UFC Online Betting in the UK 2024
Once seen as a niche sport with limited crossover appeal, UFC has round-kicked its way into the mainstream and is now a multi-billion dollar business that regularly sells out arenas in the USA and abroad. Part of this growth can be attributed to the popularity of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and the unique combination of moves employed by UFC fighters, but another contributing factor has been the surge in popularity of UFC betting.
So we’re here to bring you our comprehensive guide to the very best UFC betting UK sites, including a hard-hitting analysis of site features and special offers, a high-kicking examination of what makes a great UFC betting site and a final takedown that includes our most insightful UFC betting tips.
The Best UFC Betting Online Bookies In the UK
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Full terms and conditions apply. New customers on mobile only. 7 days to claim and stake £10 minimum bet at odds of 1.5 or greater to qualify. Free, void, cashed out or partially cashed out bets do not qualify. Max 3x £10 free bets credited on bet settlement. Free bets must be used on 4 or more selections with selection odds of 1.3 or greater. Free bets are non-withdrawable, and stake not returned with winnings. 7 day expiry.18+ begambleaware.org.
Full terms and conditions apply. New customers on mobile only. 7 days to claim and stake £10 minimum bet at odds of 1.5 or greater to qualify. Free, void, cashed out or partially cashed out bets do not qualify. Max 3x £10 free bets credited on bet settlement. Free bets must be used on 4 or more selections with selection odds of 1.3 or greater. Free bets are non-withdrawable, and stake not returned with winnings. 7 day expiry.18+ begambleaware.org. |
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Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.
Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. |
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* Bet365 – For new customers only. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. #Advertising disclosure
Best UFC Betting UK Sites Ranked
Before we get into the full details, here’s a handy summary of our favourite UFC betting UK sites.
- 888sport – BetFeed feature tells you which UFC bets are trending
- Betfred – One of the best new customer deals around
- BetUK – 5 accumulator profit boosts available each week
- BoyleSports – Acca Loyalty Club includes UFC multi bets
- 10Bet – New and improved betting app
- VirginBet – Excellent range of price boosts
- QuinnBet – Daily and weekly free bet offers
- FansBet – Great selection of free bet deals
- William Hill – #YourOdds feature lets you create unique UFC bets
- bet365 – Excellent range of UFC betting online markets
The Best UFC Betting Online Sites in the UK
1. 888sport – Intuitive sports betting site with great rewards
The 888sport website not only looks the part with its unique black and orange layout, but it’s also one of the most intuitive sites we’ve come across. The site provides a tailored betting experience on desktop and mobile, where your betting history is remembered and your favourite sports appear more prominently as a result.
You can also click on “Recommendations”, where you will be able to find trending bets that are proving to be popular with punters in general and recommended bets for you, based on previous winning wagers and other bets you have placed.
When it comes to UFC, the top five trending bets are shown front and centre on the MMA section of the site. In addition, 888sport’s Acca Club is a great offer where you can earn a £5 free bet each week when you place £20 or more on multiple bets, including the UFC.
Pros:
- UFC trending bets feature
- Tailored betting experience
- Acca Club loyalty bonus
- Daily price boosts
- Superb range of existing customer offers
Cons:
- Slower withdrawal times than many of their rivals
2. Betfred – Industry-leading new customer deal
We’re sure that Betfred will have no trouble attracting new customers as their welcome deal is one of the best out there, with punters being able to enjoy £60 of bonuses when joining up and betting just £10. And once they have signed up there’s a good chance they will stick around and enjoy the huge amount of existing customer offers and features available at Betfred.
And the PickYourPunt and price boosts features could also prove to be very useful when the big UFC fights take place.
Pros:
- Generous sign up bonus
- Huge amount of existing customer offers across a variety of sports
- Set your favourite sports to appear more prominently on the home page
- PickYourPunt feature enables you to create unique bets
- Daily price boosts
Cons:
- No Acca Boosts
3. BetUK – New and exciting sports betting site
BetUK is less well-known than many of its betting rivals, but with a name and logo that is quintessentially British they have ensured that punters know they are part of the new breed of homegrown sports betting sites, and should attract plenty of attention as a result!
And with a generous welcome offer, a striking site design and a good selection of free bets to be earned, including Acca profit boosts that can be used on UFC bets, there’s a huge amount to like about BetUK.
Pros:
- Excellent welcome offer
- Esports live streaming
- Profit Boosts available across a number of sports
- Multiple acca profit boosts each week
- Betting tips available on site
Cons:
- Would be good to see more price boosts
4. BoyleSports – One of the biggest and best betting sites
The BoyleSports story is an inspiring one, growing from one betting shop opened by former bread delivery man John Boyle in 1982 and becoming one of the biggest names in worldwide betting. BoyleSports aren’t resting on their laurels though as they tick a huge amount of boxes when it comes to the things that punters look for in a sports betting site.
BoyleSports has an excellent range of new and existing customer offers and what caught our eye, in particular, was the fact that their Acca Boost, Acca Insurance and Acca Loyalty Club offers can all be used in conjunction with UFC selections.
Pros:
- Acca loyalty club includes UFC multi bets
- UFC Acca Boosts and Acca Insurance
- Top UFC bet recommendations
- Excellent in-play offering
- Massive range of price boosts
Cons:
- Some offers are only available in BoyleSports betting shops
5. 10Bet – Great mobile betting experience
The slogan on 10Bet’s betting app reads “For the bettor”, which not only has a nice double meaning but tells you that they are firmly focused on providing an excellent service to their customers. And right from the opening bell we were impressed by the design of their website and app.
There are a huge range of free bet deals available across a variety of sports and 10Bet also have one of the best welcome offers in the business, as new customers can earn a 100% first deposit bonus of up to £50 that can be used to fund some UFC bets!
Pros:
- New and improved betting app
- Searching is made easier thanks to the Recent Search Results tool
- Mobile-only features
- Free bet deals across a variety of sports
- “The Ten Club” boutique betting service
Cons:
- No live streaming
Comparison of the Best UFC Betting Sites
Now it’s time to outline some of the key elements we always look for in the best UFC betting sites, and more importantly, let you know which sportsbooks feature them and which ones don’t! And just so you know, we’ve zeroed in on features that are not shared by all sites, rather than including in-play betting and cash-out, for example, which are features common to all the sports betting sites in this article.
Sportsbook | Live Streaming | Price Boosts | Acca Insurance | Minimum Deposit |
888sport | £10 | |||
Betfred | £5 | |||
BetUK | £10 | |||
BoyleSports | £5 | |||
10Bet | £5 | |||
VirginBet | £5 | |||
QuinnBet | £10 | |||
FansBet | £10 | |||
William Hill | £5 | |||
bet365 | £5 |
How We Rank the Best UFC Betting Sites
No two UFC betting sites are the same so it’s important to have a good idea about the betting features that are important to you, so you can judge a site by those metrics and pick one that fits your needs perfectly!
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Odds
The odds that punters can secure for their UFC betting selections are hugely important but with so many fights to choose from and a large number of markets within those bouts, it’s impossible to say that any particular bookmaker always offers the most generous prices across the board. Odds comparison sites can be useful tools when searching for the best betting odds for UFC but in our experience, betting with the more established sportsbooks will ensure that you won’t necessarily get the best betting odds for UFC every single time, but they will always be competitive.
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Markets
The standard UFC markets are similar to boxing in that you can wager on the winner of the fight, how many rounds will be contested and the method of victory, among others. However, with just three rounds in standard UFC fights and five in championship bouts, the amount of choice when it comes to UFC betting markets is not huge. However, that is not to say there are no differences between the various UK UFC betting sites when it comes to the range of markets offered, with the best ones such as bet365 offering combination markets such as “Israel Adesanya to win by knockout in round three”. And over at William Hill, they have some unique futures markets such as “Askar Askarov To Win A Full UFC Flyweight World Title Belt Before The End Of 2022”.
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UFC Live Betting
In-play betting is a hugely popular way to wager on the UFC as you have extra information from the fight itself to inform your betting decisions. For instance, if a fighter has established dominance straight from the get-go and a KO seems inevitable then you can back them to win by this method with more confidence than if you would have selected this outcome before the bout. The best UFC live betting sites will offer a generous range of in-play markets that are updated speedily as events unfold, and if they offer a UFC live betting stream then that will also convince punters to place their UFC bets with that particular site.
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Live Streams
The UFC live stream situation in the UK is similar to boxing betting online in that you won’t find the marquee events streamed on any betting sites as they will be shown exclusively on BT Sport, the main broadcaster of UFC in the UK. However, sites such as William Hill will often have a UFC live stream of smaller events and watching them can provide you with some useful information when backing certain fighters as they move up the rankings and appear at the bigger events.
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Bonuses
Bookmaker bonuses are a staple of the UK betting scene because they are a vital way for UFC betting sites to attract new customers and retain their existing ones. UFC-specific bonuses are exceptionally rare but that is not to say there aren’t a huge number of special offers out there that can apply to your UFC wagers, so you should always check the promotions page of your preferred site to see what’s on offer. For instance, BoyleSports’ Acca Boosts, Acca Insurance and Acca Loyalty Club apply to UFC bets, giving you a great chance to boost your profits!
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Mobile-Friendliness
These days a great betting app is not just a nice thing to have but an absolutely integral part of a UFC betting site’s offering, because millions of punters have wised up to the advantages of betting on the go using their mobile devices. The best UFC betting apps should include all the features and bonuses that bettors would expect from their desktop counterparts. However, the truly great UFC betting apps are the ones that look great, are easy to navigate and give you all the information you need to place a UFC bet in as few taps as possible! And 888sport have one of the best apps out there, which looks fantastic, offers unparalleled personalisation and also shows you which bets are trending in the Octagon on the UFC section of the app.
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Payment Methods
Funding your account is of course a key part of any betting, and while the vast majority of UK punters deposit by debit card, a method which is accepted on every site, some bettors want to be able to fund their accounts using other options such as e-wallets, Paypal and Apple Pay. If that statement applies to you then you should always check out a site’s payment methods before signing up, and our research has shown us that Betfred is best in class when it comes to their range of deposit options.
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Processing Time for Payouts
We live in a world where payments from bank to bank are often processed in a matter of hours, so it’s no surprise that punters expect the same from their betting accounts. Withdrawal times are generally good at UFC betting sites, especially when it comes to popular payment options such as debit cards. However, if processing time is a big consideration for you then it’s worth checking before you deposit, especially if you like to make use of e-wallets.
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Customer Support
Betting can be a complicated business, with each sport needing a different approach, so many different types of bets to remember and complex odds to decipher. Just one bet can potentially throw up a lot of questions so it’s really important that UFC sites have an effective customer service process in place. And of course, the 24-hour nature of betting means that punters may want help at all times of the day and night. The best sites will feature email and 24-hour live chat options, as well as comprehensive information readily available and easily located on their site.
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Security
The security of betting sites is our number one priority, so you can always be sure that any site featured in any of our articles will be properly licensed, regulated and 100% trustworthy. Beyond that, you should always make sure that a bookmaker you are considering joining up with has everything in place to protect their customers’ payment and personal details.
An Introduction to UFC Online Betting
UFC stands for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and it is the premier MMA organisation in the world. Fans love the UFC not just because of its hard-hitting brutality but also because fighters employ a range of different styles, encompassing boxing, judo, kickboxing, Muay Thai, traditional wrestling and many more! And of course, there’s the unique vision of the Octagon-shaped cage that encloses the fighters!
Betting on the UFC is hugely popular because there are not a huge amount of markets to wade through, which makes it simple for novice bettors. You can bet on a singular outcome such as “Kamaru Usman to win”, but a good tactic is to combine different selections from the same UFC event into an accumulator.
This will boost the price nicely, especially if you are backing the favourites, plus you can take advantage of the huge range of accumulator boost, insurance and loyalty offers that are available at UFC sites.
And another good tactic to boost your odds is to combine different selections into one bet, such as a certain fighter winning in a certain way, or at a certain point of the fight.
UFC Betting Markets
UFC fights may only feature two participants competing over no more than five rounds, but there are still a decent number of betting markets to pick from when making your UFC betting predictions, the most common of which are outlined below.
Fight Winner
When it comes to your UFC betting predictions, the first port of call will always be the main betting market, which is the overall winner of the fight. And this is where you are simply backing one of the competitors to have their hand raised in victory when the matchup is over.
Method of Victory
You can also wager on the method of victory, with the most popular outcome with fight fans being the knockout (KO), where one fighter is knocked down and either can’t get up before the referee’s ten count, or gets up but is deemed unfit to continue. Then there’s the technical knockout, or TKO, where the referee steps in to stop the fight when one fighter can no longer defend themselves properly, or the trainer of one fighter throws the towel into the Octagon.
Then you have the submission finish, which is unique to MMA, where one fighter “taps out” as a result of a move that is exerting such pressure on one of their body parts that the pain is too much. Examples of submission moves are the rear naked choke, armbar and wristlock, all of which sound suitably painful!
You can wager on the method of victory, either as a separate bet or combined with another selection, such as “Francis Ngannou to win by knockout”, the latter of which will be higher-priced than singular predictions.
Round Betting
The other main betting markets concern the length of the fight. Standard UFC encounters are fought over three five-minute rounds, with Championship bouts extended to five rounds of the same length. And just like boxing, if there is no winner at the end of the allotted rounds then it will be up to the judges to decide a winner.
You can bet on a fighter to win in a certain round or by decision, as well as having the option to wager on when the fight will end, regardless of whose hand is raised in victory. You can also wager on how many rounds the fight will last, such as over 2.5, or even bet on whether the fight will go the distance or not.
Special Bets
Some sites including William Hill offer multi-bout special bets ahead of the biggest matchups, such as three specific fights all to end in Round 1, three selected fighters to all win by decision, or certain competitors to all win in rounds 1-2.
UFC Betting Odds
No site could ever claim to have the very best UFC betting odds but in our experience, if betting odds for UFC matter to you then heading to the more established sports betting sites is always a good option. And many of them even offer odds boosts too on selected bouts. Here are our three favourites:
- FansBet – Daily free bet offers
- William Hill – Enhanced UFC prices and UFC special bets
- bet365 – Excellent range of UFC betting markets
Live UFC Betting & Streaming
With the marquee UFC events being available exclusively on PPV, live UFC betting and streaming opportunities are limited. However, sites that offer live UFC betting and streaming will often broadcast lower-rung UFC events, which can provide a useful opportunity to check out up-and-coming fighters:
Bookie | Stream Qualifying Criteria | Welcome Offer | |
Logged in with positive account balance | Bet £10 Get £60 In Bonuses | Visit Betfred | |
Logged in with positive account balance | *Bet £10 & Get £30 In Free Bets | Visit bet365 | |
Logged in with positive account balance | Bet £10 Get £20 In Free Bets | Visit BoyleSports |
UFC Betting Offers
We couldn’t find any UFC-specific existing customer deals at the sites featured in this article but there are plenty of offers and site features that can boost your bankroll and help your UFC betting online! The first things you should always look out for in the run-up to the big UFC matchups are price boosts that can maximise your potential profits.
Lots of UK UFC betting sites also have free bet offers and some have accumulator boosts or Acca Insurance to use on your Octagon multiple wagers. And you could even take advantage of daily and weekly loyalty offers to earn more free wagers.
So here are our favourite UFC betting offers:
- Betfred – Acca Insurance and Acca Boosts available
- BoyleSports – Acca Loyalty Club includes UFC multiple wagers
- BetUK – Five accumulator profit boosts available each week
- 888sport – Earn a £5 free bet when you place £20 or more each week on multiples
- FansBet – Multiple free bet deals each week across numerous sports
UFC Betting Tips
A key part of betting on the UFC should always be gathering as much information as you can about the fighters in a UFC matchup that you are considering betting on. It can be hard to know exactly what to look for though, so we’ve put together some useful UFC betting tips featuring the kind of data that should be most useful when selecting your UFC wagers.
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Previous Record
One of your first stops should be checking out a fighter’s previous record and looking for trends. For example, how many of their previous fights have gone the distance? Do they tend to dominate fights early and put their opponents away quickly? Or do they have a habit of wearing opponents down and finishing them off in the final round?
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Record Against Different Types of Opponents
Every UFC fighter has a different style, and as they say in the combat sports world, styles make fights! However, when it comes to your betting strategy you need to look at the opponent of the fighter you are thinking of backing and check out what kind of style they employ. Are they a submission specialist who will look to take their opponent down at every opportunity? Do they employ kicks more than the average fighter or do they have a particularly strong punch that has put a lot of opponents away?
Then the key thing when you have gathered this knowledge is to see how your potential selection has fared against opponents like this before. For instance, if they have struggled against ground-based attacks and are facing a submission specialist, that should set an alarm bell ringing!
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Resilience
Pundits talk about the quality of a fighter’s “chin”, which basically means how well they can take a punch to the face! A good chin manifests itself in a fighter’s stats in that they won’t have lost much by knockout, and you can even delve a bit deeper to see how many times they have hit the deck in their career and use that information too when betting on the outcome of their fight.
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Punching Power
UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is not only a formidable fighter but the proud owner of the hardest recorded punch in history. Taking a Ngannou punch is the equivalent of being hit by a car, so it’s no surprise that 12 of his 17 wins have come by knockout and just four of his 20 fights in the UFC have gone the distance. So it’s always useful to earmark the big punchers when thinking of betting on a fight to end by KO!
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Weight
UFC fights are fought within the parameters of different weight classes, just like boxing but far simpler, with just eight for the men and four for the women of the Octagon. As you move up the weights the punching power becomes more fearsome, with the percentage of heavyweight fights that end in knockout being higher than it is in the lower weight classes. So your betting strategy should always be tailored to the weight class of the fight you are interested in betting on, and there is lots of historical information available concerning fight outcomes in all the different weight classes.
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Stamina
While you’re looking at fight outcomes in different weight classes over the years it’s also a good idea to check out the percentage of bouts that have gone the distance and how that number differs between different weight classes. As a general rule, the lighter fighters have more stamina and a higher percentage of those bouts tend to go the distance, but you should also check out specific fighter stats to see how often they have made it all the way through a matchup.
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Octagon Size
Most UFC fights are fought within the confines of an octagon-shaped cage that is 30ft in diameter. However, in 2020 the promotion announced that all of the smaller events at their APEX training facility will be contested within a 25ft Octagon. The smaller cage size forces opponents to engage more as there is less space to manoeuvre, which results in a higher rate of strikes and finishes. So if there’s a smaller cage in play then you might want to consider a bet on the KO or TKO finishes!
The Best UFC Betting Site in the UK
With the final bell getting ready to sound in our guide to the best UK UFC betting sites, it’s time to name our favourite, and it’s 888sport that has their hand raised in victory! There’s so much to like about the site in general, including a generous welcome offer, eye-catching site layout and a good range of price boosts and existing customer offers. The site is also hugely intuitive, remembering your preferences and previous bets and tailoring the layout accordingly. And when it comes to UFC, punters can see trending bets that are proving to be popular and also benefit from the 888sport Acca Club to earn free wagers as a reward for betting on the UFC.
Best UK UFC Betting Site
Bet £10, Get £30 In Free Bets + £10 Casino Bonus
Bet £10, Get £30 In Free Bets + £10 Casino Bonus
- UFC trending bets
- UFC free bets
- Daily price boosts
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