UFC Freedom 250: Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) continues to captivate audiences worldwide, and here at bet365, we bring you everything you need to get closer to the action. From UFC fights and odds to the latest UFC fight previews, tips and guides, our hub is your one-stop destination for all things UFC.

When it comes to UFC betting, one of the most common questions is how the odds work. Simply put, betting odds reflect the likelihood of a fighter winning and determine how much you could win from your stake.

• Short odds (e.g., 1/4): These mean it's very likely to happen, so you win less money.

• Long odds (e.g., 10/1): These mean it's unlikely to happen, so you win more money if it does.

Odds are typically displayed in two formats:

• Fractional Odds (e.g., 6/4): This is the traditional UK format. If you bet £4, you'd win £6 profit, plus your original stake back. So, a £4 bet at 6/4 returns £10 (£6 profit + £4 stake).

• Decimal Odds (e.g., 2.50): This format is simpler for calculating returns. A bet of £10 at 2.50 odds would return £25 (£10 stake x 2.50). The profit is £15 (£25 total return - £10 stake).

If you’re unsure about what your bet could return, use our free online betting calculator to work out your potential payouts across different formats.

Studying UFC statistics can help you to make more informed decisions when placing bets. These statistics offer objective insights into a fighter's capabilities and tendencies. Five key stats to consider include:

1. Striking Output and Accuracy: Significant Strikes Per Minute and Striking Accuracy show how active and precise a fighter is on their feet. High output with good accuracy often signals an effective striker.

2. Striking Defence and Ability: Strikes Absorbed Per Minute and Defence Percentage measure how well a fighter avoids damage.

3. Grappling and Submission Threat: Takedown Average, Takedown Accuracy and Submission Average reveal who controls the fight on the ground and who has finishing potential through submissions.

4. Takedown Defence: Preventing takedowns is just as important as landing them. High takedown defence usually means the fighter can dictate where the fight takes place, which is key in betting outcomes.

5. Physical Attributes and Fight Style: Age, Height, Reach, Stance and Average Fight Time can all impact performance. A reach advantage can help strikers control distance, southpaw stances may cause matchup problems and average fight time shows whether a fight tends to finish quickly or go the distance.

When placing your bets on Sportsbook, all of this information is conveniently located on the fight's stats card to help you decide the outcome.

If you’re new to the sport, you may come across UFC jargon that is commonly used in betting markets:

• To Win Fight: betting on who will win the fight outright.

• Method of Victory: betting on who will win and the method of their win, or if it will be a draw.

o KO/TKO/DQ (Knockout/Technical Knockout/Disqualification): a win achieved when an opponent is rendered unable to continue fighting.

• Submission: A win achieved when an opponent ‘taps out’ or gives up, due to a hold or joint lock.

• Decision: A win awarded on performance by the judges' scorecards when a fight goes the full scheduled rounds.

• Method of Victory Double Chance: more options for the range of winning methods you can cover with one bet

• Round Betting: betting on who will win the bout, and in which round, or if they’ll win by decision. There is also a ‘Draw’ option.

• Total Rounds (also known as Over/Under Rounds): betting on whether there will be more or fewer than a certain number of rounds. Important note: in betting markets, over 2.5 rounds means the fight will last longer than the halfway point of the third round.

• Fight to Go the Distance: betting on whether the fight will go the full distance and to the judges' decision, rather than being settled by some kind of knockout, submission, or disqualification.

• Method and Round Combination: betting on who will win, when they will win and the method of their win (for example a first-round knockout), or if it will be a draw.

• When Fight Will End: betting on how the fight will be decided, without specifying which fighter is victorious.

Our MMA betting coverage doesn’t stop at the UFC. More markets with live odds can be found on our dedicated MMA betting hub, such as Oktagon MMA, PFL (formerly Bellator), KSW and BKFC. You can bet on fight lines, method of victory, round betting and more.