Editor - Esports Journalist
Loading ...
MMA betting is by far my favorite way to get up-close-and-personal with Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) without getting my hands dirty. Or walking away with a bloody lip, of course.
You see, some of the market’s best betting brands have really been ramping things up MMA-wise in recent years, offering exceptional odds and one-off bonuses on anything from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to the Professional Fighters League (PFL). Right here, right now, I’m about to guide you through all there is to know. Ready to ring the bell?
There’s a lot to think about prior to dropping your first few bets on MMA. First up, you need to consider odds, for example – which I’ve found tend to be listed as decimals at most top MMA betting sites.
Now, these are easy enough to understand. In short, you’ll see a set of odds for each fighter, represented by a number with a decimal place – say, 2.5 on Erin Blanchfield, or 1.75 on Alexa Grasso.
Basically, the fighter with the lower number is the favorite – in this case, Grasso. As for the decimal odds numbers themselves, these represent what could potentially come back from every $1 wager – and betting on MMA is about as simple as that.
So, let’s say you stake $100 on Grasso to win at 1.75. What’s the potential comeback on that? That’s right – $175. Whether you’re looking at decimal odds in golf betting, on boxing, or on MMA, these figures really are that easy to follow.
And once you’ve wrapped your head around all this, you can place a bet by following these mad-easy steps:
Of course, if you really want to make waves with your bets, you’ll need to fully understand the different betting options that are gonna be offered to you by the best MMA betting site out there, as well as their competitors.
Now, I’ve found the types of bets Canadians like yourselves will be offered most frequently, seem to be:
Bet type | What you need to know |
---|---|
Fight winner – a.k.a “money line” bet | Pure and simple, a money line bet is a wager on one fighter or the other to win – like the Grasso example I ran through earlier. |
“Method of victory” bets – i.e., betting on how a fight will end. | Let’s say you think Grasso will land a knockout, or the fight will be stopped by the referee, or the cornerman – these are sometimes known as “method of victory bets”, and in my experiences, most bookies offer odds on such markets. |
Total round betting | As MMA fights run on rounds, you can also bet on the likes of:
|
I’m a diehard believer that the best MMA betting sites in Canada ought to offer bonuses that you guys can try-out on your favorite MMA fights. And, as you’ll soon see, many of the brands displayed in my lists and banners do – they offer new bettors in eligible regions the likes of:
Now, claiming any of these such offers ain’t much hardship, either. Once you’ve found an online MMA betting brand that’s advertising a “welcome package” of some kind.
You can usually unlock these bonuses by doing the following:
In my latest guide to the best Canada betting apps, I recently pointed out that mobile-friendly sportsbooks will often put-out extra special bonuses, so be sure to consider app-based platforms as well as browser-based ones.
And if you need any more tips on bonus activation? Well, just head on over to my betting bonus guides, where I bare all.
So, I’ve been through odds, I’ve discussed betting options and I’ve explained how to bag yourself an MMA bonus. You good to go yet? Well, not quite.
The next thing you guys need to understand is that betting on MMA in Canada is only legal if you’re doing it via properly-licensed betting platforms.
You see, ever since 2021, each individual province has had the right to regulate its own betting market, and pretty much everywhere from Ontario to BC appears to have taken a different approach since then..
So, the rules differ from place to place, but generally, any NHL betting sites, MMA bookmakers or even horse racing apps you’re interested in using need to hold the correct license for your region before you can legally start betting with them. And for obvious reasons, you also should only bet with brands that offer:
Now, all this is essential to keep in mind when shopping around for sites that allow betting on MMA in your province. Having said that, your easiest option here is going to be simply to rely on yours truly – because in this very guide, you’ll see banners displayed for sites and apps that I’ve already double-checked for usability in your province.
Yup, that’s right – all these are geo-targeted, and they each offer all the must-have features I outlined above, too. No worries there then.
Now, I mentioned in the last section that any MMA-friendly brands you bet with ought to offer responsible gambling resources – and this isn’t something you should take lightly.
MMA betting is fun, but it’s important to know your limits and to take a sensible approach to any betting strategies you choose to employ. This of course means you should:
The best MMA betting sites in Canada all offer easy-to-use tools you can rely on if ever you feel like it’s all getting a bit too much. Literally all the brands in my banners will allow you to:
These are invaluable features – and you should always fall back on them as and whenever you feel you need ‘em.
In addition, I’ve found that most honest, reputable bookmakers will offer a fully-fledged “Responsible Gambling” page complete with quick-links to the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) and other external support services if ever you need a friendly helping hand. So, don’t be afraid to use these.
It doesn’t make a shred of difference whether you’re the world’s biggest Jon “Bones” Jones backer or a total first-timer who fancies a flutter on Islam Makhachev, my advice here is the same: you need to find a safe, legal and supportive betting site that works for you.
But doing so doesn’t have to be a big battle – my banners right here will link you immediately to legal betting brands in your province that are SSL-secure and superb from a responsible gambling standpoint. Though of course, it’s on you to determine which ones offer the best bonuses and market coverage to match up with your very own MMA betting tastes.
Just remember that if you’re claiming a bonus, you might need a special promo code and a qualifying deposit of $10 or more before you’ll be good to go.
If you’re going to be indulging in a spot of sports betting in the Great White North, you need to make sure the bookie you’re interested in holds a local license. What’s more, you should only ever download betting apps from reputable sources like the App Store or Google Play. Get more iGaming tips from my guides today.
Most – but not all – Canadian provinces and territories offer legal “single game sports betting” of some kind, which basically means you’re free to bet on MMA so long as you’re betting on one fighter at just one event. Though of course, you can only do so via provincially-licensed betting sites, such as those I’ve shortlisted here…
Depending on the sport, you’re likely to see a mix of American and decimal odds. Many of my favorite sites will let you switch-up the format to your preferred one with the click of a button, though. Find out how, and learn how to read odds properly, with my betting guides here.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.