UFC 272: Alternative Ways To Bet Saturday’s Lopsided Main Event

Written By Dann Stupp on March 4, 2022
UFC 272

While the FanDuel Virginia promo for UFC 272 includes a no-brainer bet, there are additional options available for the heavily one-sided main event on Saturday.

UFC 272 marks the most recent pay-per-view extravaganza presented by the leading MMA organization globally.

The venue for the event is the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Before the main card begins at 10 p.m. on pay-per-view, you can enjoy the preliminary fights on ESPN+ at 6 p.m. and ESPN at 8 p.m.

FanDuel in Virginia is offering incredible 30-1 odds on either Colby Covington or Jorge Masvidal, the main event fighters of UFC 272.

However, aside from those wagers, you may need to think outside the box in order to discover a betting approach that offers a satisfactory payout.

30-1 odds for UFC 272 main event

As of Friday afternoon, the odds for former UFC interim welterweight champion Covington (16-3) were set at -330, making him the favorite. On the other hand, the odds for Masvidal (35-15) were at +265, indicating a higher potential payout for those betting on him.

With FanDuel’s UFC 272 promotion, you have the opportunity to receive 30-1 odds, equivalent to +3000, on either fighter.

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To be more precise, you have the option to place a bet of maximum $5, and in case your selected fighter emerges victorious in the match, you can win a maximum amount of $150.

This offer is exclusively for new users who sign up and make their initial deposit. Afterward, all you need to do is bet on Covington or Masvidal on the moneyline. (Desktop users will receive a prompt to download the FanDuel VA mobile app).

Covington is the most favorable choice for betting due to the heavily skewed odds. With implied win probability of nearly 77% at -330 odds, it is highly recommended to place your bet on him.

However, considering Covington’s unpleasant behavior outside of the octagon, it would be understandable if you support Masvidal based on personal feelings rather than logical reasoning.

The lead-up to this fight has been incredibly uncomfortable, even considering the already disappointing standards of MMA.

However, if you are still interested in placing a bet on the main event, despite the absence of the UFC 272 promo from FanDuel, there are alternate ways to wager on the Covington vs. Masvidal fight. In addition to the bet $5, win $150 promo, what other betting options are available for this matchup?

Fortunately, in terms of UFC betting, sportsbooks in Virginia offer a wide range of options for every fight.

Other ways to bet Covington vs. Masvidal

In addition to the main event, UFC 272 on Saturday will present a lineup comprising 13 bouts throughout the seven-hour card. If you’re interested in potential betting opportunities for these other fights, feel free to explore my Covington-Masvidal betting card on Twitter.

But imagine if the main event is exactly what you’re looking forward to? What if the manufactured animosity between Covington and Masvidal, who used to be teammates, is simply too enticing to ignore?

Fight fans, rejoice! There are numerous betting options and wagering types available for every UFC bout.

To access a wide range of prop betting options on FanDuel, all you need to do is click on the matchup and a vast menu will appear.

I am currently contemplating a few potential options for the Covington-Masvidal headliner at UFC 272 on Saturday.

Over/under 4.5 rounds

Rather than wagering on the fight’s outcome, you have the option to place a bet on the overall duration of the match. In MMA, an over-under bet allows you to predict whether the fight will exceed a specific number of rounds or not.

In three-round fights, the total duration typically amounts to either 1.5 rounds or 2.5 pounds, with each round lasting five minutes.

Typically, in five-round headlining fights like Covington vs. Masvidal, the total rounds wagered on are commonly 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, or 4.5.

More than half of the total wins achieved by Masvidal and Covington have been through decision. Despite the significant difference in odds, the sportsbooks anticipate a reasonably competitive fight that could potentially last several rounds.

On Friday, FanDuel established the total at 4.5 rounds, offering -142 odds for the over and +112 odds for the under.

Fight goes to decision

I am inclined to bet on the over in this fight. If you share the same perspective, there is another bet that may be worth considering.

Instead of placing a bet on the overall outcome, you have the option to wager on whether the fight will reach its full duration without either fighter achieving a stoppage.

  • The fight ends in a decision, with a odds of -122.
  • The fight will not be decided by a decision: -106.

Certainly, in order for me to secure my bet, the fight would have to last an additional 2.5 minutes. However, in return, I would receive a greater payout. If I were to place a successful $100 bet on the fight lasting over 4.5 rounds, my profit would amount to $70.42. Nevertheless, by betting on the fight going to decision and emerging victorious, my profit would be $81.97, resulting in an additional $10.55.

Covington wins by decision

Suppose I firmly believe that the fight will last until the end, yet I am also confident that Covington will emerge as the victor.

If you choose “Covington to win by decision,” you have the opportunity to increase your potential payout even more. Apart from predicting a decision, the “winning method” market may also offer other options.

  • Fighter wins by KO/TKO
  • Fighter wins by submission

Even though Covington is heavily favored at -330 straight up, betting on Covington to win by decision offers a more balanced payout at almost even odds (-105).

Although it may be disappointing when your chosen fighter wins by knockout or submission instead of a decision as you predicted, it’s important to acknowledge the potential for greater rewards. Despite the conflicting outcome, it’s still worth considering due to the higher payoff it could bring.

Fight ends in Round 1

Rather than anticipating a marathon, imagine envisioning an intense firefight that concludes swiftly. What if you anticipate a rapid outcome for the main event of UFC 272?

Once more, our attention shifts to the props menu where we navigate to the “Round Props” tab. In this section, we have the option to place bets on the duration of a fight, irrespective of the victorious fighter.

FanDuel is providing odds of +490 for Covington-Masvidal to conclude in the first round. Additionally, there are other alternatives available.

  • Round 2: +700
  • Round 3: +850
  • Round 4: +1000
  • Round 5: +1100

Fight ends in draw

In MMA, ties are infrequent due to the implementation of the 10-point-must system, which is also utilized in boxing. To minimize the occurrence of draws, MMA fights are typically arranged for an uneven number of rounds.

However, they occur and are frequently caused by:

  • The round was extremely unbalanced, resulting in a 10-8 score for the fighter rather than the usual 10-9.
  • The round ended in a 10-10 tie as there was no evident victor.
  • The fighter’s continuous fouls, such as eye-pokes, groin shots, and cage-grabs, resulted in a deduction of points.

When intense rivalries ignite, the atmosphere can become untamed, leading to fouls and unexpected occurrences. In the upcoming clash between Masvidal and Covington, FanDuel offers enticing +5000 odds for the fight to result in a draw. Consequently, a mere $10 wager could yield an astonishing profit of $5,000.

Despite the UFC hosting approximately 600 fights annually, draws remain exceedingly rare. Throughout its history, the organization has never witnessed more than seven draws in a single year.

Photo by AP / Jim Young
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Dann Stupp

Dann Stupp, residing in Lexington, Virginia, is an experienced sports journalist with a prolific portfolio. He has contributed his writing and editing skills to renowned outlets such as The Athletic, USA Today, ESPN, and MLB.com, among others.

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