MMA Betting Blog has put together a list of some of the main sports gambling terms that apply to betting on MMA fights. These will help clear up any questions you might have when it comes to betting jargon.
- Bookie – Usually a person who accepts local bets. Sometimes people on the web refer to sportsbooks as bookies. This is more prevalent in European areas.
- Chalk – The favorite in the fight, or the guy at – odds.
- Dog – The underdog in a fight, or the guy at + odds. Underdogs can potentially have negative odds if its something like -115 vs. -105.
- Edge – Our competitive advantage when betting on a fight. Sometimes this is because of knowing more information than the linesmaker, and sometimes this is because of the odds posted for the fight.
- Even money (EVN) – When a bet’s odds are 1:1 or +100 this is even money. You aren’t paying any juice on the bet.
- Favorite – The favorite is the fighter that is expected to win the bout. The sportsbooks designate this fighter with a negative sign infront of the moneyline. (Ex. Chuck Liddell -145)
- Handicapping – This is the research and strategy you put into making a bet. There are many different ways to handicap a fight. Most bettors use a few methods and stick with what works for them.
- Handle – This is the amount of total bets taken on a fight or event. This usually refers to the total amount of bets that the sportsbook “handles”.
- Limit – The maximum bet that an online sportsbook will allow a bettor to place on a fight.
- Line – Another name for the odds for a fight.
- Moneyline – Odds for MMA fights are expressed in terms of money. So a moneyline of -145 means that for every $1.45 you bet, you would win $1.
- Odds – A numerical value determined by the sportsbook that shows the likelihood of each fighter winning the fight.
- Opened (opening line) – This is the odds that were set when the line was first put out for betting.
- Parlay – A combination of bets in which all of the fighters must win in order for you to win the bet. In return, you get better odds for your bet, such as 6-1 on a 3 team (fighter) parlay.
- Prop bet – A specific wager on an outcome in a fight. Take for example in boxing, there are prop bets on which round the fighter will end the bout. If you choose the round correctly you get paid out at higher odds than a normal bet.
- Push (draw) – When a fight does not have a winner declared it’s marked as a draw, and all bets are refunded.
- Sportsbook – The website or company that takes your bets for fights.
- Square – Someone who is a total beginner at sports betting. They usually bet on favorites 95% of the time.
- Totals bet – In MMA betting you may bet on the over/under the amount of rounds you think a fight will last. The sportsbook sets a total, and you then bet over or under than number.
- Underdog – The fighter who has + odds. This means if you bet on the fighter and they win, you’ll receive more than your original bet back. So if you bet $100 on Tito Ortiz at +135 and he wins, you’ll win $135 in profit.
For more great advice, be sure to check out our MMA betting tips section.
