Reading betting lines is a skill that every sports bettor should know how to do. It is an essential part of analyzing a sporting event and being able to determine whether you should wager on that game or not. Different sportsbooks have different ways of laying down their betting lines, and it is usually up to you to figure out what system they are using so you can correctly read them.
UFC Betting Lines Are Usually Very Difficult To Read
One of the big advantages of betting on the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is that most of their fights have very simple betting lines. It is difficult to find a fight where there is a clear-cut favorite, so most of the time it comes down to whether you think the match will be a draw or an upset win for one of the participants. This makes it easier to assess whether you should wager on the fight or not because there is rarely any clear-cut favorite. However, even in these cases, reading the lines can be challenging because there is a lot of jargon that can get in the way of the average person who is not familiar with the terminology used by the betting community. UFC lines are usually not laid out in a very logical or easy-to-understand manner, so it can be difficult for newcomers to figure out how to correctly interpret them.
Know The Different Types Of UFC Betting Lines
There are five different types of betting lines that you will encounter when wagering on UFC matches. These lines can be very helpful in assessing whether you should wager on a fight or not, so it is essential that you familiarize yourself with them.
Money Line
The simplest and most common type of line to find when wagering on UFC fights is the money line. This is because almost every sport has adopted this type of betting model, and it is very easy to understand. Essentially, bookmakers will quote a price for the match, which is typically expressed in US dollars. For example, if you wager $100 on UFC Fight Night 123, you are committing to pay $100 if your bet wins and the fight ends in a draw. You are not responsible for any wins or losses beyond that. In some situations, it is possible for your bet to win but not payout, in which case you would lose what you wagered. For more information on the different types of wagering options, please read our guide to sports betting.
Performance Line
A performance line is one where you are basically analyzing how well the UFC Fight Night 123 competitor did in their last fight. For example, if you are interested in betting on Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmahamedov, you will see a performance line for that fight with the latter performing better. In a nutshell, a performance line is used to assess whether a UFC fighter is ready to face the biggest challenge of their career or not. Just remember that these lines can also be very misleading because it is more difficult to determine how well someone will perform until they have actually competed in a match. In the example above, McGregor has not faced anyone of Khabib’s caliber, making it difficult to say how well he will do in the fight. Also, if they are both newcomers to the sport and are not ready for their biggest fight yet, it could be difficult to determine who will perform better. Performance lines are always tricky to read because people can and do regularly bet on whether or not someone will win a specific fight.
Percentage Line
A percentage line is also referred to as a “pick ’em” or “poison” line. These lines are simply a way of displaying the results of a fight in a simple manner. For example, if you are interested in betting on the fight between McGregor and Nurmahamedov, you will see a 100% payout for McGregor. This means that you will need to wager at least $100 on his side to win $100. As with a money line, if McGregor wins this fight, you will double your money. However, if the fight ends in a draw, you will lose what you wagered. Percentage lines are easy to read because they are basically just a way of displaying the results of a fight. While it may not always be easy to discern which fighter will win a specific match, it is usually very easy to figure out which side will come out on top when it comes to the spread of points or percentages in the case of a draw. The downside is that these lines are sometimes hard to find, so you have to either search for them manually or ask a support representative to look for you.
Win–Place Or–Show Line
A win–place or show line is used to decide which fighter will win a specific match based on the location of the bout. In the case of McGregor vs. Nurmahamedov, if it is held in Russia, the winner will be determined by the outcome of the fight. If it is held in Ireland, England, or Wales, the winner will be determined by the location of the judges’ decision. In place lines, the location of the fight actually does matter, so be careful when making predictions based on these types of lines. However, it is usually very easy to determine which fighter will win based on the location of the fight. For example, if it is held in Russia, odds will be in favor of McGregor. If it is held in England or Wales, the odds will be in favor of Nurmahamedov. The downside is that you have to be aware of the location of the fight if you want to use this line to determine the winner. If you want to make a prediction based on the outcome of a specific fight regardless of where it is held, use a show line instead.
Expert’s Pick
Expert’s picks are lines that are typically made available to professional pundits, analysts, and other sports betting enthusiasts. These lines are extremely helpful because it is very difficult to discern whether or not a fight will end in a win, place, or show. Pundits and experts have a better idea of which fighter will come out on top in any given match, so they can accurately predict the results and avoid any unnecessary surprises. Just remember that these lines can also be very misleading because it is very difficult to determine how well someone will perform until they have actually competed in a match. In the case of McGregor vs. Nurmahamedov, McGregor is labeled as an “expert’s pick” because he is a highly regarded professional MMA fighter with a 79-8 record. If you want to bet on MMA, using an expert’s pick can be a good strategy because you know that they will have a better idea of which fighter is going to win. If you are unfamiliar with this type of line, it may be a good idea to wager on the fight anyway and cross your fingers that you get lucky, but it is generally best to avoid them when possible because they can be very misleading.