A number of times I’ve sat down to watch a fight with my friends, and in between rounds we’ve all bet on the outcome. Whether it was an exhibition match or a professional bout, the thrill of betting on a game of chance never got old. This article covers some of the basic strategies you can use to bet on fights – both professional and amateur – and how to place bets efficiently so you don’t lose any money.
Look At The Form
Although modern cameras allow us to see every inch of the ring canvas, it’s not always easy to judge a fight based on the images. Sometimes the ring lights make it hard to tell whether or not a low blow has been landed, and other times the fights are so quick that I haven’t got a chance to see what’s going on until it’s too late.
This is why it’s important to study the form of the fighters beforehand. You can make a good guess at what sort of combatant a particular fighter is based on the styles they have chosen to focus on. Some fighters are better than others at maintaining a certain approach, which can help you place a bet confidently. For example, let’s say you’ve studied MMA fairly extensively and have a good idea of how wrestlers fight (more on this later). You can be pretty certain that a wrestler will have one main approach when in the ring, so if this is the case then you have the option of placing a confident bet on them.
Know The Games
When you’re watching a fight, whether it’s a boxing match or a mixed martial arts (MMA) event, there will always be some reference to betting involved. Both sports have incorporated betting markets for some time now, and while it might not be obvious what sort of bets are on, it’s always there in the background. Sometimes you’ll see the bookmakers make offers below the line (below the referee’s view), other times they’ll do it above (above the ref’s line). Naturally, as a fan of the sport you’ll be keeping an eye on these markets to see what’s going on, but you should also be aware that the bookmakers can’t actually take your money until the end of the fight. This means that the action can go on for a while before the money becomes real.
Study The Style
If you’ve followed a particular martial arts style or competition for any amount of time, then you’ll know that they can be quite difficult to learn. This is because the styles tend to rely on certain techniques which may not be easy to replicate in real life. When you’ve mastered one style, however, it’s easier to move on to the next. For example, if you’ve learned how to fight like a wrestler, it might be difficult to fight like a boxer. The key is to learn as much as you can about the different styles and their applications so that you can become a more well-rounded fighter.
Check Out The Underdogs
As a fan of the sport, you’ll always be drawn to the underdogs. These are the fighters who haven’t been given the opportunity to prove themselves yet, and with any sort of odds market the bookmakers will always back the underdog. Even when they’re not particularly compelling bets (i.e. the favorite is a boxer who’s been in a lot of fights and the underdog is a kickboxer with only one professional fight to their name), you can’t go wrong with a bet on the underdog. You’re essentially backing the risk vs. reward scenario with your wager. The reward is typically smaller, but it’s always there if you win and you might just end up multiplying your wager. This sort of betting strategy is often best applied to MMA, where the fighters are generally quite evenly matched and the styles can be quite brutal (especially if one of the styles is called for by a kick or a bite, or in the case of MMA, a grapple or a slam).
Beware Of The Trends
Just because a particular betting trend appears to be happening doesn’t necessarily mean that it is. Sometimes the odds will seem to suggest that one fighter is going to win, only for the final results to prove otherwise. With any luck, you won’t lose too much money, but it’s always best to be on the safer side. For example, if you’re a betting man and you see that the favorite is a boxer who’s been in a lot of fights and the underdog is an inexperienced MMA fighter, don’t be fooled by the numbers and bet on the more experienced boxer. This sort of strategy is often used in football (soccer), where the favorites will often get the better of the stats and the underdog will often come through with a shock victory. In this case, you might just lose a bit of money, but at least you won’t be upset about it.
Keep An Eye On The Clock
When watching an MMA bout you’ll notice that most of them are decided fairly quickly. Even professional fights can be decided in the first round, and sometimes the second. There’s rarely any need to go the distance, which allows the betting markets to update themselves more frequently. As the fights get quicker, it’s also easier for the action to happen in one corner of the ring rather than throughout the entire octagon (as in a boxing match). This means you’re less likely to miss any punches or kicks, especially if you’re sitting close to the TV. If any of your friends are nearby and want to engage in conversation, it can be hard to keep track of what’s going on in the ring. The clock is always a helpful tool in these situations – keep an eye on it so you don’t miss a punch or kick, and make sure you have your wager down before the round ends so you don’t lose any money. This is why it’s important to study the form of the fighters and know the rules of the games.