Best UFC betting sites and MMA sportsbooks 2023

There is perhaps no sport that has seen growth quite like mixed martial arts, commonly known as MMA, over the past few years. The sport’s flagship promotion, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, or UFC, has been at the forefront of that growth, showcasing their best and most popular athletes such as Jon Jones and Conor McGregor on the biggest sports stages in the world.

Almost simultaneous with the major growth of the UFC in the past few years has been the legalization and subsequent explosion of the online sports betting industry. While some sports have resisted their connection with betting, the UFC has embraced it, incorporating betting odds and best bets into all of their broadcasts, which has helped to grow the number of UFC betting sites in 2023 significantly.

The best online UFC betting sites can add a lot to a UFC fan’s experience on Saturday nights. To help you decipher what the best sports betting sites are for you, we’ve put together these guidelines.

Top UFC Betting Sites

With the huge rise in popularity of both the UFC and UFC betting sites, it can be a tad overwhelming to try and find the one that suits you best. To help start you off on the right foot on that journey to find the best MMA betting site for you and whittle down the options a bit, we’ve researched and tested sportsbooks throughout the market to find what we believe are the top eight MMA betting sites you can find. 

BetMGM

Pros

1. Connections to Las Vegas and fight scene through MGM Resorts and streaming service DAZN
2. 3rd-biggest sportsbook in USA
3. Good bonuses and promotions for UFC events
4. Live streaming of UFC events
5. Same game parlays

Cons

1. Welcome bonus not available for NY customers
2. Slow withdrawal times
3. Unable to contact support by phone

BetMGM is one of the biggest names in the sports betting business, and for good reason. Their parent company, MGM Resorts, is already synonymous with combat sports, specifically boxing, and now they’re embracing UFC thanks to its growing appeal for younger combat sports fans.

The mobile betting app is very user friendly with a nice interface and can be downloaded onto iOS Apple devices as well as Android devices. The sign up process is standard procedure and deposits are quick, free, and easy, with BetMGM allowing a lot of different banking options. The one drawback would be that withdrawals usually take 2-3 banking days to be processed.

They offer some of the most competitive UFC odds available and have a great variety of UFC bets to pick from, not to mention their elite UFC bonuses (especially for main event bouts) and weekly free bet offerings. 

Caesars

Pros

1. Connections to Las Vegas and fight scene through Caesars Resorts
2. Great UFC odds
3. Live streaming UFC events
4. Elite UFC bonus offerings
5. Same game parlays

Cons

1. Lack of live betting options
2. Slow withdrawal times
3. Small prop bet library

Much like BetMGM, Caesars has a strong betting and prizefighting history thanks to its parent company Caesars Entertainment. Caesars Palace in Las Vegas has held some of the biggest boxing fights of all-time, and now the company’s sportsbook is welcoming the UFC with open arms.

The mobile app is offered for both Android and iOS customers and is a pleasure to use. Caesars offers tons of great banking and deposit options for Americans and Canadians, though their withdrawal processing can take several days, which is longer than some people might like.

Caesars UFC odds are also some of the best in the business as they are able to drop the financial risk of betting on big-time favorites while also boosting the returns for bets on underdogs. Their UFC bonuses and promotions are also more plentiful and more lucrative than any other UFC betting sites. The only slight drawback is their limited UFC prop and live bet options.

FanDuel

Pros

1. Largest legal sports betting operator in US
2. Amazing range of prop bets
3. Excellent live betting system
4. Bevy of UFC promos and bonuses
5. Daily fantasy sports
6. Same game parlays

Cons

1. No UFC live streaming
2. Not a ton of cash out options available
3. Issues with withdrawals in non-US markets

FanDuel burst on the scene a few years back as one of the big boys in the burgeoning Daily Fantasy Sports realm. While they still offer tons of DFS games as well as casino and poker options, they’re now the largest legal sports betting operator in America in large part due to its top of the line sportsbook.

The app is well-designed and a dream to use whether you have an Apple or Android mobile device. FanDuel offers a great variety of banking options with no fees and has a great track record for withdrawals in the US, though there have been some issues in Canada of late.

With the growth of UFC more and more people are becoming fans and UFC bettors, and they’re looking for a litany of different betting options. This is where FanDuel really shines. They’ve got more UFC prop bets than any sportsbook we’ve come across, and when it comes to live betting on the UFC, it doesn’t get much better than this in terms of odds and speed.

PointsBet

Pros

1. Excellent customer support
2. Live betting
3. New Pointsbetting system
4. Competitive UFC odds
5. Top notch mobile app
6. Same game parlays

Cons

1. No UFC live streaming
2. Lack of UFC-based promos

Based out of Australia, PointsBet is a very intriguing sportsbook right now because of its new and unique style of sports betting called PointsBetting where your stakes and payouts are dynamic and based on how much your bet wins or loses by. For example, if you bet on a fight to go the distance and it's finished in the first, you’ll lose exponentially more than if it was finished closer to the final bell.

There are no complaints about the look and functionality of their mobile betting app, which is offered to both Android and Apple customers, though the app has yet to launch in New York. They’ve also got a great banking system going as there are a bevy of deposit options, no fees, and 24-hour withdrawal processing.

The new pointsbetting options offer something new to customers, but the extreme risk and reward of the system might be a little too much for some bettors, so they do have standard style UFC betting as well. They also have solid live betting software which is one of the few on the market that allows bettors to not only bet live, but to make same game parlays live as well.

WynnBet

Pros

1. Lucrative UFC odds
2. Easy to use mobile app
3. 24/7 customer support
4. Live betting
5. Early cash out

Cons

1. Markets released a bit later than most
2. No UFC live streaming
3. Limited UFC bonuses

Wynnbet isn’t winning any prizes for its sportsbook and doesn’t claim nearly the same market share as some of the other best UFC betting sites, but it’s still a solid option for UFC bettors who aren’t looking to get into anything too complex or crazy.

Their app is sleek and smooth and easy to use, which is a positive but also a negative, as a lack of UFC betting options contributes to how easily navigable the mobile app can be. The app is offered on both iOS and Android and their deposit/withdrawal system is solid but nothing special.

While they don’t have the best and brightest when it comes to UFC bonuses and offers, there are still a few to be taken advantage of, especially by new users. While they don’t offer a ton of variety, they do cover most of the major MMA tournaments even outside of the UFC with simple moneyline betting markets.

BetRivers

Pros

1. Nice variety of bonuses
2. Live betting
3. Great user experience
4. Good variety of UFC betting markets

Cons

1. No UFC live streaming
2. Mediocre withdrawal turnarounds

Originally founded as an online casino, Bet Rivers has recently made a name for itself by joining the online sports betting industry with their own sports betting sites and mobile sports betting app.

The app offers one of the best user experiences bettors are likely to come across, whether you’re an Android or Apple user. The withdrawal turnaround times could be better, but the wide range of no-fee banking methods they offer makes up for that somewhat.

BetRivers offers excellent UFC betting odds and has a deep lineup of UFC betting markets, props, and futures. They also provide an interesting variety of betting bonuses and promotions related to the UFC including boosted parlays, free bets, and boosted odds. For the biggest UFC bouts, bettors can expect a ton of promo options.

Bet365

Pros

1. Great UFC betting coverage
2. One of the largest sportsbooks in the world
3. Same game parlays
4. Live betting
5. Live UFC streaming
6. Quick banking

Cons

1. Limited coverage of non-UFC MMA events
2. Poor range of UFC bonuses

One of the most recognizable names in the sports betting business, bet365 has been around since the start of the new millennium as a sports betting site. Though they started small in Britain, they’ve expanded to cover all of North America now as well.

The mobile app is one of the most intuitive on the market whether you’re using it on an Android device or an Apple one. They’ve got tons of no-fee banking options and their withdrawal turnarounds for non-credit card banking options are some of the best in the business.

The only thing bet365 isn’t doing at an elite level is providing UFC bettors with UFC betting bonuses and promotions on a regular basis. Otherwise, they have one of the best and fastest live betting systems, they offer same game parlays, they offer live streaming of select UFC events, they have some of the most competitive UFC odds, and they offer one of the deepest libraries of UFC betting options.

DraftKings Sportsbook

Pros

1. Tons of DFS games
2. Impressive live betting section
3. Player betting pages
4. Same game parlays
5. Early cash out

Cons

1. UFC odds are not on par with other top operators
2. Withdrawals could be quicker
3. Lack of UFC promos

The other sportsbook giant that started off as a daily fantasy sports trailblazer is DraftKings. They’re not quite as massive as FanDuel, but they still offer a ton of fun options for their bettors including casino, poker, DFS, as well as the popular sportsbook.

None of their banking methods charge fees, and while their withdrawal speed is better than some, it still leaves a bit to be desired. The app is very well designed, offering a very user-friendly interface that remains high quality whether you’re using Android or Apple.

They don’t offer a ton of promos for UFC fights, but they’ve got you covered with everything else. They’ve got a nice variety of UFC betting options and their live betting feature is one of the most effective on the market. They also offer player centric betting pages where you can find all the prop bets on one player in one place, while it’s not currently available for UFC, that will surely be coming down the pipeline.

How we rate UFC betting sites

When it comes to sports betting one of the most important factors in success is the sportsbook you choose to make your bets with. This is especially true when you’re dedicating most of your betting to one sport, such as MMA and UFC, because some are more dedicated to some sports than others. To help you decipher which UFC betting sites are most compatible with your preferences, we’ve broken down some of the most important factors in evaluating the best UFC betting sites.

1. UFC Betting Odds & Coverage → If you’re looking to do most of your sports betting on the UFC or other MMA promotions, the first thing to look at is how prospective sportsbooks cover the UFC. You want a sportsbook that offers a nice variety of different props for each bout as well as basic markets for smaller promotions like ONE and Bellator. You also want to compare the odds for your UFC bets to those at other sportsbooks to see which ones are offering the most competitive odds on UFC markets.
2. UFC Bonuses and Promotions → Next, you want to see what kind of UFC promos and bonuses that sportsbook is offering. Most will offer some sort of promo for the biggest bouts, but the mark of an elite UFC betting site is when they offer consistent boosts and free bets for a wide range of UFC fights regardless of the stature of the fighters.
3. Banking Methods → Not every sportsbook is compatible with every banking method, so be sure to check and make sure your preferred method is accepted before signing up anywhere. Also ensure that they don’t charge fees on transactions with your banking method as well.
4. Customer Support → The best sportsbooks are so well run that you’re unlikely to come into contact with customer support very often, but you never know what can happen so it’s a huge plus to have a reliable customer support system. You should be looking for 24/7 support that offers options for chat support or phone support.

UFC Promotions

As we mentioned above, one of the biggest factors when deciding on which sports betting site to do your UFC betting is what kind of promos they offer related to UFC events and how often those are offered. There are a few different kinds of promos you will come across.

1. Welcome Bonus → If you’re joining a sportsbook that doesn’t offer a significant welcome bonus, you might want to rethink your choice. A welcome bonus that consists of a deposit match or a no sweat first bet is almost standard practice for sportsbooks to attract new users nowadays.
2. Odds Boost → This is a promo where the sportsbook will boost the odds of certain betting markets or pre-made parlays. For example, your sportsbook might have Connor McGregor listed as a -150 favorite to win a bout and then offer an odds boost where you can bet on him at +110 odds, which offers you a lot more value.
3. Free Bets/Bonus Bet → It’s right there in the name. To encourage bettors to make more bets on the UFC, sportsbooks can offer free bets on certain markets or certain bouts as a whole. These free bets are always capped at a pretty reasonable number, however.

Benefits of online betting on UFC

It wasn’t so long ago that the only way to make a sports bet in North America was to find a casino, a bookie, or a brick and mortar betting spot. Nowadays, nearly every sports bettor is making their bets through an online sportsbook, but what are the main benefits of this new advent in the ancient art of gambling.

1. Convenience → Online betting on UFC is a lot more convenient than having to physically go somewhere to place a bet. With online betting, you can place bets from wherever you are with your mobile phone, not to mention you save big on travel costs as well.
2. Responsible Gambling → Most sportsbooks are fitted with responsible gambling tools and resources that can help limit the negative aspects of gambling that have caused problems for so many bettors in the past.
3. Bonuses → When going to casinos and brick and mortar to make your bets you won’t find any fun bonuses or promotions to tilt the odds in your favor. Conversely, the best sportsbooks offer bonuses or promos nearly every day to their most dedicated users.

Understanding UFC Betting

If you want to have some fun betting on the UFC, first you need to get familiar with the different types of bets you can make on the exhilarating bouts you’re watching. 

1. Moneyline Bet → A bet on which UFC fighter you think will win a particular fight.
2. Method Of Victory → Here, you’re betting not on which mixed martial artist will win but how they win. You can bet on a fighter to win by points, TKO/KO/DQ, or submission.
3. Double Chance → This is a type of wager where a bettor bets on who will win the fight together with two possible methods of victory.
4. Round Betting → A bet on how many rounds the fight will go.
5. Live Betting → This is a kind of bet that can only be made while the fight is still taking place.
6. Fight To Go Distance → A wager on whether you think the fight will go to the judges or whether you think one of the fighters will stop the other before the final bell goes.

One of the most impactful aspects of betting is the UFC odds you’re getting on your bet slip. The odds determine both the implied probability of your bet winning as well as your potential payout. In North America, most sportsbooks display their best odds in the American format. 

In this system, a (-) minus symbol generally refers to a favorite or a prop that is likely to happen while a (+) plus symbol refers to an underdog or something that’s less likely to happen. The larger the number next to the (-) minus, the shorter the odds and the lower the payout, the larger the number next to the (+) plus, the longer the odds and the higher the payout.

The number next to the (-) minus symbol refers to how much money you need to bet to win $100 while the number next to the (+) plus symbol refers to how much money you stand to make on a $100 bet. For example, if Max Holloway has -200 odds for a fight and Arnold Allen has +150 odds it means that a UFC bet on Holloway would need to put down $200 to win $100 while an Allen bettor would win $150 off a $100 bet. 

What Factors To Consider When Betting On UFC

When you’re betting on any sport it would behoove you to do some research and acquaint yourself well with the fighters in question. To help ensure that you’re making sound UFC betting decisions, we’ve listed a couple of factors to consider when deciding which markets to bet.

1. Style → There are so many different kinds of martial arts that are combined into mixed martial arts, so pinpointing what kind of fighter someone is and what kind of fighter they’ve been susceptible to in the past is crucial to successful betting.
2. Recent Form → How a fighter has fared in recent bouts should also inform your betting decisions but it’s certainly not the end all be all.
3. Personal Life → If there are any notable things that have happened in a fighters life recently (family death, recent pregnancy for female fighters, social media beef) then it’s worth looking into and thinking about how that could affect the bout.

Tips and Strategies for UFC Betting

The first thing to think about is your bankroll. Having a set bankroll is crucial to bet responsibly and can help save you a lot of money. Basically, betting is unpredictable, so you should be prepared to lose the money in your bankroll. Don’t go putting your rent money on UFC fighters you have a hunch about. Each bet you make should be about 1 percent of your bankroll, aka a unit, which will help keep your bets reasonable. Here are a few other UFC betting tips and strategies we’ve had success with in the past.

1. Underdog Champs → It’s rare that a champion comes into a fight as an underdog, but it happens more often than you think. As of 2021, there had been 19 UFC fighters to defend a belt as an underdog, 12 of which did so successfully.
2. Big Favorites → In 2022, favorites of -300 odds or more went 32-4 overall, so betting on those massive favorites could be a successful strategy in the long run, though it will take a while to see those profits.
3. Small Underdogs → Fighters that come in on the + side of a coin toss as a slight underdog between +100 and +150 odds, went 25-23 in 2022 for +7.44 units, demonstrating a very lucrative year for those that followed that strategy.
4. Rematches Change Nothing → While rematches are always fun to see if the previous fight’s loser can bounce back, the winner of the first fight goes on to win the rematch about 66 percent of the time, which is a surprisingly high number.

Conclusion

We’ve broken down everything you need to know about UFC betting from tips, to odds, to markets, to betting promos, and everything in between. Betting on the UFC responsibly adds an extra level of action to UFC events which are already chock full of excitement and entertainment. So place your bets, enjoy the show, and watch the cash roll in!

UFC betting sites FAQs

Now that we’ve covered everything from the best UFC betting sites, to UFC betting markets, to tips and tricks to find success betting on the UFC, you should be ready to add a little action to your UFC Saturday nights! To ensure we’ve covered all of our bases, we’ve answered a few of the most common questions we’ve come across concerning betting sites for UFC.

Is it legal to bet on MMA?

Yes, it is legal to bet on MMA and most other sports in North America, though the states of provinces of America and Canada usually have their own set of rules and policies, so be sure you’re following the guidelines where you live. Unfortunately, you will be unable to create a betting account in one province/state and travel to another and still make bets. For example, if you made your bet365 account in New York, you won’t be able to use it in Texas.

Can you bet on multiple fights in the same card?

Yes, you can bet on as many fights as you want on any card. You can also parlay multiple fights together into one bet, though some sportsbooks place limits on how many bets can be part of a single parlay.

What is live MMA betting?

Live MMA betting is a feature that most top sportsbooks have added recently that allows you to bet on fights while they’re in progress.

What types of UFC bets can I place?

While there aren’t quite as many fun prop options as with other sports, there are still a bevy of UFC markets to choose from. You can bet on things like fight winner, method of victory, round of victory, round over/unders, and fight to go the distance.

What websites can you bet on UFC?

Any half-decent sportsbook will be offering UFC betting markets at this point, but we would highly recommend starting out by trying one or several of the eight UFC betting sites we broke down on this page.

What is the best site to bet on UFC?

You can’t go wrong with any of the UFC betting sites we’ve gone through on our page here, as they are among the industry leaders and offer great UFC betting coverage and UFC odds.

Can you bet on UFC online?

Yes, you can bet on the UFC online as long as the sportsbook you’re using is properly licensed and regulated. You can also bet on the UFC from mobile betting apps on your phone.

Does UFC have betting?

People involved with the UFC itself have restrictions on placing wagers, but for fans, UFC certainly offers a lot of betting options.