Experienced journalist and editor covering the sports and betting industry. A football, NFL and rugby specialist, he is a FWA member and judge at the Football Content Awards.
UFC betting popularity has grown off the back of the rise of MMA and in particular, the UFC branding. With weekly fight nights and regular championship matchups, MMA betting is on the increase. Here we find out which online bookmakers cater the best for your bets in the Octagon
I love watching Mixed Martial Arts contests and enjoy having a bet on the outcome too. I have conducted some research comparing the various online betting sites to find which offer the best betting options on UFC and MMA. Here are my findings.
Best UFC Betting Sites
- Rated #1 Spread Firm by OLBG Users
- Acca Boosts and First Goalscorer Insurance
Which is the best UFC betting site?
Virtually all bookies offer betting on MMA whether that be UFC or Bellator bouts.
The best site will be the one offering the greatest range of events to wager on. The most varied range of betting market options beyond the fight outcome, if you are looking for round by round betting or method of victory.
And of course, the betting site offering the best odds with lower margins would also be advantageous if you are adept at making UFC Tips.
Some bookies even offer links to statistics and fighter records and form.
bet365 best overall for UFC Betting
Bet365 had the greatest list of upcoming events at the time of writing, and enough markets on the main match up to keep the most avid UFC betting fan occupied, finding the best bet for each fight.
How to sign up for an Online Bookie with UFC Betting
Signing up for the best UFC betting site is easy. It should only take a short time, and you will be ready to bet on the next UFC event.
Using a Welcome Bonus to make your UFC Bets
Click one of the bookmaker links on this page to ensure you receive the welcome bonus as advertised. Create a new account and make your first deposit using one of the accepted methods.
Be aware that in some cases, proof of identity is required to set up a new account, although this may not be needed until you attempt to make your first withdrawal of winnings. This process is known as Know Your Customer
I have tried to avoid that scenario for ease of registration and getting started. However, there is more than one option, so if the top pick is too inconvenient, choose one from which sign up can be completed online.
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Range of MMA events available for Betting.
With weekly events taking place, you can wait until the eve or day of the bout to make your bets, or bet further in advance. Sometimes events are available many months ahead of time, especially big championship bouts.
Using a bookie with a great choice of upcoming events is a distinct advantage, offering more choice, and the option to create longer-term accumulators, grabbing early market value before it is gone.
As mentioned at the head of this article, Unibet has a great range of markets to bet on UFC, but this can be extended yet further with Spread betting. Spreadex cover UFC and have some excellent spreads
Which Sportsbook has the best UFC betting markets
Finding an MMA Sportbook with a wide range of betting market options is vital for my UFC betting activity.
As an avid UFC bettor, I do not want to be limited to a single betting option for a fight. It may be a mismatch with a very short-priced favorite.
It's not something I would either bet to happen at short odds, conversly I would not throw money at the underdog in the fight unless there was very good reason.
I would be looking for other options. I want to predict perhaps how the contest will be decided, or find larger odds by calling a round that the fight will end.
In some cases, it is possible to predict not only which round the fight will conclude but also the method of victory — Jon Jones by Submission in Round 2, for instance.
The best btting site for UFC betting will have a wide range of betting markets available to use.
A bookie may offer a vast range of events available to place a UFC bet. However, some offer only a limited number of betting markets, and others only the outcome option.
Advantages of Considering a New UKGC-Licensed Bookmaker
Exploring new UKGC-licensed betting sites can offer a range of benefits that shouldn’t be overlooked. A fresh bookmaker provides an excellent opportunity to start with a clean slate, and a fresh approach to a specific sport, odds and features that are tailored to your betting style
Switching to a newly-licensed bookmaker introduces you to new welcome bonuses and promotional offers unavailable at sites you may already be registered with. new betting operators often attempt to differentiate themselves through innovative features, alternative market selections, and competitive odds.
Pros
- New betting sites often incorporate the latest technologies and trends, offering innovative features like live streaming, cash-out options, and enhanced mobile experiences.
- To attract customers, new betting sites usually offer generous welcome bonuses, free bets, and other promotions that can provide significant value to new users.
- Many new betting sites prioritize usability and user experience, offering clean, intuitive interfaces that make navigation and placing bets easy for both beginners and experienced bettors.
Cons
- New sites may lack a proven track record, making it difficult for users to gauge their reliability and trustworthiness. It's essential to ensure they are appropriately licensed and regulated.
- They might not offer as extensive a range of markets or sports as more established sites, which can limit betting options for users who follow niche sports or events.
- New sites may not have fully developed customer support services, potentially leading to slower response times or less efficient problem resolution.
How To Choose The Best MMA Betting Site For You
If you're on the hunt for a new MMA betting site, there are several crucial elements you should consider to ensure a top-notch betting experience:
Key Factors to Evaluate:
- Trustworthy
- Reliable
- Low Risk
- Reputable
- Player Friendly With Their Terms and Conditions
- Everything Else You Want!
🔒 Trustworthy
With over 80 online bookmakers licensed in the UK, we only list those vetted by the UK Gambling Commission and good for MMA in our bookmakers guide. Betting with non-licensed bookmakers offering MMA betting can be risky and may lead to complications in case of disputes. For your peace of mind, always check if a betting site holds a valid license through the Gambling Commission website.
Table: Top Trusted Betting Sites (Trustpilot Ratings)
| Online Betting Site | Trustpilot TrustScore | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| BetGoodwin | 4.0 | 796 |
| Matchbook | 4.2 | 1899 |
| Spreadex | 3.8 | 1106 |
| 10bet | 3.7 | 1157 |
| Netbet | 3.4 | 1849 |
Data correct as of 4/9/2024 - Source: Trustpilot Betting Agencies
✅ Reliable
Not all licensed MMA bookmakers meet our reliability criteria. We exclude those with a track record of pending payments, shifting terms and conditions, and poor customer service. While we highlight these issues in our reviews, the worst offenders don’t make our list.
🟢 Low Risk
Small, new companies in the UK market may pose higher risks due to potential cash flow issues. However, if they are UK Gambling Commission-registered, they must meet financial solvency criteria. Larger, more established companies typically present lower risks. While it's rare for bookmakers to close without honouring bets, choosing established operators for long-term (ante-post) wagers is advisable. Diversifying your bets across multiple bookmakers can also mitigate risk.
🌟 Reputable
Reputation is best gauged through user experiences. We gather over 500 user reviews from the OLBG community to offer detailed insights into various UK betting sites. These reviews cover customer service experiences and how disputes were resolved.
👥 Player-Friendly Terms and Conditions
We meticulously analyse each betting site's terms and conditions, withdrawal policies, and deposit terms. Some sites may impose charges for certain transactions or inactivity, so it's crucial to be well-informed. Our community reviews and research highlight these details to ensure you get fair terms.
Tips for Choosing Your Next MMA Betting Site:
- Minimum Deposit Requirements: Always check the minimum amount you need to deposit to activate your account.
- Deposit and Withdrawal Methods: Ensure the site supports convenient payment methods for you.
- Withdrawal Policies: Look for any fees associated with withdrawals.
- Betting Rules: Understand the minimum bet amount, maximum winnings, and specific rules for voided bets.
If you're content with your current bookmaker but want a change, or you must provide proof of affordability and are looking for alternatives, we have recommendations for similar sites.
Similar Sites to Your Current MMA Bookmaker:
- William Hill: Consider Ladbrokes or Betfred for a similar experience.
- Betfair: Matchbook or Smarkets are great alternatives for betting exchanges; bet365 or BetVictor for fixed odds.
- Ladbrokes: William Hill is a reputable choice.
- bet365: BetVictor offers a similar range of markets and in-play betting.
Our guides and reviews are filled with information to help you choose the best MMA betting site for your needs. If you prefer exploring various sites, take advantage of welcome offers, but always read the terms and conditions.
Join OLBG for free to access comprehensive reviews and share your experiences with other betting enthusiasts.
Bookmaker Deposit Methods
There are many ways to fund your MMA betting account. While this list is not exhaustive, it covers the most popular and trustworthy methods.
The minimum deposit is often £5, but it can be much higher for some bookies. Check out our review pages for online betting sites' minimum deposit amounts. In addition to varying by the bookmaker, this can vary by the deposit method used.
Bookmakers will generally return any winnings to the same card or payment method used to deposit unless instructed otherwise. Sometimes you will be asked to provide details to help the online bookmakers comply with money laundering regulations. Please understand that the online bookmakers are not being difficult, they are simply following legal guidelines. This will be even more likely if you withdraw using a different payment method than you used to deposit.
Visa Debit Card
A debit card is the most common deposit method for online betting sites, this is a straight transfer from a UK bank account. Bookmakers or any gambling companies are no longer allowed to accept credit cards as a deposit method.
PayPal
Most UK bookies accept PayPal which is the most popular e-wallet with sports bettors. Some people like to use it to keep betting transactions off their bank statements, others find it a much faster way to deposit in and out of betting sites. Be aware that using PayPal could exclude you from welcome offers with some bookies.
Apple Pay
Many of the larger online betting sites support Apple Pay and it's like to be available on more sites soon. Deposit and withdrawal times will be the same as the bank cards being used through Apple Pay.
Skrill
Skrill is an alternative to PayPal. Used to be known as Mneybookers, this has always been a popular payment method for online gamblers. and is accepted at most sites.
PaySafeCard
These are prepaid cards which can be used to fund online betting accounts. Fees aren't charged for deposits and so these are a popular way to fund online accounts for those who don't use bank cards.
Take a look at the reviews for each bookmaker by clicking on the link in the above list where we will detail all the deposit methods available for each site.
With most online bookmakers listed here you may be able to easily transfer money between the bookies other products such as poker, casino and bingo. Transferring money between accounts is often very simple and if you only want to play the sportsbook you can just ignore this function.
Many people use payment providers such as Skrill (formerly Moneybookers) for depositing into, and withdrawing from online bookmakers, as these can be faster, more convenient than bank or credit cards. However sometimes using these methods may exclude you from bookmakers welcome offers. If so this will be mentioned in the terms and conditions of the welcome offer. For more info on which payment methods are accepted by which bookmakers please read through our bookmaker reviews.
👍 Responsible Gambling, Identification & Affordability Checks
In recent years the regulations for bookmakers have tightened as the Gambling Commission have looked to increase the protection of the user. This is fantastic news for the industry and all who use online betting sites but you need to be aware that you may have some small inconveniences when trying to open a new online betting site or if you are wanting to place large bets with a bookmaker. ID verification is very strict and sometimes you may be asked to send off copies of documents for ID and address verification.
Also if you are placing large bets and or making large deposits then online betting sites have a responsibility to ensure that you can afford to do so. You may be asked affordability checks such as showing your pay slips and or you may be asked for proof of funds for money laundering checks. Don't take such requests personally, all licensed online bookies must follow these regulations or they can face huge fines.
Here are some common tips to help you with gambling responsibily online. For more information take a look at our detailed responsible gambling guide.
✋ When The Fun Stops Stop 🛑
You will have seen this slogan used by online bookmakers frequently over recent years. It is trying to get across the serious point that if you aren't enjoying gambling you should stop immediately. You can use a process of self evaluation to help you to understand if you have a gambling problem. There is a great tool at Gamcare.
If you do believe that you have a problem then there is always someone to talk to at begambleaware. They can offer great advice including helping you to self exclude. There is a valuable service called Gamstop which allows you to self exclude from all betting companies signed up to the program for a period of your choice. All UK licensed bookmakers listed on this site will be part of the GamStop programme. For this reason (and many others) you should never join betting sites not GamStop.
🔚Set Limits and Use Bookmaker Tools
We strongly recommend that you record your gambling and set yourself limits. Only bet what you can afford to lose. Online betting sites have started to offer a number of tools to help you with this including
- Deposit Limits
- Session Limits
- Account History
- Time Outs
Using playing time notifications to remind you how long you have been gambling and when to stop is a useful tool and so is setting a specific loss amount you are happy with in advance.
Who Created, Edited & Fact Checked The Content On This Page?
At OLBG, our sports betting section is powered by a team of dedicated experts who bring years of industry experience and specialized knowledge. Their collective efforts ensure we provide you with top-notch, informative, and user-friendly content. Let's dive into the various roles and discover each team member's invaluable contributions to our sports betting sites section.
The Experts Behind OLBG Sports Betting Content:
Our team’s dedication and expertise ensure that OLBG remains a trusted source for sports betting information. Each member's meticulous work supports the overall quality and reliability that our users expect and appreciate. Explore our sports betting section and gain insights from the best in the industry.
Content Strategists:
These professionals are the architects behind our content strategy. They meticulously plan and structure our sports betting content to ensure it addresses the interests and needs of our audience. They stay ahead of industry trends and ensure our content remains fresh and relevant.
Richard Moffat
CEO & Gambling Industry Expert
Sam Darkens
Commercial Manager
Writers:
Our skilled writers translate complex sports betting concepts into clear, informative articles, predictions, and guides. Their expertise allows them to present detailed analysis and insights in a way that both novice and experienced bettors can appreciate and understand.
James Banting
Tipster Competition Assistant
Andy Powell
Content Editor
Jake Ashton
Senior News Editor
Analysts:
Our analysts dive deep into sports statistics and betting data. They provide the foundational research and data-driven insights that our writers and strategists use to craft accurate and actionable content, helping users make informed betting decisions.
Nigel Skinner
Blog Content Manager
Dan Tracey
Data Scientist and Football Editor
Editors:
The editors play a crucial role in maintaining the quality of our content. They review articles for clarity, accuracy, and coherence, ensuring that each piece is polished and provides valuable information. Their keen eye for detail ensures that our content is reliable and engaging.
Darren Brett
Tipster Competition Manager
Steve Madgwick
Editor-In-Chief
In addition to their long experience working within the sports betting industry, all our contributors are keen sports bettors themselves, so they each have many years of experience betting with multiple online betting sites.
Summary and Conclusion
When looking for the best bookie for MMA betting, the key areas to consider are:
- ✅ OLBG experts analysis of best MMA betting sites overall and best by the category which you are most interested in.
- 💬 OLBG user reviews to see what regular bettors say about their experiences at each MMA betting site.
- 💳 The payment methods which you want to use and which bookies support them.
- 🔒 How trustworthy, reliable and reputable each bookie is.
UFC Betting FAQ's
FAQ
UFC & MMA Betting related questions [UK]
Can you bet on UFC?
Most online bookmakers now offer some form of betting on UFC and MMA matches. Some will offer more events and more markets on a single match than another, so it is worth reading a full guide to which bookmaker is best for betting on UFC at some point. This will put you in the position of betting with the bookmaker that offers the best events, markets and UFC betting odds.
How do i place a bet on a UFC fight?
Using your online betting account you can bet on UFC online by opening your app, finding the event and selecting the type of market you ant to bet on. If you want to make a simple bet, like choosing one fighter to win, click on his name or the odds next to his name, choose how much you want to bet, and confirming. You will need a bookmaker account to do this of course.
Can you bet on UFC fights online?
You can bet on UFC fights online at most online bookmakers. Some will offer more events than others, and again some will have more options in the types of bets you can place. by using one of the bigger branded inline bookmakers you will find most UFC events covered as well as a range of other worldwide MMA events.
How do over/unders work in UFC
Over/Under betting on the UFC matches will refer to the number of rounds that a fight will last for. If the bar is set at 2.5, then you are able to predict if the fight will last Under 2.5 round, or over 2.5 rounds. A half a round refers to 2 minutes 30 seconds of a round for betting purposes
