How to Bet on UFC: Odds, Markets, and more explained

Charlie Zschau Updated: May 14 2026 18:00

UFC is the premier mixed martial arts (MMA) competition in the world. We'll explain how UFC odds and markets work, and how to bet on the fights with bet365.

Where can I bet on the UFC?

UFC fans can bet on fights with UFC's official betting partner - bet365.

How to read UFC betting odds

When using bet365 in the United States and Canada, odds are depicted using the plus (+) or minus (-) signs, and are based on bettors wagering $100.

The minus sign indicates the expected winner (favorite) and offers a lower payout than the wager itself. A plus sign indicates an underdog, and comes with higher payout.

When a minus is present, the number shows how much you need to bet to win $100. When a plus sign is present the odds show how much you would win on a $100 bet.

-150	You wager $100 to win $150 (plus your stake back)
+150	You must wager $150 to win $100 (plus your stake back)
+/- 100	Even Odds. $100 Dollar bet wins $100 Dollars

How to Calculate a UFC Betting Payout

At bet365, the payout is automatically calculated in the betting slip. When you add a wager to a bet, you will see the potential payout if the bet is placed.

Most Popular UFC Betting Markets

When it comes to betting on UFC, there are many different types of bets you can make, including but not limited to moneyline, method of victory, total rounds, and prop bets. We'll break down the major markets that bet365 offers.

To Win Fight (Moneyline)

UFC Moneyline betting is as simple as picking who is going to win the fight. This is the most straightforward bet in UFC, and allows bettors to choose which athlete wins a fight, no matter how the victory is determined.

Moneyline odds might look like this:

Athlete 1	+200
Athlete 2	-200

In the example above, Athlete 2 is favored to win the match. This could be due to multiple factors, most importantly based on their UFC record and ability to matchup against the other athlete.

Method of Victory

An athlete can win a fight in multiple ways - by knockout, decision, or by submission. The 'method of victory' market on bet365 allows bettors to specifically choose how an athlete will win a fight by predicting the exact finish.

Method of victory odds might look like this:

	Athlete 1	Athlete 2
By KO, TKO, or DQ	+450	+130
By Decision or Technical Decision	+500	+700
By Submission	+3000	+250
Draw	+7000

UFC Athletes have different fighting styles, and depending on their strengths the odds will resemble that. In the example above, Athlete 2 is more likely to win either by knockout or submission, but Athlete 1 is more likely to win if it comes down to the judges.

Athlete 1 is not likely to win by submission, meaning that they likely prefer an upright fight, rather than grappling with the opponent.

Round Betting (Over/Under, Exact)

Betting on the amount of rounds a UFC fight will last can be done in a few ways, over/under, total, or exact.

Each fight on bet365 offers over/under round betting, allowing players to choose on whether the fight will last 'over' or 'under' a certain number of rounds.

Round Over/Under odds might look like this:

Total Rounds	Over	Under
0.5	-1500	+950
1.5	-750	+450
2.5	-365	+260
3.5	-220	+160
4.5	-150	+110

A half round is stated, then the 30 second mark of the round will define the half to determine over/under.

If a fight ended in Round 2 after 2 minute 30 seconds on the clock, over 1.5 rounds would be the winning market as 1 and a half rounds have been completed.

If a fight ended in Round 2 before 2 minute 30 seconds on the clock, under 1.5 rounds would be the winning market as 1 round has been completed however it is under the halfway stage in the 2nd round.

For over 2.5 rounds to be a winner, 2 minute 30 seconds in the 3rd round would be the winner.

Exact round betting markets allow players to choose exactly what round a fight will finish in. Some exact round bets can combine which fighter will win the fight in a specific round. Exact round betting is typically difficult to predict, so payouts are generally higher.

Exact round betting odds might look like this:

Round 1	+700
Round 2	+650
Round 3	+700
Round 4	+750
Round 5	+850

Fight to go the Distance

The fight to go the distance market is another simple way to bet on a UFC fight. Bettors choose whether or not (Yes or No) a fight will be determined by the judges or end in by a knockout, submission, or disqualification before every round has been completed.

Fight to go the Distance odds might look like this:

Yes	+145
No	-180

Fight Spread

Spread betting in UFC is based on judges' scorecards in the event that the fight goes the distance. The specified points detailed on the fight spread has to do with the combined overall total points declared on the judges scorecards.

A favorite (-) must win by more than their spread on the judges scorecard, while the underdog (+) wins if they win, or lose by less than their spread.

Spread odds might look like this:

	Spread	Odds
Athlete 1	+4.5	-120
Athlete 2	-4.5	-120

If a fight goes to decision, and the judges score the fight 28-29, then a bet on Athlete 1's spread will win, because they lost by less than 4.5 points. Athlete 2 would have to win by five or more points on the judges scorecard to win the spread.

When betting the spread, add or subtract the spread to the final scorecard. Once the spread is added or subtracted to either score, the new result determines which bet wins.

Spread bets placed on an athlete who wins via KO, TKO, Submission, or Disqualification will automatically win.

Prop Bets and Specials

UFC prop bets allow fans to go beyond basic outcomes, and allow players to wager on specific events and occurrences within a fight.

Popular props and specials include: