What Is the Round Betting Boxing Strategy?

Betting on combat sports like boxing and MMA has been popular for centuries. While moneyline betting is the most common form, round betting boxing provides more chances to increase your bankroll….plus, it’s a lot more fun! 

With up to 12 rounds of action in boxing bouts, and 3 to 5 in MMA, a backed fight boosts your enjoyment, and could see you walk away with a nice stack of cash in your back pocket.

Boxing Round Betting Explained

We often hear the question “what does round betting mean in boxing?”, and fortunately, the answer is pretty simple. 

Round betting boxing strategy is when you predict the winner of a match in a combat sport, as well as the round in which he/she will win. The most popular sports for this type of betting are MMA and boxing. 

While very simple in principle, there are various types of round betting. Each one offers the chance to place relatively safe bets, or to predict an unlikely outcome that could land you a great payout. 

How Does Round Betting Work in Boxing?

In combat sports, round betting involves wagering on the specific round in which a fight will end, or the total number of rounds in the bout.

When it comes to boxing round betting rules, there are various ways to place bets on a specific round in MMA or boxing. Here are some popular examples:

• Exact round
• Exact round + method of victory
• Total number of rounds (over/under)
• Whether the fight will go the distance

As you can see, there are quite a few round betting boxing and MMA markets. So let’s take a look at each one in a little more detail. 

Exact Round

There are two ways to bet on the exact round without specifying a “method of victory.” They are:

• Betting on the round without naming a winner
• Betting on the round and the winning fighter

As you can imagine, betting on just the round when the fight will finish is an easier wager than predicting the round plus the winning fighter. However, as is true of all sports betting, the harder the prediction, the more you stand to win if it comes in. 

Method of Victory

A bet on the method of victory is when you predict how a fight will be won. There are three main methods of victory in combat sports:

• KO/TKO
• Submission
• Judges’ decision

The method of victory plays a significant role in round betting. While you can bet on when the fight will end, your payout will be higher if you also correctly predict how the fight will be finished.

For instance, let’s consider this example:

You bet $100 on Alistair Overeem to beat Alexander Volkov by KO/TKO in the third round. If you’re correct, you could win up to twenty times your stake at some crypto sports betting sites, depending on the specific odds. 

Since it’s a heavyweight matchup, the fight is unlikely to last until the third round. Additionally, by going with Overeem you’re betting on the underdog. That’s why you get such good odds. 

However, anything is possible, and if you can predict this outcome correctly, you’ll bag yourself a very tidy sum. 

Some call this bet a “Method & Round Combo.” These wagers can result in some great wins, but they can be challenging to predict.

Will the Fight Go the Distance?

You can also bet on whether the fight will “go the distance” or not. This simply means wagering on whether all the rounds will be completed, resulting in a judges’ decision.

Let’s look at the example of Alistair Overeem and Alexander Volkov’s MMA fight again. 

Since it’s a main event bout scheduled for five rounds instead of the usual three, there’s a higher probability of an early stoppage.

Considering that both fighters are heavyweights with some serious punching power, it’s likely that the fight will end before five rounds. Therefore, the odds favor the “No” option rather than the “Yes” option.

Total Number of Rounds

Totals betting (also known as over/under) is one of the most popular ways to bet in all sports and fits well within the structure of combat sports.

In round betting, when wagering on totals, you’ll see odds that specify a particular round. You need to decide whether the fight will end before or after that specified round.

Here’s an example of over/under betting in boxing:

Manny Pacquiao is up against Timothy Bradley with the following odds:

• Over 11.5 (-180)
• Under 11.5 (+150)

As you can see from the +180, this fight is predicted to last more than 11.5 rounds. If you want to bet on this outcome, you must wager $180 in order to win $100.

Or if you think the fight will end before 11.5 rounds, you’ll get $150 for every $100 you wager. 

Round Betting MMA 

In MMA organizations like the UFC, fights usually consist of three rounds. However, championship and main event bouts can extend to five rounds, so you need to adjust your strategy for such title matches.

MMA fights commonly end via KO/TKO, submission, or a decision from the judges’ scorecards. Additionally, there are two unconventional ways a fighter can win:

• Technical decision: When a fight is stopped due to injury, but the judges’ scorecard is used to determine a winner

• Disqualification: When a fighter is disqualified due to rule violations, resulting in the other fighter being declared the winner

Round Betting Boxing 

Boxing matches generally have 12 scheduled rounds, although some bouts may be scheduled for 8 or 10 rounds. The number of rounds can affect the betting lines due to differences in total fight time.

In boxing, fights can end via KO/TKO, judges’ decision, or when a corner throws in the towel. Technical decisions and disqualifications can also occur. A technical decision usually happens after an unintentional headbutt, while a disqualification can occur due to other rule infractions during the fight.

Overall, round boxing betting works similarly to MMA wagering, so you can apply similar strategies in both sports.

Other Factors to Consider

Here are some additional factors to consider when it comes to round betting:

• Weight class: Heavyweight fights often end in knockouts before all rounds are completed

• Fighter style and record: Fighters with many knockouts, like Conor McGregor, are more likely to finish fights early

• Referee: Some referees allow fighters to take more damage before stopping a fight

Conducting research on specific factors related to a fighter’s history can be helpful before placing round bets. This research may provide the edge you need for a successful wager.

Final Thoughts

Round betting boxing and MMA offers a great range of markets and odds for those who love MMA, boxing and other combat sports. 

You can play it relatively safe by betting on whether or not the fight will go the distance, or take a bigger risk on the exact round plus the method of victory. It’s up to you. 

This variety makes round betting fun for all types of bettors, from rookies to seasoned veterans.