UFC 262 has a targeted date of May 15, 2021. This guide will help you prepare for the main card and UFC betting.
The Charles Oliviera and Michael Chandler lightweight title bout is the featured main event for UFC 262. Below you will see other fight predictions and what to look for among the fight cards.
Can you make money betting on UFC?
Making money on any sports betting opportunity is going to take some work on your part. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it, and there would not be any losers.
To be a successful UFC bettor, you need to combine many different factors and have a bit of sport betting knowledge. Even the most diehard fans may not be great UFC bettors.
One is admiring a fighter too much for the favourite. For example, if your favourite fighter is Connor McGregor, you most likely enjoy watching him fight.
But you will have to be honest with yourself and understand that he might not win. This is especially true if he goes against a fighter that matches up against him well.
Using McGregor as an example again, he has five losses on his resume. Four of them have been by submission, so it is important to note that he could be in trouble if he faces a great submission artist.
Another way to make money on UFC betting is to choose which betting type you want to make. There are many categories, but moneylines, over/under number of rounds, and victory methods are the most popular.
The moneyline consists of who you think will win the fight. Over or under or totals is how long you think the fight will go before a finish, such as over/under 1.5 rounds. Finally, the method of victory is a prediction on who you think wins but how they do it, such as knockout or submission.
Knowing how to read odds is critical to long-term success and the types of bets that work best for you. So let's take a look at how odds work for UFC.
How are UFC odds calculated?
When a fight is announced, the betting market will adjust the value of the fighters. You will most likely see a moneyline option available, which is the most common line you will see.
As more bets come in on certain fighters, the odds will move slightly in the fighter’s direction. If too many go to one side, a sportsbook will adjust it to make it more appealing to bet on the other fighter.
In most cases, the favourite does not win every single time. But on the other hand, it is rare to see a considerable underdog completely dismantle a top fighter. The closer the odds are, the more likelihood of an upset to occur.
Looking at the UFC 262 fight card, there are a variety of fights to choose from. More specifically, take a look at Oliveira and Chandler’s main event with moneyline odds provided by MyBookie.
- Oliveira: +100
- Chandler: -130
Chandler is the favourite at the moment since he has the minus sign. Placing a wager of $130 on Chandler, with him winning, of course, would net you $100.
For Oliveira, a $100 wager would net you $100 if he wins. This makes Oliveira the underdog here, as noted by the positive sign. If it were +115, then a $100 wager would net you $115.
Keep in mind that the moneyline option does not matter how they win. This is the most straightforward betting option, as you simply choose one fighter to prevail.
UFC 262 fight card
The UFC 262 full lineup will show off multiple fighters that are championship caliber. Others are quality fighters looking to improve their resumes and search for a title shot.
Some fights to take a look at are:
- Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler
- Tony Ferguson vs. Beneil Dariush
- Alex Perez vs. Matt Schnell
As mentioned, you saw how close the Oliveira and Chalder fight odds are. Some others are just as close, while some tend to be heavy on the favourite to win the fight.
For example, the fight between Nate Diaz and Leon Edwards shows the following moneyline odds provided by Bovada:
- Diaz: +300
- Edwards: -400
As you can see, Edwards is a heavy favourite here. However, you would need to research both fighters to see if these odds can be justified.
Fight predictions
One quick fight to look at is the bout between Ferguson and Dariush. Most betting markets have Dariush as a slight favourite, as noted by the market odds.
Some things to look for are recent successes, with Dariush winning six straight while Ferguson on a two-fight losing skid. This all depends on the quality of fighters too.
Another would be how well each fighter stacks up on striking accuracy, defense against takedowns, and overall vital stats. You can find most of this on major event sites such as UFC.com and ESPN.com.
Be careful of third-party or fan-made sites for your stats information. While these sometimes are accurate, these people most likely do not do this for a living or care if something is not correct.
Where can I bet on UFC online?
You might be wondering where to place bets on UFC online. Thanks to SBS, we have a list of the most trusted and reliable online sportsbooks for UFC betting.
As mentioned, Bovada and MyBookie are quality sites that have paid out well for bettors over many years. Another one would be BetUS.
Each sportsbook has its sign-up bonuses for new users. You also want to check out if they have deposit bonuses to increase the value of your bets.
- Bovada, for example, has a deposit bonus match of 50 per cent capped off at a dollar amount of $250. But they also feature a VIP program with tons of MMA options, such as UFC 262.
- MyBookie is another solid play for first-time bettors with good payouts and is popular among UFC fans. They have a similar deposit match bonus of 50 per cent with a dollar amount of up to $1,000.
- BetUS has an even higher deposit match for first-time users with great betting software. They have a 125 per cent bonus with a dollar amount of up to $2,500.
Depending on which option you choose, it would be wise to compare and contrast what sportsbook works best for you. Each will have its unique features, but each person will be different in their tastes and preferences.
Final thoughts
UFC 262 is shaping up to be an incredible card with the recently vacated lightweight title belt on the line. We also have perennial contenders such as veteran Nate Diaz squaring off against rising star Leon Edwards in the welterweight co-main fight.
Make sure to utilize the tips and strategies we provided you in conjunction with your research to make it a profitable UFC event for your bankroll.
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