If you’re new to MMA betting, it can be overwhelming to figure out how to place a wager. The sport is inherently risky and it’s easy to make decisions based on emotion rather than data. That’s why it’s important to be disciplined and follow a few tried-and-true betting strategies.

Betting on MMA matches is different than betting on team sports. While the basic rules are the same, MMA betting offers more options than traditional sports wagering, including prop bets, future bets and live bets. In addition, MMA betting odds are dynamic and can change during the fight. This makes MMA a challenging and exciting sport to bet on, even for veteran sports handicappers.

One of the most common MMA bets is the moneyline bet, which is an outright bet on a fighter to win their fight. The odds for a moneyline are expressed in decimal form and indicate how much you’ll win for a $100 bet on a given fighter. Favorites are indicated by a minus symbol, while underdogs are represented by a plus sign. Often, there is no clear favorite or underdog, which creates a pick’em bet, where the odds are equal on both sides.

When placing a moneyline bet, it’s important to study the fighters and understand their styles. Many bettors use what’s known as “MMA Math,” comparing the record of fighters against each other. This can be misleading because inside a particular weight class, there is a lot of crossover in terms of opponents. It’s also important to be aware of injury and training camp news that could impact the outcome of a fight.

MMA betting can be lucrative if done properly, but it’s essential to remember that it’s still a risky sport. The best bets are those that are based on thorough research and analysis, not personal bias or sentiment. It’s also important to manage your bankroll and stick to a realistic betting budget.

Another popular MMA bet is the Over/Under, which involves betting on the number of rounds in a fight. Depending on the matchup, style of the fighters and the number of rounds scheduled, the oddsmakers will set an Over/Under total. Typically, the Over is less expensive than the Under, because the sportsbook needs to make a profit on the action.

Lastly, be sure to watch the fights you bet on to get an idea of how the judges will score them. A majority decision is defined as a fighter scoring more points on 2 of the judges’ scorecards, while the third judge scores for the opponent. A split decision is when the judges’ scorecards are equally divided, and a draw results in a refund of your bet money.