When you go to the MMA/UFC section of a betting site in Canada and view the upcoming fights, the odds displayed will be for the straight-up winner of the bout. This is the simplest and most popular bet type for UFC, and also what we would recommend for beginners.

This is essentially a money line bet in which you pick one of the two athletes to win the fight, and it doesn’t matter whether they win by knockout, disqualification, submission or points - as long as the man or woman you picked emerges victorious, you collect your winnings.

Because there is an odd number of rounds in UFC fights (three for standard fights, five for championship fights), draws are very rare, so this option is not always offered by bookmakers, unlike in boxing.

Another market offered for most fights is the method of victory. Again, the punter chooses which competitor they think will win, but in this instance, they are specific about how they win.

Choosing a method of victory rather than just the winner of the fight reduces the number of ways the bet can win, which in turn enhances the odds. This is particularly useful if a fighter is a strong favourite, and to make the bet worthwhile in terms of profit, you back them to knock their opponent out or make them submit.

One way to narrow down the outcome even further and potentially claim an even bigger return is through round betting. Here you would bet, for example, on Rory MacDonald to win in round one, or Douglas Lima in round two.

There is big payout potential with round betting, especially in five-round fights, as there is an array of different potential results.

A heavyweight securing an early stoppage is far more likely than a flyweight managing a fifth round knockout, and the pricing of the odds will reflect that.

Any sports event in Canada wouldn’t be complete without some kind of over/under market to wager on, and with UFC fights, this can be done with total rounds. The line will be determined by the type of fighters competing and is usually 1.5 or 2.5.

All UFC events feature multiple bouts on the main card, as well as preliminary fights beforehand. As there are around 10-12 fights each night, bettors often combine picks into a parlay bet. Punters select two or more combatants to win, and they must all be successful in order for the bet to win.

For viewers with no real allegiance to many of the fighters, parlay betting is a good way to maintain interest throughout the event.

As any MMA enthusiast will know, lots can happen in a UFC fight and momentum can swing several times even within one five-minute round. This allows for great live betting opportunities, and most bookmakers in Canada will facilitate this by taking bets on the fight winner, as well as round betting, method of victory, and sometimes other specials.

Most weekends, there is a UFC event taking place somewhere in the world. There is a massive global appeal for mixed martial arts, and this growing demand sees the UFC head to places like Singapore, Russia, Brazil, South Korea, Canada, plus many more as well as regular events in the United States.

Other promotions like Bellator, ACB, FNG and One Championship are also increasing in frequency, which means there are so many opportunities for MMA betting.

The biggest UFC fights are usually listed on betting sites shortly after they are announced.

Closer to the event, the rest of the fights on the card are made available to bet on.

Canada’s best sportsbooks will be taking bets on the entire card of the upcoming weekend’s event at the beginning of fight week. At this point, bettors can compare odds across the board, and use the bookmaker with the best odds for the bets they want to place.

Some bookmakers may slightly lean towards one fighter compared with other betting sites, so be sure to look specifically for the fighters you want to back.

For players looking to put together a parlay bet, it is advisable to physically make the selections on a number of sportsbooks and see which comes out with the highest odds.

You also want to make sure your chosen bookie has a solid live betting offering, with well-priced odds available throughout the fight, and good functionality on mobile so that you can place those instinctive in-play bets during a fight.