Professional mixed martial arts boasts some of the fastest-growing betting markets in the sports wagering industry. The soaring popularity of MMA is on a consistent uptrend, and in this favorable position, we’re witnessing oddsmakers pay much more attention to the betting lines on offer.
Bellator MMA owns excellent potential as a profitable promotion for long-term sports bettors. In this guide, we’re going to cover some of the intricacies involved in betting on the world’s second-most popular mixed martial arts organization. Bellator MMA
Spearheaded by its CEO and primary fight promoter, Scott Coker, Bellator MMA was established in 2008. Following the disbandment of the Strikeforce MMA promotion in 2011, Coker was out of work and eventually found a new home at Bellator as the company wanted to shift from its tournament-based style of events to deliver upcoming fights that provide a worldwide interest.
Since he arrived at Bellator in 2014, Coker has done a magnificent job evolving the Bellator roster by hiring reputable MMA fighters such as Ryan Bader, Gegard Mousasi, Vitor Belfort, Cris Cyborg, Benson Henderson, Yoel Romero, and many more. As the company is a leading competitor of the UFC, they’ve equally done a great job promoting their home-grown talents like Vadim Nemkov, Fed Emelianenko, Douglas Lima, Michael Page, Patricio Freire, and A.J. McKee. Bellator MMA Champions
Bellator currently has 10 champions throughout 11 men’s and women’s weight classes.
Division | Champion | Since | Title Defenses |
Heavyweight | Ryan Bader | Jan 26, 2019 | 2 |
Light Heavyweight | Vadim Nemkov | Aug 21, 2020 | 2 |
Middleweight | Johnny Eblen | June 24, 2022 | 0 |
Welterweight | Yaroslav Amosov | Jun 11, 2021 | 0 |
Lightweight | Patricky Pitbull | Nov 5, 2021 | 0 |
Featherweight | Patricio Pitbull | Apr 15, 2022 | 0 |
Bantamweight | Sergio Pettis | May 7, 2021 | 1 |
Women’s Featherweight | Cris Cyborg | Jan 25, 2020 | 4 |
Women’s Flyweight | Liz Carmouche | Apr 22, 2022 | 0 |
Bellator odds work throughout betting the same as in any other sports market. Oddsmakers present an available price for each fighter by gauging the likelihood of a specific outcome.
They’re often displayed as fractions (3/1) or decimals (4.0) but can also be viewed with a plus (+300) or minus (-300); this is referred to as American odds. Odds can be applied to any set outcome of an upcoming fight, whether deciding on the winner, a disqualification, a draw, or prop bets such as how fighter A will win the contest (By KO, Submission, or Decision).
Betting odds reveal the probability of an outcome, which is represented in the price given for each fighter by the oddsmakers. This representation offers bettors an idea of how much profit they potentially yield if the particular outcome comes to fruition.
Fractional odds tell us about our potential profit alongside the amount needed to be staked. The number on the left-hand side is the profit we receive when betting the number on the right-hand side. These odds are most popular in the UK but can often be utilized at most horse racing venues. They’re also called British odds, UK odds, or traditional odds.
A $1 bet on Fighter A with odds of 2/1 would return $3 if successful. This does include the initial stake, so a bettor’s profit would be $2, as well as the initial $1 you staked to place the bet.
10/1: $10 profit received for every $1 stake
5/2: $5 profit for every $2 stake
4/11: $4 profit for every $11 stake
If the number on the left-hand side is lower than the right-sided number, this is known as an odds-on wager. Oppositely, it’s referred to as odds-against, and 1/1 is known as evens.
Decimal odds give us a clear picture of our potential winnings, including our stake. Bettors can simply multiply the stake by the odds. These odds are also known as European odds, continental odds, or digital odds. They’re regularly used in Europe, Canada, and Australia.
A $1 bet on Fighter A at 3.00 would return $3. Similarly to the fractional bet above, $2 is the profit, and $1 is the initial stake.
10.00: $1 returns $10
2.50: $4 returns $10
1.50: $2 returns $3
Understanding Bellator American odds is simple for veteran handicappers. Still, those new to sports betting can become confused when looking at the odds for an upcoming fight. You’ll often hear Bellator odds discussions say, “Fighter A is a -200 favorite.” Or “Fighter B is a +300 underdog.”
American odds tell us about the potential profit from a bet.
Fighter A -150
Fighter B +130
The plus symbol highlights the underdog of the fight, whereas the minus symbol denotes that they’re the favorite in the bout.
If a bettor places $10 on Fighter B at +130, this will return $23 – $13 profit and the initial $10 stake. If Fighter A is the winning side, a $15 bet will return $25 – $15 profit and the initial $10 stake.
All of the aforementioned odds can be utilized at most sportsbooks. Most operators will provide odds settings and allow you to pick between fractional, decimal, or American.
In Bellator and mixed martial arts generally, a moneyline wager is a bet predicting which fighter will win the bout. Odds are given for two fighters. The most consistent fighter of the two will be the favorite, and his odds will have the minus symbol (-) in front of his name (mentioned above). The underrated fighters –underdogs – can be found with the plus symbol (+).
If top lightweight contender Patricky Pitbull is competing against A.J. McKee, potential odds for Pitbull could place him as the -120 betting favorite, while the comeback on McKee could be +110. It would require a $120 stake in Pitbull to make a $100 profit, whereas a $100 bet on McKee would return a $120 profit.
Total rounds wagers in Bellator is a betting market where you can predict the length of a fight. Regular contests consist of x3 five-minute rounds; you can pick under/over on 1.5 or 2.5 rounds. Championship and main event fights are contested over x5 five-minute rounds, and these bouts additionally provide over/unders on 3.5 and 4.5.
If a bettor places a wager on the over 1.5, you will need the fight to surpass the 2-minute 30 seconds mark of the second round without the contest being stopped. If you’re wagering on the under 1.5 rounds, the same time is applied, but you’ll need the fight to be stopped via KO/TKO, submission, or DQ before the 2-minute 30-second mark of the second round.
Due to the low number of rounds in MMA and the various fighting styles, it can be challenging to predict the over/under. If an upcoming fight involves two defensive fighters, the contest will likely last long, therefore making the over bet a wise choice. If two aggressive fighters with knockout power compete, betting the under could produce a winning ticket.
MMA can produce volatile results, thus making it one of the most challenging sports to yield a long-term profit. However, following some of the basic rules of betting on MMA can be fruitful and incredibly entertaining.
Some of the best tips to consider before betting on MMA are:
Tape Study
Unlike team sports, MMA bouts are contested over 15 minutes and sometimes end in seconds. This makes life easy for bettors when studying the skillsets of top-level fighters they are wagering on. One versus-one predicament across 15-minute fights means we can bet directly on a person’s potential without factoring in teammates or watching hours of footage.
Dissimilar to team sports, where statistics are heavily favored in making sports betting decisions, an MMA tape study can provide bettors with a clear view of their fighter’s talent without wasting too much time. You can gauge whether Fighter A or Fighter B is the more talented competitor and make betting picks based on your evaluation.
Line Shopping
Bellator betting markets can be found at most leading sportsbooks, but how do you decide which is the best? It’s easy; you find the best price using our odds tracking service here at OddsMarket.
Line shopping is imperative for a bettor’s long-term success; if you aren’t comparing betting lines across different sportsbooks, you’re leaving money on the table.
Bankroll Management
Like most sports, managing your bankroll is key to becoming a successful MMA sports bettor. It ensures you’re protecting your money over the long term, where the best sports bettors ultimately see significant profits.
Generally speaking, the rule of thumb is to wager between 1% and 3% of your bankroll on any fight. But with Bellator events, you can sometimes wager 10-15% of your bankroll in one night, depending on how many fights are scheduled and if the opportunities present themselves.
Underdog Betting
Bettors who love an underdog will enjoy MMA betting. Upsets are a massive part of MMA. Although you should never blindly bet on underdogs, the potential for profit in MMA underdogs is significantly higher than in any other sport.
Using Bellator 285 on Sep 23, 2022, as a prime example. From thirteen bouts, there were seven favorites and six underdogs that won. Underdog bettors on this night walked away with a 66% return on investment, while those betting the favorites were at a miserable -32%. To make this more comprehendible, $100 bettors would have lost $420 betting on all 13 favorites, while underdog bettors would have taken $860 in profit despite the seven favorites winning. This proves the power of the underdog in MMA betting can be significantly rewarding, but again, we never suggest blind betting every underdog on the card, do your homework first.
Bellator MMA odds often produce hefty moneyline prices such as -600 or -800. Wagering $800 to win $100 isn’t viable for long-term bettors. But this is where betting on methods of victory in Bellator fights can prevail.
There are four potential outcomes that a Bellator fight can end with, and you can wager on all of these specific prop bets:
Method of victory betting markets significantly raise the price of odds compared to the moneyline. If you believe a particular fight possesses significant knockout power and he’s fighting an opponent with countless knockout losses, the KO/TKO market could be worth investing in.
Likewise, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners who’ve landed many submission victories during their careers are great for the submission prop bets. And lastly, point fighters who aren’t overly aggressive can provide lucrative returns when betting on them to win via decision.
The wealth of talent residing on the Bellator MMA roster is extensive, but there are some notable names worth keeping in mind when you’re looking to place bets.
Patricio Pitbull: Pitbull is a former two-division Bellator champion and the current featherweight champion boasting a 34-5 record. In twelve years of being signed to Bellator, he’s won 21 of his scheduled 26 fights.
Cris Cyborg: Cyborg is regarded as one of the best women’s MMA fighters to step into the cage. She’s won championships in four major MMA promotions – including the UFC – and is the only fighter in history, male or female, to accomplish this Grand Slam Champion achievement.
Bellator MMA and the UFC are two competing MMA promotions. They have two separate rosters of fighters competing against one another. UFC is regarded as the most talent-rich MMA promotion and is the No.1 ranked mixed martial arts company worldwide, while Bellator is second.
Every major sportsbook will have odds on Bellator. Whether it’s DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, BetMGM, Bet365, or PointsBet, you will always find odds on Bellator MMA.
There is no guarantee of making a profit in any sports betting market. However, with implemented due diligence and a willingness to learn, anybody can make money on MMA betting.
As previously mentioned in our guide above, some of the best tips to consider before betting on MMA are: