How to bet on UFC fights: Professional advice on picking the best markets, odds, and promos

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. Claiming to be the king of combat sports, MMA attracts a global audience, with millions of fans practicing and fighting across the United States, North America, and overseas every week. 

A packed schedule and the competitive nature of bouts make the UFC perfect for online gamblers. Fight fans worldwide like to make predictions on the contests, place bets at the leading gambling apps, land generous bonuses, and target a profit. 

Watching a night of dramatic UFC action is special, but you can get closer to the action by betting on the result. The latest article added to our sports gambling series explains all.

Here’s how to bet on upcoming boxing bouts.

Expert team gives you a fighting chance

Whop readers benefit from expert advice on everything from business and guides to podcasts, reselling, and making money. It’s an incredible resource for all your needs.

We benefit from Frank Monkhouse’s expertise in all things sports and betting. Our gambling writer is a respected name in the industry, boasting a career spent at the top end of legalized sports gambling in the United States and the United Kingdom. A former professional fighter, Frank now concentrates on helping Whop readers better understand sports gambling so they can use that knowledge to floor the top betting apps. 

In this guide, Frank covers all important areas of betting on the UFC. There’s an overview of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, information on where to watch the top fights, the format of fights and rankings, the promotion’s most famous fighters, and how to bet on the UFC. 

Ultimate Fighting Championship past, present and future

Before we dive into the thick of our article on how to bet on the Ultimate Fighting Championship, it’s worth setting the scene. How much do you know about the UFC beyond the big promotions broadcast live on television? 

Here’s an overview of the organization’s past, present and future.

Past: UFC 1 was staged in Denver, Colorado, in 1993 with the aim of finding the most effective martial art. No weight classes, time limits, or gloves existed in the early fights.

Dana White and his partners purchased the UFC brand in 2001 for $2 million, ushering in a new era for the company and MMA. 

Present: The UFC signed a multi-million dollar partnership with ESPN, taking the sport to a global audience. UFC 229 in 2018 brought the biggest bout in UFC history when Khabib Nurmagomedov beat Conor McGregor before a record-breaking crowd. Heavyweights like Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones brought entertainment to the highest division.

Future: Having merged with WWE under the TKO Group Holdings, the UFC continues to grow. Handlers plan to expand UFC into new territories, including Africa, India, the Middle East, and China. Fans can expect more crossover fights with WWE. Also, keep your eyes peeled for movement on increased fighter pay and a fighter’s union.

Popular UFC venues

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is a global affair, with shows staged across North America, Europe, and beyond. Some stadiums and cities are used more frequently than others, including Las Vegas.

The table below details the most popular UFC fight venues, cities, and the memorable shows staged there in the past.

Where to watch UFC

Followers of UFC have enjoyed some memorable fights and exciting nights over the years, and 2025 promises to add more highlights to the showreel. But where can you follow the latest UFC news, get up to speed on the latest bouts, and watch the next world title fight? 

Every UFC card is broadcast to a global audience through official streaming and broadcast partners. The table below details how to watch the next fight night at home.

UFC champions

If you’re new to following UFC and placing bets on the results, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the organization and the sport’s most successful names. The more you know about the UFC, the more likely your predictions will win and land you a profit.

I suggest studying the best fighters, trainers, nations, fights, and knockouts. The sections found below will help you get started.

Best fighters

The UFC has produced some supremely talented and popular fighters over the years. Some are better remembered than others, and some left a bigger dent in the sport. Here’s my list of the best UFC fighters in history.

Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Anderson Silva, Demetrius Johnson, Fedor Emelianenko, Daniel Cormier, Stipe Miocic, Conor McGregor, and Amanda Nunes. 

Here are some names to look out for in the coming months and years.

Ilia Topuria, Shavkat Rakhmonov, Bo Nickal, Tom Aspinall, and Arman Tsarukyan.

Top coaches

Behind every great fighter is an ambitious, knowledgeable, experienced, and forward-thinking coach. Here is a list of some of the most noteworthy coaches in the UFC who are responsible for giving the world the best fighters.

Greg Jackson & Mike Winkeljohn, Javier Mendez, Eugene Bareman, Trevor Wittman, Firas Zahabi, John Kavanagh, Henri Hooft, Saif Saud, Eric Nicksick, and Cesar Gracie.

Successful nations

Which nation has produced the most UFC champions in the promotion’s history? Knowing the answer to that question could help you find winners, especially when predicting the results of undercard fights or spotting a future world champion.

Fastest KO

If you’re an avid follower of UFC, you’ll likely already know the answer to this question, but which fight gave fans the quickest knockout in UFC history? It’s a good pub quiz question, and the answer is below.

Jorge Masvidal knocked out opponent Ben Askren in just five seconds on UFC 239 in the summer of 2019 at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada.

Most famous UFC match

Many lay claims to being the most famous bout in UFC history, but for experienced fans, there’s only one winner - Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Conor McGregor on UFC 229 in October 2018. Khabib vs McGregor smashed all PPV records. Khabib dominated Conor, winning by submission in the fourth round, ending a long-running rivalry.

How to bet on the UFC

We’ve arrived at the most interesting part of our article, where we roll up our sleeves and dig deep into how to bet on UFC. The points raised, and advice given will work when making predictions on the UFC at any major sportsbook and on any fight.

Keep reading as I walk you through the process of betting on the Ultimate Fighting Championship, from finding the best sports betting apps to setting your stake and collecting any winnings made from your pick. 

UFC betting app non-negotiables

First, you want a UFC betting app that delivers the best service, allowing you to gamble from anywhere in the country and on any show at the touch of a button. How do you find the perfect sportsbook in a saturated market?

Any bookmaker must offer these five features to merit your attention and your custom.

Welcome bonus

The best online sportsbooks offer all new customers a welcome bonus free bet. When you create an account, deposit funds, and wager on the UFC, you’ll receive bet credits.

In most cases, the greater your first stake and wager, the higher your free bet. Other new customer promos include enhanced odds and risk-free bets.

Take time to browse the best offers, read the terms and conditions, compare the deals, and find the bonus that works best for you. The more you understand how a deal works, the greater your chances of using it to make a profit.

• Best UK bookie bonuses available today
• The best US sportsbook bonuses that you can claim now

Platform

The best sportsbooks boast a user-friendly website and a modern mobile app. Your login details will grant you access to both, giving you the option to bet at home on your laptop or gamble on the go using your Android or iOS device. 

Betting on a desktop computer is ideal for gamblers who have time to research, check stats and scores, compare odds, check promotions, and find the best odds. The larger screen offers convenience and greater freedom. 

If you’re betting in a hurry, the app means you’re always just a few clicks away from placing a bet. You can turn everyday scenarios into an opportunity to watch sports and make predictions.

Check out the best sports betting apps.

Odds

You want the best odds every time you bet on the UFC. Finding a winner at odds of +5000 is great and will boost your betting balance. But what if you could’ve got the same bet at odds of +9000 simply by browsing the market?

Known as “line shopping,” you must compare the odds offered by the top sportsbooks to ensure you’re getting the best deal.

Visit any respected betting odds comparison app and search for your intended bet. You’ll see a list of the odds offered by all major sportsbooks, with the highest price in bold, making it easy to identify.

The differences in odds between the top bookies may seem small and hardly worth investigating, but those differences add up over the course of a season. 

Markets

More ways to bet means more ways to win. The sportsbook you want to join should offer a long list of pre-fight betting markets. You want to see the fight-winner option boosted by several specials, including method of victory, winning rounds, total rounds, fight to go the distance, and more.

Many UFC bettors like to stick to one market, such as the moneyline, usually because they’re familiar with that option and understand how it works. But staying with one bet may stop you from enjoying the others. Research the options, check the stats, and find a market that gives you the strongest chance of making a profit.

Live betting

Lastly, I only bet with online bookmakers offering live betting. The top apps offer a long list of pre-fight options, with the best available during the contest. When the bout begins, the best markets remain live, and an in-play trader will update the odds to reflect the flow of the fight.

Watch closely and look for angles to make a profit. If a fighter suffers a cut, you can bet live on the bout not lasting the distance. If both fighters are cautious and nervous to engage, you can gamble on over in the total rounds.

Live betting has changed the way we gamble on professional sports forever, increasing your chances of winning more often.

Register your sportsbook account

When you’ve found the right sportsbook for you, it’s time to register an account. You are free to browse and compare the top gambling apps but to collect the welcome bonus, place bets, and target a profit, you must register.

Follow these steps to create a betting account using your smartphone or laptop quickly and securely. The process works for all bookmakers.

1. Choose your bookmaker, visit their homepage, and click Join.
2. Add your details to the registration form, including your date of birth and email.
3. Create a secure username and password.
4. Choose a payment method, make a deposit, and place your first bet!

Finding UFC winners

When your new betting account is activated, verified, and ready to use, it’s time to find sports winners. But how do you beat the bookies and get guaranteed profits each time you gamble on your favorite fighters and bouts broadcast live on television?

Spoiler Alert: There’s no guaranteed way to beat the bookies when betting on sports. Any handicapper promising 100% profits is best avoided. If there were a proven way to pick winners every time you gambled, the entire industry would turn to dust overnight. 

Thankfully, there are ways to improve your chances of winning, and although it’s not guaranteed profits every time, following these suggestions will raise your strike-rate.

Follow the pros

One smart approach is to follow the professionals. Find a UFC handicapper or expert you respect and bet on their picks. This option saves you time on research and checking odds. Trust a sports picks pro to do the heavy lifting, providing you with a selection.

Following a professional bettor is convenient and will lead to profits, but you must find a handicapper that suits your style and budget. I’ve encountered countless sports cappers over the years, some better than others. 

I’m a big fan of the top accounts found on the Whop Discover page. Check it out today and browse picks by sports, popularity, price, and more.

Place educated UFC bets with Whop

That’s everything you need to know about betting on UFC fights. You’ve learned the promotion’s past, present, and future. You know the best fighters and trainers. You’re also up to speed on how to open an online betting account, grab a welcome bonus free bet, and bet on your favorite UFC markets at the best odds possible.

But, you’re still missing one important component of the perfect bet - a winning selection. The best betting app, promotion, and special market are worthless without the correct prediction. And I know where you’ll find the correct prediction.

Here’s how to find a UFC bet in five simple steps:

1. Visit the Whop app or site now. Select Whop Discover in the navigation bar. Scroll to Sports Betting at the top of the page.
2. Browse an amazing catalog of sports picks on MMA, football, horse racing, and more. Expert handicappers, ex-professionals, and gambling gurus run the best whops. Take the time needed to find the sports betting whop that suits you best.
3. Check the cost of joining the whop. If you’re happy to proceed, select the price and then the blue join button. Choose the package you’d like to access, such as premium, and click continue. 
4. Add your payment details and any promo code, and smash the join button. Once you’re signed up, you can browse the whop and access today’s picks.
5. Switch to your betting app, find the sports pick you want to bet on, and click the odds to add to your bet slip. Input a stake, check, and confirm. If your bet wins, profits are paid directly to your balance. 

Get knockout sports betting picks at Whop in time for the next big fight!

FAQs

Where can I find winning UFC picks?

You’ll find expert betting picks on the UFC at Whop Discover. Predictions on fights come from experienced handicappers and sportsbook professionals. Get reliable advice at the best odds available.

Can I get a free bet on the UFC?

Yes, the leading online sportsbooks featured at Whop offer all new customers a welcome bonus when you create an account, deposit funds, and wager. Promos include free bets, enhanced odds, cashback, profit boosts, and extra places each way.

Should I bet pre-fight or live?

Many profitable UFC bettors like to spread their stakes across pre-fight and live betting markets. Betting before the opening bell often gives you a shot at landing better odds, while biding your time and gambling in-play increases your chances of landing a profit.

Which UFC betting market is the best?

The simplest and most popular UFC market available today is the fight-winner option. Pick who you expect to win a bout and click their odds to add to your bet slip. If your warrior is victorious, you get the profits.

Which bookmaker has the best UFC betting odds?

As UFC betting is incredibly popular with online gamblers, many of the leading sportsbooks offer generous odds. The best way to find the standout offer is to check any respected betting odds comparison app.