The Best UFC Betting Offers UK 2022

UFC Betting 101

The Ultimate Fighting Championship — more commonly known as UFC — is the largest MMA promotions company in the world. It was founded in 1993 by businessman Art Davie and Rorion Gracie, a prominent member of the Gracie family responsible for the creation of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. In the decades since, UFC and MMA have slowly gained mainstream popularity, in part due to fighters like Conor McGregor, Anderson Silva, and Ronda Rousey. 

For the uninitiated, MMA stands for mixed martial arts. It’s a full contact combat sport that brings together multiple disciplines from around the world, including boxing, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, Muay Thai, and more. In UFC, championship fights typically last five rounds while other bouts last three, with each round running no longer than five minutes. Matches take place in the Octagon, a unique eight-sided arena enclosed by chain-link fences.

Matches can end in a number of ways, and these outcomes constitute some of the available betting markets at UFC bookmakers:

• Submission – where one fighter submits by tapping the mat or their opponent, or verbally submitting. A technical submission is called if a fighter loses or is close to losing consciousness while in a hold.
• Knockout – a fighter is knocked unconscious by their opponent. 
• Technical knockout (TKO) – the referee decides a fighter cannot continue, usually due to injury.
• Judges’ decision – a panel of judges decide the outcome of the fight based on a ten-point scoring system.
• Disqualification – a fighter executes an illegal move deemed significant enough to warrant the end of the match.
• No contest – when one or both fighters are unable to compete effectively and not enough rounds have finished for judges to make a decision.

Now you’re clued up on how UFC works, why not compare our top UFC betting sites? We’ve found the best UFC betting offers to make your search easy. Just compare, click through, and sign up — or keep reading to find out more about UFC betting!

UFC Betting Offers

When you sign up at a UFC betting site, you’ll be able to take advantage of a welcome bonus. These come in several shapes and sizes — and our experts have found a range of top UFC betting offers for you to choose from.

Of course, you’ll need to know what you’re dealing with, so we’ve outlined some bonus types below. Be sure to read the terms and conditions in full before claiming any offer, checking for things like wagering requirements, market restrictions, time limits, winnings caps, and more.  

Free Bets

A free bet is as simple as it sounds — you’ll be able to place a bet without stumping up the cash yourself. While the stake isn’t returned, you get to keep the profit if you win. Free bets can take a number of forms:

• Deposit free bets are given once you make a qualifying deposit of the minimum amount.
• No deposit free bets are usually given as soon as you sign up.
• Risk-free bets and bet refunds return your stake as free bet credit if your qualifying bet loses.
• Bet X Get Y free bets are unlocked once you make a qualifying wager of a certain amount. 

Matched Deposits

Want to boost your first deposit and play with some extra betting credit? A matched deposit can double or even treble your funds. Say you see a deposit match of 100% up to £50 — if you deposit £50, you’ll get an extra £50 in bonus cash to play with. This bet credit is usually separate to your real money balance and may be subject to terms like wagering requirements or market restrictions, but it’s usually fairly flexible.

Promo Codes

Some UFC betting offers require a promo code to take advantage, which will be stated in the bonus T&Cs. This is usually entered when you sign up or make your qualifying deposit. You may also find your UFC betting site hands out promo codes to existing customers, either via email newsletter, social media, or a betting rewards scheme. Some bookies even offer exclusive promo codes to those who download their UFC betting app. 

Major UFC Betting Events

The UFC calendar is made up of several different types of events, split across different broadcasters. Events typically consist of a ‘main card’ with the most important fights, and a ‘preliminary card’ for less high-profile match-ups. You’ll find several bouts on each card covering different weight classes.

Within UFC, there are 12 weight classes in total — eight men’s and four women’s:

• Strawweight – women only
• Flyweight – men and women
• Bantamweight – men and women
• Featherweight – men and women
• Lightweight – men only
• Welterweight – men only
• Middleweight – men only
• Light heavyweight – men only
• Heavyweight – men only

UFC Numbered Events

The primary ‘numbered’ format sees the biggest names competing and is broadcast on pay-per-view. Each event involves multiple bouts between different fighters, although one particular match serves as the headline. Recent instalments include UFC 282: Błachowicz vs Ankalaev and UFC 281: Adesanya vs Pereira. In March 2023, UFC 286 will be held in London at the O2 Arena. 

UFC Fight Nights

UFC Fight Night events are usually contested by lower-ranked fighters and are currently broadcast on ESPN+. Recent Fight Night contests include Nzechukwu vs Cuțelaba, Rodriguez vs Lemos, and Kattar vs Allen.

Other UFC Formats

There are a number of other UFC formats, including UFC on ABC, UFC on ESPN, and The Ultimate Fighter Finale as part of the reality TV series of the same name.

Other MMA Betting Events

Outside of UFC, there’s plenty more in the global MMA calendar, including:

• Bellator MMA
• Fight Nights Global
• ONE Championship
• Rizin Fighting Federation
• Invicta FC
• Cage Warriors

UFC Betting Payment Options

Once you’re signed up at a UFC betting site, you’ll want to top up your new account with some betting funds. There are several ways you can do this, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. Likewise, which payment method should you choose when you cash out? Below are some popular options at UFC betting sites.

Visa

Many online bettors have access to a debit card, and using it for online transactions will be familiar to most. Generally, debit cards fall into one of two camps — Visa or Mastercard. Visa is the bigger of the two, although both are universally supported at UFC betting sites. Visa debit card transactions are secure thanks to the latest encryption standards and extra safeguards like Verified by Visa. 

Deposits arrive instantly, which means no waiting around to place your bets. Another benefit to using Visa for your deposits is it’s always eligible for claiming a UFC betting offer. However, withdrawals typically take longer than other methods — around 3–5 days unless the UFC betting site supports Visa Fast Funds. In that case, you could receive your payout within half an hour of approval. 

Trustly

Trustly is a payments intermediary that uses Open Banking to connect to your bank account. Once you’ve logged into the secure portal with your usual online banking credentials, you’ll be able to make direct transfers to and from the UFC betting site without entering card info or other details — quick, convenient, and secure. There’s no need to sign up and the service is free to use.

Deposits with Trustly arrive instantly, and withdrawals are usually fast, taking a couple of days at most. As always, this is subject to the UFC betting site’s own processing speed — check the payments policy in the T&Cs if you’re in any doubt. 

Paysafecard

Paysafecard is one of the most widely supported prepaid cards at UFC betting sites. How does it work? You buy the Paysafecard voucher at a participating retailer, and use the printed 16-digit code to transfer the funds to your betting wallet. There’s no sharing of personal information, so this method is highly secure. Also, as you’re restricted to the value of the voucher, it’s a handy weapon in your responsible gambling arsenal. 

While deposits land instantly with Paysafecard, there’s no support for withdrawals via this service and cashing out will require a different payment method. If you want a prepaid card service that doubles up as an e-wallet for withdrawals, we recommend considering AstroPay. 

PayPal

Digital wallet PayPal functions much like a bank account, allowing you to hold a balance and offering a number of money management tools. It also lets you store all your cards and bank accounts in one place for easy access. To make betting site payments via PayPal, simply log into the secure portal with your email and password, select the source of funds, and confirm — easy!

While PayPal remains one of the most popular e-wallets, this ubiquity doesn’t always translate to UFC betting sites — where it’s not supported, you might find Skrill or Neteller in its place. Unfortunately, e-wallets are often excluded from claiming welcome bonuses at UFC betting sites. 

Compare UFC Betting Offers and Sign Up

Ready to get up close and personal with UFC betting? Browse our recommended UFC betting sites and offers. Once you’re ready, click through to create your new account and claim your welcome bonus!