MMA spread betting, also commonly referred to as UFC spread betting, is a type of bet that can be placed on a fight at the best MMA betting sites. This type of wager is where you are betting on a fighter and the margin of points that they win or lose by.
What makes MMA point spreads different from betting on the moneyline is the +3.5 or -3.5 (+/- 5.5 in a title fight) next to the fighter’s name.
If your fighter wins by finish (knockout or submission), you automatically win this MMA bet. It’s when the fight goes to decision that spread betting shows even greater benefit. In the combined total of the judges’ scorecards, if your fighter is within +3.5 or -3.5 points you win.
Let’s look take a closer look at MMA spread betting and use some sample scorecards to further illustrate our MMA point spread betting strategies.
MMA Point Spreads
In the UFC bantamweight title fight between Henry Cejudo and Aljamain Sterling, the UFC point spread wager would’ve required you to bet on +5.5 for Cejudo (the underdog) or -5.5 for Sterling (the favorite).
The result of the bantamweight title fight saw Sterling win via split decision with scores of 48-47, 48-47, and 47-48. This means that Sterling won via one point after adding up the scores on the judges’ scorecards (143 to 142).
If you bet on Cejudo and +5.5 points, at one of our favorite sportsbooks Bovada, then you would’ve won this bet easily as he lost by one point. However, if you bet on Sterling and his -5.5 points, then you would’ve lost since the champ didn’t cover the 5.5-point spread.
Another way to think of this is: your fighter is getting +5.5 points. He can lose by up to 5.5 points combined on the scorecard, but you still win the bet.
UFC point spreads allow you to bet on the underdog with the security of a close decision win, instead of taking the underdog’s moneyline and losing outright because of a decision.
These MMA wagers also lower the payout of a favorite, when compared to moneyline betting, because you’re taking a risk of losing in the event of a 30/27 or 50/45 unanimous decision.
So, if you’re picking the favorite, you’re limiting the conditions in which you can win, compared to just wagering on the moneyline.
Point Spread in MMA: Advanced Tips
MMA point spread bets can be a great way to add an underdog to a parlay. If you think the underdog can lose, but win one round on all three scorecards, you’ve got a point-spread victory.
Consider the UFC point spread bet on the favorite who has the knockout win locked down. Some players will parlay multiple win conditions on a single fight, such as the moneyline and under 2.5 rounds prop on a knockout fighter. You can add the point spread bet to that parlay card as well.
How to Use MMA Spread Betting
| Fighter | Point Spread | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|
| Logan Paul | +3.5 (+200) | +160 |
| Connor McGregor | -3.5 (-265) | -300 |
Let’s do a hypothetical UFC point spread betting wager on an MMA future to further explain spread betting.
In this hypothetical fight, we think that Conor McGregor will carry Logan Paul to a decision, so we bet the Logan Paul +3.5 spread because we think that the underdog will go the distance and either win via decision or lose via close decision.
The Paul spread bets pays better value than the McGregor moneyline, and it has less risk than the Paul moneyline, since we can still win our wager even if Paul loses the fight. If McGregor wins by a Unanimous Decision or finish, then we would lose this bet.
Conversely, if we take McGregor’s -3.5 point spread then we would need him to win via Unanimous Decision or a Finish. However, we would lose this bet even if McGregor wins via close or split decision.
When Should I Avoid MMA Spread Betting?
You don’t want to bet the spread in a fight that could be a blowout decision. As a general rule, I avoid point spread betting on Dagestani-style fighters and technical decision boxers. In both examples, the fighter is either stopped and finished, or they find the win by eking out every round.
Modern fighters like Belal Muhammad or Merab Dvalishvili have a strong history of winning the unanimous decision without giving up any rounds. Their rare finishes don’t make up for this, and are not a reason to bet the spread rather than the typical moneyline bet.
If a bout doesn’t feel competitive, don’t look to UFC spread betting. Big underdogs who are hoping for the haymaker upset don’t benefit from an MMA spread bet.
You’re looking for a few key factors when considering MMA spread betting:
- You see a favorite with inconsistent performances
- You see an underdog that is improving quickly
- Both fighters have consistent cardio in each fight
- Both fighters don’t have strong finishing at high levels
- Undefeated fighters against known finishers usually make for good spread bets
- A champion who is looking to fight safe to protect the belt
- An underdog who you know can take the fight to decision
Betting the +3.5 or +5.5 underdog spread bets is one of our favorite reasons to go the route of an MMA spread bet. If you don’t see a clear reason to move from the moneyline to the MMA points spread, then skip it.
Point Spreads in MMA Betting: A Hedge and a Hinderance
Remember the most important parts of MMA spread betting: it makes the underdog a better wager and the favorite a slightly weaker one (with a better payout.) There are many ways to play the MMA spread bet, and you may find it appealing after your first win on a fighter that loses, but still pays out.
Once you understand the basic UFC spread betting mechanics, we think you’ll spend more time considering the spread over the underdog moneyline.
Where Can I Bet on UFC Point Spreads?
Not all sports betting sites offer MMA point spreads. However, there is one leading betting site that does – Bovada.
This online gambling site is one of our favorite sportsbooks. It offers a wide range of sports to wager on and an even greater number of bets including MMA spread bets.
Furthermore, Bovada lists odds for the major fight promotions like UFC and Bellator, along with the smaller promotions like Invicta, RIZIN, Cage Warriors, ONE and many more.
Additionally, Bovada is a fantastic live betting site with a solid live wagering platform, competitive odds, and an interface that’s easy to use on desktop and mobile devices.
And, if that weren’t enough to convince you to sign up right now, Bovada also offers great sports betting bonuses for its members. First time depositors can receive a Welcome Bonus up to $750 dollars.
First-time crypto depositors can receive a 125% bonus. Last, but not least, Bovada also offers reload bonuses for members wanting to make another deposit.
So, not only is Bovada a leader in MMA betting, but it’s a premiere online sports betting destination with tremendous bonuses as well.
