| As we near the end of 2009 we take a look at some | | | | fighting that day. If a fighter has lost 2 in a row n but |
| of the biggest moneyline upsets bets in MMA of that | | | | he has fought top level guys that the oddsmakers will |
| year. Everyone knows about Kimbo Slice losing to | | | | look at those stats and set soft lines for that fighter |
| Seth Petruzelli. This fight shocked the world but it was | | | | since they see he has lost recently. But what if that |
| not the biggest betting upset of the year at +358. | | | | fighter is a striker and fought two high level grapplers |
| No other sports betting upset was as big as when | | | | and now he is fighting another striker. For example, at |
| former top pound for pound fighter Takanori Gomi lost | | | | UFC 104 Machida vs. Rua, Chael Sonnen was pretty |
| at Sengoku 6 to Sergey Golyaev. Golyaev already | | | | big underdog versus Yushin "Thunder"Okami at +185. |
| had 5 loses and he was not expected to come close | | | | He was only a betting underdog because he lost his |
| to beating the highly ranked Gomi but he ended up | | | | last fight versus Demain Maia quickly. However, Maia is |
| winning a split decision. That fight was probably the | | | | a top level grappler and Okami is not but the sports |
| biggest upset in MMA history next to Georges St | | | | book [out] oddsmakers have no idea how to set the |
| Pierre`s lose to Matt Serra. The other two biggest | | | | lines. |
| betting line upset of the year was Yoon Dong Sik | | | | Marketing also plays a big example. Just look at the |
| losing to Andrews Nakahara at Dream 6 at +525 and | | | | fight between Anderson Silva versus Chris Leben. Not |
| Fabricio Werdum getting brutally KOèd by | | | | many oddsmakers knew who Anderson Silva was |
| Junior Dos Santos. Rounding out the top five on the | | | | but because he was on the Ultimate Fighter reality |
| most surprising MMA betting upset was the once | | | | show he was a betting favourite versus Silva. This still |
| unbeatable Urijah Faber losing to Mike Brown at WEC | | | | occurs to this day as many fighters on the reality |
| 36 at -563 and Roan Carneiro. | | | | show get soft lines just because they have been seen |
| Sports betting is a tricky thing. Thankfully betting on the | | | | by many people. If you study MMA, you can really |
| UFC and mixed martial arts in general is much better | | | | make a good profit from betting on mixed martial arts. |
| to win and profit on than in most sports. Because | | | | Also unlike many other sports MMA is strictly |
| sports' betting on MMA has been relatively new many | | | | moneyline bets. You don`t have to worry about point |
| of the top sportsbook oddsmakers have no idea how | | | | spread anymore. In sports like the NFL, NBA or MLB |
| to set the on online betting lines. Most lines makers | | | | you might win the bet as you pick the right team but |
| have no idea about fighters, their training schedule who | | | | you lose your money since you did not beat the |
| they have fought in the past and their fighting style. | | | | spread. |
| MMA betting is all about matchups and who they are | | | | |