Boxing and MMA Odds Explained. Everything You Need to Know.

Boxing and MMA Odds Explained: Everything You Need to Know

When you’re immersed in the electrifying world of boxing or UFC fights, amidst the buzz about knockouts and submissions, you’ll often hear terms like “Fighter X is a -300 favorite” or “Fighter X is a +500 underdog.” These phrases, peppered with mysterious plus and minus signs, might sound like cryptic code to the uninitiated. So, let’s demystify these betting odds in the simplest way possible.

Imagine you’re at a boxing or MMA match. If you hear that the odds are -300 for a fighter, it means they’re the crowd favorite. But what does -300 actually signify? It’s simple: you need to bet $300 to potentially win an additional $100. The “-” sign is a quick tip-off that you’re looking at the favorite.

On the flip side, a +500 odd indicates an underdog in the fight. In this scenario, placing $100 on this fighter could net you a whopping $500 if they pull off an upset. The “+” sign is your clue that you’re betting on the less favored contender.

To ensure there’s no confusion, let’s delve a bit deeper into this concept. Understanding these odds is key to making informed bets and adds an extra layer of excitement to watching these intense sports battles.

Fighting (American) Odds Explained in Detail

In the adrenaline-fueled arenas of boxing and MMA, betting adds an extra layer of excitement. The odds often thrown around in these discussions are known as American odds, a popular format in the world of combat sports betting. Understanding these odds can enhance your viewing experience, so let’s break them down in a straightforward manner.

When you hear odds like -150 or -200, you’re dealing with the favorite in the fight. These negative numbers indicate how much you need to bet to win $100. For instance, -200 odds mean you must bet $200 to potentially win $100. If your fighter triumphs, you’ll get a total payout of $300 – your initial $200 stake plus a $100 profit.

Conversely, positive numbers like +200 or +350 signify the underdog. These odds tell you the profit you’d make from a $100 bet. So, if an underdog’s odds are +350, a successful $100 bet on them would yield a $350 profit, bringing your total payout to $450.

Now that we’ve laid out the basics of American odds, let’s dive into some examples to cement your understanding. It’s also worth noting that there are various types of odds in the world of fight betting. Familiarizing yourself with these different formats can give you a more rounded perspective on the betting landscape. Let’s start by exploring the most common types of odds you’ll encounter.

Different Types of Betting Odds – How Are They Calculated?

American Odds

Navigating the world of betting odds, especially in the high-stakes universe of fighting sports, can be as thrilling as the matches themselves. As we’ve seen, American odds, also known as Money Line odds, are the go-to format for sports deeply rooted in American culture, including basketball, hockey, football, and notably, boxing and MMA. Let’s delve a bit deeper into how these odds work, especially when your betting ambitions extend beyond the standard $100 mark.

Consider John, an avid fight fan, who’s eyeing the odds for an upcoming bout. The odds are -250 for Fighter A (the favorite) and +300 for Fighter B (the underdog). John’s aiming to win $50 by betting on Fighter A. Since -250 odds mean you need to bet $250 to win $100, John calculates that a $125 bet is required to secure his $50 target (with a total payout of $175, including his original stake).

Now, what if John’s appetite for risk is a bit larger, and he wants to win $200 on the same fighter? The math is straightforward: he needs to double his stake. By placing $500 on Fighter A, he stands to win $200, bringing his total payout to $700.

Let’s switch scenarios. John decides to back the underdog, Fighter B, this time. The odds are -130 for Fighter A and +160 for Fighter B. John’s new goal is a $400 win. With +160 odds, a $100 bet yields $160. To hit his $400 target, John needs to up his bet to $250, which would bring his total payout to $650, including a $400 profit.

Alternatively, if John prefers a smaller win of $40, he needs to adjust his bet accordingly. With the same +160 odds, a $25 bet on Fighter B would result in a total payout of $65, of which $40 is profit.

Understanding these nuances in betting odds can significantly enhance the experience of fight night, adding a strategic layer to the excitement of each punch, kick, and knockout.

Decimal Odds

Venturing beyond the realm of American odds, we encounter the world of Decimal odds, also known as European odds, continental odds, or digital odds. These are particularly popular in Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and they bring a different flavor to the betting table. As their name suggests, Decimal odds are presented in the form of decimal numbers, making them straightforward and easy to understand.

The beauty of Decimal odds lies in their simplicity: the number you see represents the total payout you receive for every $1 wagered, and this total includes your original stake. Let’s illustrate this with an example from the world of combat sports.

Imagine there’s an upcoming fight. Fighter A has odds of 1.4, while Fighter B’s odds are set at 2.5. In the Decimal odds system, the smaller number indicates the favorite, and the larger number points to the underdog. In our scenario, Fighter A is the favorite, and Fighter B is the underdog.

If John, our hypothetical bettor, places $1 on Fighter A, his total payout would be $1.4. This amount includes his initial $1 stake, making his profit $0.4. On the other hand, if John bets $1 on Fighter B, his total payout would be $2.5, comprising his $1 stake and a $1.5 profit. Now, let’s say John decides to up his game and wagers $5. In that case, betting on Fighter A would yield him a total payout of $7, which includes his $5 stake and a $2 profit.

To put it simply, the formula for calculating returns with Decimal odds is quite straightforward. You multiply your stake by the decimal number to get your total payout. This system is user-friendly and makes calculating potential winnings a breeze, adding to the excitement of betting on your favorite fighters.

Total Return = Stake x Decimal Odd Number

Profit = Total Return – Stake

Fractional Odds

In the United Kingdom, we often encounter Fractional Odds, also known as British odds, UK odds, or traditional odds. These odds have a distinct charm and are deeply rooted in the UK’s betting culture. Fractional Odds are typically represented as ratios, like 5/1 or 5-1, and can be written using either a slash (/) or a hyphen (-). They are commonly vocalized as “five-to-one.”

The essence of Fractional Odds lies in their representation of the profit you stand to gain for every dollar you wager. For instance, let’s consider fractional odds of 7/4 (equivalent to 1.75 in decimal form). This means that for every $1 you bet, you’ll earn a profit of $1.75 if your bet is successful. Therefore, if you place $1 on such odds, your total payout would be $2.75, which includes your $1.75 profit plus the original $1 stake.

Let’s explore another example: odds of 5/1, or “five-to-one.” This implies that for every $1 wagered, you win $5. So, if you bet $1, your total payout would be $6, comprising a $5 profit and your $1 stake returned.

Fractional odds can also represent less straightforward ratios, such as 9/2 (“nine-to-two”). This means you win $9 for every $2 you bet. For example, a $10 wager at these odds would result in a total payout of $55. This payout includes your original $10 stake and a profit of $45.

In the case of odds like 10/11 (“ten-to-eleven”), the calculation is slightly different. Here, a $1 bet would yield a profit of $0.91, making the total payout $1.91. This example shows that fractional odds can also represent scenarios where the potential profit is less than the amount wagered, typically seen in matchups where one side is a slight favorite.

Understanding Fractional Odds is key to navigating the betting landscape in the UK. These odds provide a clear and traditional way to gauge potential winnings, adding an element of strategic calculation to the excitement of placing bets on your favorite sports and events.

Total Return = Stake x Fractional Odd + Stake

Profit = Total Return – Stake

When talking about fractional odds, another thing worth mentioning is that the side accompanied by smaller odds is the favorite, whereas the side accompanied by a bigger number is the underdog.

To better see different types of odds and their conversion from one type to another, let’s take a look at the next table:

American Odds Decimal Odds Fraction Odds
-500 1.20 1/5
900 10.00 9/1

Different Types of Boxing Bets

When you bet on boxing matches, you don’t necessarily have to choose the winner of a fight. You can also wager your money on things like which round the bout will finish in, how will it finish, will it go to the distance, and many others. Let’s see some of them:

  • Fight outcome. The most popular one, and already explained. You can wager your money on fighter A win, fighter B win, or draw.
  • When the fight ends. You can wager your money on when the fight will end (which round).
  • Way of victory. You can also choose how the fight will end. Will it end by knockout, technical knockout, disqualification, or will it go to the decision.
  • Stoppage or decision. You can wager your money by simply choosing YES or NO to question: “Will the fight go to the distance?”.
  • More or fewer rounds. For example, if you wager on over 5.5 rounds, that means that you expect the fight to go for six or more rounds. If you wager on, let’s say, under 3.5 rounds, that means that you expect the fight is over in three or fewer rounds.
  • There are also many other betting options like the number of punches thrown, a significant number of strikes, the number of knockdowns, even things like will fighters touch gloves or not.

Different Types of MMA Bets

As with boxing, when it comes to MMA, you can also wager on many different things, some being:

  • Fight outcome. You can put your bet on either fighter winning, or the bout ending in a draw.
  • When the fight ends. You can wager your money on when the fight will end (which round).
  • Way of victory. You can also choose how the fight will end. Will it end by knockout, technical knockout, submission, disqualification, or will it go to the judge’s decision.
  • Stoppage or decision. You can wager your money by simply choosing YES or NO to question: “Will the fight go to the distance?”.
  • More or fewer rounds. For example, if you wager on over 2.5 rounds, that means that you expect the fight to go for three or more rounds. If you wager on, let’s say, under 1.5 rounds, that means that you expect the fight is over in the first round.
  • There are also a ton of other betting options like the number of punches thrown, a significant number of strikes, the number of knockdowns, throwdowns, submission attempts, etc.

With all being said, I sincerely hope that now you have a full understanding of what odds represent (and everything else you should know about odds) when watching your favorite fighters.

Stefano Secci, French Savate Boxing, and Martial Arts champion
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Stefano Secci

Stefano Secci was born on the outskirts of Genoa. He began practicing sports at 11 by enrolling in a Ju-Jitsu class; from there, I have not stopped playing sports until today. At 16, he switched to French Savate Boxing, which I married and has remained my first and only true love. Our testing and reviewing method.
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