAA Tournament History
It's time for another year of March Madness, ...
Esteban de Jesus, Roberto Duran y AIDS (1972-89)
Many of us dream of celebrity sports fame, ...
Our Team
Mike GoodpasterJosh SchwartzSimon BriffaMark LewisSamuel Teets
Mike Goodpaster
Mike Goodpaster
Chief Editor
Josh Schwartz
Josh Schwartz
Editor
Simon Briffa
Simon Briffa
Sports Editor
Mark Lewis
Mark Lewis
Editor
Samuel Teets
Samuel Teets
US Sports Veteran
Find out what the legends have to say about sports this week....
Find out what the legends have to say about sports this week....

21+ and present in VA. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times.

×
Your Promo Code:
The bonus offer of was already opened in an additional window. If not, you can open it also by clicking the following link:
Visit Site