MMA betting is a form of sports wagering in which the customer places a bet on one fighter or a group of fighters to win. It is similar to a point spread on a football game but with different odds and bet types. The most common bet is the money line where the customer selects a specific fighter to win the fight. Other bets include prop bets, parlays (accumulators), over/under, round bets and method of victory.

Often, bettors make mistakes by making assumptions about the odds for a certain outcome. This can lead to losing a large amount of money. To avoid this, bettors should do their research before placing a bet. They should also set a budget for their gambling and not play beyond it. Also, they should always remember that gambling is not a pathway to financial success.

Before placing a bet, customers should familiarize themselves with the MMA fighting rules and the matchups between two fighters. They can do this by researching the fighters and looking at their past fighting records. In addition, bettors should be aware of any injuries or controversies that may affect the fight. Lastly, they should be mindful of fighters that struggle to make weight and how they progress before the fight. This is because some fighters take drastic measures to make weight, such as starving and dehydrating themselves. This can leave them drained and weakened before the fight begins, giving their opponents an advantage.

In MMA betting, the over/under is a bet on how many rounds the fight will last. Oddsmakers will set an Over/Under total based on the expected duration of the fight, taking into consideration factors like fighters’ styles and the number of rounds scheduled for the match. For example, if the fighters have a very similar style and the match is scheduled for five rounds, the Over/Under would be set at 3.5.

A bettor can place an Over/Under bet on the method of victory in a fight by choosing either a knockout, submission or judges decision. These wagers offer higher payouts than a bet on a specific winner and lower the risk of a loss in the event of a draw or no decision.

Mma fighters are rated based on their ability to strike and defend themselves. The more proficient a fighter is in striking, the more likely they are to win a fight. However, fighters’ striking abilities can fluctuate due to injury or training methods. A fighter’s ranking can be impacted by how well they perform in their previous fights, so it is important for bettors to keep this information in mind when making their bets.

A replacement fighter is sometimes used in MMA matches when a fighter is injured or cannot make the weigh-in. These replacement fighters have a lower win percentage than their original opponent and should be considered carefully when making a bet. In addition, bettors should also consider the fighters’ weight classes when determining how much to bet on an individual fight.