How to Bet on UFC Fights in Canada

The UFC started in 1993 as a professional MMA organization. Today, the UFC is the largest provider of pay-per-view events in the world.

MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) refers to a combat sport featuring various techniques and skills, allowing striking and grappling while standing or on the ground. This guide covers how to bet on UFC, including the markets, bet types, odds, and top UFC sportsbooks. Let’s dive in!

Betting on the UFC isn't any different from other professional sports. You can back a player to win the match and bet on various possible outcomes. All you need to do is understand how everything works, and the terminologies bookmakers use. In this section, we cover the UFC betting markets, odds, and how to read them.

UFC matches provide many betting markets, including the standard moneyline and totals (over/under) bets. You can also find props, round betting, futures, and more. Here are the popular UFC bets punters can place in Canada:

Moneyline (To Win Match)

The moneyline bet is about backing the player who will win the match. In every UFC match, there's a favourite and an underdog. You can find a two-way moneyline, which involves backing one winner between the two. Other bookmakers offer three-way moneyline bets, which include the possibility of a draw. Here's an example:

• Israel Adesanya -300
• Robert Whittaker +240

In this example, Israel Adesanya is a favourite and backing him requires a bet of $300 to win $100. Robert Whittaker is the underdog, and backing him can win you $240 from a $100 bet. A draw is the most unlikely outcome and occurs less than 2% of the time, but some bookies may also provide odds for that.

Rounds Total (Over/Under)

A UFC match usually has six rounds to decide the winner, but the match can end early with a knockout or tap out in a submission maneuver. You can bet on the match to end after one, two, three, four, or five rounds. This is called a rounds total bet. Here's an example of UFC odds for rounds total outcomes:

• Over 4.5 (+180)
• Under 4.5 (+200)

In this example, if the match ends before the 2:30 minute of the fifth round, you'll win the Under bet, which pays $200 for a $100 bet. On the other hand, if the match goes beyond the 2:30 mark of the fifth round, you'll win the Over bet, which pays $180 for a $100 bet. If the match ends at exactly 2:30, the bet is considered a push because UFC rounds last five minutes. 

Prop Bets

The UFC provides various prop bets, including which round wins the match, method of victory, points spread, fight to go the distance, players touching their gloves, and more. Round betting involves betting on the round in which the match will end and the player who will win. Here's an example:

• Round 1: Israel (+650), Robert (+1400)
• Round 2: Israel (+950), Robert (+1700)
• Round 3: Israel (+1100), Robert (+2100)

In this example, you can back Israel Adesanya to win the match in Round 1 and get $650 from a $100 bet. If you back Robert Whittaker, you'll win $1,400 from a $100 bet. You can also place a bet on the Method of Victory prop, in which you back who will win and how.

A UFC fight can end with a KO, TKO, DQ, submission, or judges (points) decision or technical decision. These bets take the format of the moneyline. Here’s an example:

• Israel To Win By Pts or Technical Decision +290
• Israel To Win By KO, TKO, DQ +460
• Israel To Win By Submission +770
• Robert To Win By Pts or Technical Decision +410
• Robert To Win By KO, TKO, DQ +640
• Robert To Win By Submission +1600

The most likely outcome here is Israel Adesanya to win by points tally or technical decision, which can fetch you $290 from a $100 bet. Bookmakers also offer UFC futures, which involve betting on a player to win a specified weight category title belt.

An example is backing Israel Adesanya to win the Welterweight Champion at the end of the year at +150 or Robert Whittaker at +450. You’ll win the bet when your player emerges with the belt at the end of the calendar year.

Like most sports, UFC allows punters to back multiple outcomes on the same slip, so you can bet on a player to win (moneyline) and the match to end via a submission (method of winning) during the fourth round (round betting). This is called a parlay bet and comes with higher odds, hence bigger payouts.

Learning how to bet on UFC fights in Canada is easy now that you know the markets and odd formats. All you need is a reliable sportsbook offering MMA UFC events. Once you have an account, you can deposit funds, find matches, and back your favourite players and outcomes. Here are the simple steps you need to bet on UFC events:

• Open An Account

Choose a reputable sportsbook like Sports Interaction, Betway, Bodog, or any other legitimate bookmaker and find the JOIN, SIGN-UP, REGISTER, or CREATE ACCOUNT button.

It’s usually located next to the LOGIN button. Follow the prompts provided to register your free betting account. Make sure you verify the email and account ownership.

• Deposit Funds

Once you have an account, you can look for free bets and no-deposit bonuses. Such deals offer free betting opportunities. However, most bonuses require a deposit. Navigate to the banking section of the sportsbook and click on deposit. Use any supported payment method to make your first deposit and fund your account.

• Find UFC Match

Now that you have funds in a verified betting account, you can launch the sportsbook section, navigate to MMA, then UFC. Find a UFC match you want to bet on and explore the markets. Most bookmakers list the moneyline and totals bet. Click on the arrow next to the primary markets to explore further options.

• Place Your Bet 

Betting is as simple as clicking the market you've chosen to back. You can place a single bet, which involves backing one outcome, or a multi-bet/parlay, which involves two or more outcomes. Specify how much you want to stake and submit your bet slip. Confirm the bet slip one more time, then place the bet.

Mastering how to bet on UFC fights online requires keeping tabs on all kinds of information from the dressing room and organizers. In this part, we explore some of the important details you should know when betting on UFC matches in Canadian sportsbooks.

UFC Weight Classes

UFC weight classes are based on the weight of the fighters. There are nine weight classes as follows:

• Strawweight: 115 pounds
• Flyweight: 125 pounds
• Bantamweight: 135 pounds
• Featherweight: 145 pounds
• Lightweight: 155 pounds
• Welterweight: 170 pounds
• Middleweight: 185 pounds
• Light Heavyweight: 205 pounds
• Heavyweight: 265 pounds

Upcoming UFC Fights

UFC Streaming

UFC is the largest provider of PPV in the world, so you can expect fights to be shown worldwide, especially in Canada. The shows are broadcasted on different providers in each country. Fans in the US can use ESPN+, but the service is geo-restricted.

In Canada, you can use a wide range of PPV providers, including Shaw Direct, Rumble, Eastlink, Bell, Indigo, SaskTel, YouTube, Telus, Rogers, Cogeco, and UFC Fight Pass. You can also use TSN+, Hulu, BT Sport, and other streaming platforms.

Betting on UFC fights can be rewarding, especially if you follow a reliable UFC betting guide with practical tips and insights. You should start with a legitimate betting site that can guarantee popular events and markets.

Security, bonuses, and customer service are also crucial aspects to review. This section explores some of the proven strategies and tips for betting on UFC events for real money in Canada.

• Choose A Reputable Sportsbook

Before betting on UFC fights, you should sign up with a trustworthy online sportsbook with such games and markets. Stick to licensed operators who are free to offer gambling products in Canada. Look for top-notch SSL Certificates and strict privacy policies.

Compare the bonuses, customer support services, and banking options. The goal is to join a credible sportsbook with a history of providing secure gambling experiences in CA.

• Research Your UFC Fighters

Every UFC match has a favourite and underdog, but some matchups are close, making it difficult to predict who'll emerge as the winner. In such matches, you can bet on other markets, like props, round betting outcomes, and totals.

Before betting, research the fighters and find out how they've been performing, head-to-head results, recent form, state of mind, controversies, injuries, and more. Keep tabs on emerging information to back fighters with the best chance of winning.

• Back The Younger Players

Experience in any sport is crucial and can provide that extra edge. However, younger fighters have been getting the better of older fighters in the MMA. Their explosive and fierce nature makes them dangerous inside the cage, which is why they’ve won 62% of all matches since 2020.

If you’re not sure who to back, choose fighters below 25 years. You can also back players between 25 and 30 years, as they’ve won more than half of the matches.

• Bet Against Late Replacements

It's common for fighters to pull out of a fight due to injury, illness, or other issues. When this happens, the UFC will draft another fighter. The late replacements usually have less time to prepare for the fight and have lost 64% of all matches.

As such, you're better off betting against them. Make sure you research the form, as some fighters know how to fight smart and are constantly preparing just in case they're drafted as late replacements.

• Back The Better Striker

Most UFC fights end in a knockout, making striking ability crucial when backing a player. Before betting, consider how many strikes each fighter lands per minute. You can also take into account the striking accuracy and strikes absorbed.

The best striker in a match has won 64% of the time, so backing them could pay out, especially in the light heavyweight and heavyweight classes. You can also review their submission expertise

UFC fights are popular worldwide, so most sportsbooks feature the events. However, not all bookmakers are trustworthy. You should look for licensed, secure, user-friendly, mobile-optimized sportsbooks with reliable customer service. Here's a look at where to bet on UFC in Canada: