UFC 265 Betting Preview
UFC's next pay-per-view happens on Saturday, August 7, live from the Toyota Center in Houston. It just happens to be the hometown of the main-eventing Derrick Lewis. Despite the home-crowd advantage, Lewis finds himself as a big underdog in the fight. Here are how online oddsmakers are currently pegging the main UFC 256 fights:
Welp, at least Lewis isn't as big of a betting underdog as Julianna Pena, the opponent of Amanda Nunes. Bettors shouldn't be surprised as Nunes has hovered around -1000 in all her recent bouts.
Given the longshot odds of both co-main events, what's the best way to actually make money on these fights? This article will show you exactly how to do so.
UFC 265: Lewis vs. Gane Betting Pick
Tell us if this story sounds familiar: an aging athlete — one that's a media and fan darling — has been a consistent contender for the past decade but hasn't "gotten over the hump" yet. This all-too-familiar tale applies to both Chris Paul and Lewis, and both are on the cusp of their first-ever title win.
If Lewis is going to win the "big one" it almost has to be at UFC 265. Not only is fighting back home in Houston, but at 36 years old, he's not getting any younger in a stacked heavyweight division. Lewis is 12-3 in his last 15 fights, including a statement win against the "real" title-holder Francis Ngannou. We put real in quotation marks because the Lewis-Gane clash is for the interim belt, a controversial move by Dana White.
Gane, on the other hand, has never lost a pro-MMA fight in his life. He's 9-0 all-time with six stoppage wins (three knockouts and three submissions).
We'd be shocked if this UFC fight goes the distance. Not only does Gane have a tendency to end fights early, but so does Lewis. In 33 career bouts, he's only gone to the judge's scorecard on six occasions. For prop bettors, be sure to wager this fight ends in either knockout or submission, not a decision.
As for the outright winner, we're picking the upset. Lewis, for all his fanfare, is constantly pegged as an underdog by bookmakers. Last time out, he too was a +300 longshot versus Curtis Blaydes. Lewis ended up winning with a second-round KO and we expect a similar fate for Gane. In his backyard of Houston, Lewis will earn the statement win of his brilliant career!
UFC 265: Nunes vs. Pena Betting Pick
Look, we're not going to waste any of your time, Nunes is winning this fight. Anything less would be one of the biggest shockers in UFC history and we're sure not betting that lightning-in-a-bottle occurrence strikes. Pena, with a modest 10-4 career record, is essentially being "fed to the wolves" because Nunes has already taken out the rest of the bantamweight division.
However, there's no point in betting Nunes at -800. That's the definition of a high-risk, low-reward wager — which is never a smart betting choice even if Nunes wins. To find betting value in this title matchup, you'll need to look at the prop betting market.
Like the Lewis-Game bout, you should look into the exact method of victory prop for the women's contest. Perhaps also the prop on which exact round the fight ends. Both are far more lucrative than the regular moneyline wager.
Regarding both props, here is our prediction: Nunes stops Pena early. After two straight decision wins, Nunes went back to her old stoppage ways by submitting Megan Anderson in round one the last time she entered the octagon. Seventeen of her 21 career victories have come via stoppage now.
Nunes will make Pena submit, which she has a habit of doing during her career. Pena, though, isn't chopped liver. She'll at least survive one round before going out in the second round. So prop-wise, wager Nunes to win via submission in round two.
Where to look for more UFC Odds?
If you're looking for more UFC odds, check out one of the bookmakers listed below. You'll find up-to-date betting lines for every single bout on the UFC 256 card, including the prelims and main show. Future UFC pay-per-views can also be found at these same betting sites.
But beyond great prices on UFC bets, want to know the best part about using these online bookies to wager on sports? Earning hundreds to thousands of dollars in free play, that's what! It's completely doable by leveraging sign-up bonuses offered at each bookmaker.
The bonuses are available to first-time players of the site. Upon creating a new account, you just fund money into it, and part of that deposit is matched by the bookie back in free play — no strings attached. Bonuses is a great way to build a betting bankroll, which could come in handy when betting UFC or the upcoming Olympic Games!
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