There are two sports that are pugilistic in nature. The oldest is boxing, whilst the more modern, at least in the format that we understand nowadays, is mixed martial arts, also known as MMA. They are both popular sports to bet on, but there is much more than just the outright winner that you’re able to bet on. One of the most interesting bet types is that of round betting, which is, as the name suggests, a bet on the round in which the bout will be won by either fighter. The best is the same type, whether you’re betting on boxing or MMA.
The reason round betting is so interesting is that there are different combinations of bets that you can place, which are all worth looking out for. It is also worth bearing in mind that there are different ways in which you can win such a bet, so it isn’t just because one of the fighters has been able to knockout the other one. Generally speaking, there aren’t many differences between boxing and MMA when it comes to round betting, so what you’ll need to do is the same in either case, with the bet being on the fighter winning the entire fight.
Round Betting Explained
The key thing to know about round betting is that you are placing a bet on your fighter of choice winning the entire fight in the round that you’ve specified. In its simplest form, that is all it is. It is not the same as a bet on the fighter winning the round in question according to the judges’ scorecards. That is to say, the judges can have a fighter ahead both for the fight as a whole and for the round that you’re betting on, but that is entirely irrelevant when it comes to a bet on the round, which is just about whether that is when the fight will end.
Another key thing about round betting is that the method of victory isn’t what you’re betting on. That is to say, any of the following could be the reason for the fight coming to an end:
- Disqualification
- Knockout
- Judges’ decision
- Technical knockout
- Retirement
When it comes to retirement, it could happen either during the round or before the next round gets underway, with the team working with the fighter deciding that it would be dangerous to allow them to carry on fighting given the way that things are going.
Group Betting On Rounds
It is not uncommon for some bookmakers to offer punters the chance to bet on a group of rounds. This obviously gives you more chance of winning your bet, but it also means that they odds are going to be lower. You might be able to bet on a fight being won in rounds 1 to 3, say, or 4 to 6. This means that you will win your bet if the fight is won by your chosen boxer in any of the first, second or third round, with the first bet, or the fourth, fifth or sixth round with the second one. How many groups are offered will depend on the length of the fight.
Each bookmaker will handle these forms of betting in their own way. That is to say, some might split the rounds into groups of three, whilst others might have them broken into groups of two. The number of rounds offered in each group will often be dictated by the length of the fight in general. A ten-round bout, for example, might see the groups be three rounds apiece, whilst a fight lasting for 12 rounds will be broken into groups of two. This is for ease of mathematics as much as anything else, but it’s worth remembering.
Over / Under Rounds
Speaking of different options that bookmakers offer punters, another thing to consider is the Over / Under on rounds. In simplistic terms, you’re betting on whether a fight will go on for longer than a given number of rounds or will come to a conclusion earlier. If you were to bet on the Over for 2.5 rounds, say, you’re betting that the fight will last for at least three rounds. If the bout comes to a conclusion in round 2, you will lose your bet. As you might imagine, a fight lasting for three rounds or more will be declared a winning bet.
You will usually find that Over bets are longer odds at the start of a fight than towards the end, whilst Under bets get shorter. A bookmaker might offer odds of 1/33 on the Over for 1.5 rounds, say, but 14/1 on the Under. By the time that you get to the Over / Under on 10.5 rounds, meanwhile, that will have reversed and the Over will be 11/8 whilst the Under will be 8/15. Those are example odds, but you get the idea of how that form of betting works. It is far from simplistic, but it is another interesting option for round betting.
Things To Think About
Regardless of whether it is boxing or MMA that you’re betting on, there are a few things to consider. The relative level of the two fighters is the most obvious factor that you’ll want to bear in mind. That is to say, if you’re looking at betting on a fight in which one of the people involved is considered by all to be significantly better than their opponent, you’ll want to consider the lower end of the scale in terms of your round betting. If, on the other hand, the experts feel as though it is too close to call, you might bet on there being more rounds rather than fewer.
The good news is that, in most instances at least, there is plenty of information out there for you to look at. The majority of fighters have been involved in enough bouts for you to be able to consider whether they tend to go the distance or not. Some fighters, on the other hand, are considered to have a glass chin and the bout will be drawn to a close somewhat quickly if they take a heavy hit early on. The research is doable if you want to get the information that you need to be able to place a sensible bet.
