There are a variety of bets available in MMA betting, but the most basic is placing a wager on who you think will win the fight. Depending on the matchup, fighters are assigned odds that determine the potential payout for your wager. Understanding these odds is a key step in MMA betting and can help you make informed decisions about which bets to place.

In addition to understanding the odds, it’s also important to study the fighters’ backgrounds and fighting styles. Often, bettors try to do what’s known as “MMA math,” which is based on the logic that a fighter with a better overall record should win. This is a flawed approach that diverts attention away from studying fight film and handicapping styles.

Whether you’re placing a single bet or making an MMA parlay, understanding how odds work is vital to maximizing your profits. Odds are displayed in a moneyline format, with the favorite indicated by a minus sign (-) and the underdog indicated by a plus sign (+). The odds represent how much you’ll win if you bet on the favorite, and they change as the fight draws closer. As such, it’s important to shop around for the best odds and to place bets as soon as possible.

Another common MMA betting option is the Over/Under rounds total, which is a bet on how many rounds the fight will last. Oddsmakers will set the over/under based on the fighters’ styles and the number of rounds scheduled for the fight. The Over/Under bets pay out if the total number of rounds exceeds or falls short of the posted number.

One of the most crucial things to remember when betting on MMA is that no two fighters are alike and that no one can be expected to win every fight. This is a sport of unpredictability, and the most memorable moments in MMA history have been when underdogs defied the odds and shocked the world with upset victories. A legendary example is Holly Holm’s head-kick knockout of Ronda Rousey at UFC 193, which ended the reigning champion’s undefeated streak and delivered a windfall to bettors who had backed the underdog.

A key to making informed MMA bets is following fighters on social media. This allows you to see how they train and what their strengths and weaknesses are. For instance, a fighter coming off a KO loss may become cautious in the octagon, or they may have difficulty cutting weight due to a recent injury or illness. Knowing these factors can give you an edge that sportsbooks don’t have.

A horse race is a competition in which horses and jockeys compete to win a prize based on the number of lengths they cover within a set time. The horse race has become a popular sport around the world, with more than 80 racetracks in the United States and another 200 in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and South America. In the United States, the most popular horse races are the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.

The term horse race is also used to describe a political contest, especially an election. However, focusing on who is in the lead or behind instead of policy issues can be harmful to democracy and public opinion, according to recent research. This collection of updated articles explores the impact of “horse race coverage” on voters, candidates and the news industry itself.

In the 18th century, the prestige and money associated with racing motivated breeders to create faster horses. British soldiers returning from desert battlefields told tales of their opponents’ amazing horses sprinting through sand, sparking a breeding revolution that produced leaner, faster equines known as Thoroughbreds. The new breed was well suited to the rigors of running and a new oval course offered better views for spectators, boosting interest in the sport.

One of the most important skills in horse racing is changing leads, or which side of the body a runner uses to propel itself. Most horse races are run in a counter-clockwise direction, so a runner typically will use his right lead on straightaways and his left lead rounding the turns. A horse that uses the same lead for too long will tire more quickly, so the rider must instruct him to change leads on cue.

A horse’s “trip” describes the trouble it encountered during the running of a race, such as being boxed in by other runners or having to circle wide at certain times. A good trip would include few unusual difficulties; a bad trip, on the other hand, might involve a difficult start or a long distance to cover.

Before a race begins, a bettors watches the horse in the walking ring to see if it looks healthy and ready to run. A healthy, well-conditioned horse should be in peak physical condition and have a shiny coat with rippling muscles and a bit of sweat. If a horse looks dull or drab, or its legs are shaking, it is considered unfit to race. Injuries are common in horse racing and can derail a career. The majority of injuries occur to the chest, abdomen, thigh, hindquarters and back. Many horses bleed from their lungs after exertion, a condition called exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. In an attempt to reduce bleeding, most are treated with a cocktail of legal and illegal drugs. Some horses also take a decongestant to help them breathe, while others take a drug that increases heart rate and blood flow to the lungs. Both medications are banned in some countries, but are widely used in the United States.