Category: picks and sports betting tips

UFC on ESPN+ 29: Anthony Smith vs. Glover Teixeira odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN+ 29 fight between Anthony Smith and Glover Teixeira, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

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Anthony Smith and Glover Teixeira do battle in a light heavyweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN+ 29 – also known as ESPN Fight Night 171 – at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card kicks off Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+.

Smith (32-14) has plenty of experience in the octagon, but he has yet to meet Teixeira on the canvas. Smith is coming off a submission win last time out over Alexander Gustafsson June 1, 2019. Shortened bouts are usually the case for Smith, as eight of his past nine professional bouts have finished inside the distance. In fact, the judges rarely get involved with his outings, as he hasn’t won by unanimous decision in 10 fights dating all the way back to Feb. 21, 2016. Six of his past nine bouts have resulted in KO/TKO, with Smith on the winning side of five of those outings.

For Teixeira (30-7), he is working on a three-bout winning streak, including a split-decision win over Nikita Krylov last time out on Sept. 14, 2019. He has recorded a pair of submission wins during the three-bout win streak, and is 8-0 in her professional career by submission. He hasn’t posted a four-bout win streak since opening his UFC career with a 5-0 run from May 26, 2012 to Sept. 4, 2013. Two of his past four outings have gone to the judges’ card, but eight of his past 11 bouts overall have finished inside the distance.

Want to place a bet on UFC Fight Night? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NV, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Anthony Smith vs. Glover Teixeira betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday, May 12 at 1:45 a.m. ET.

SMITH (-176) is a rather moderate favorite on the 2-way line, and that’s fine even though you have to eat a little bit of chalk. In addition, coupling that bet with a NO (-334): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? isn’t a bad way to go. If that’s a little too risky for you, or not enough of a return, consider SMITH BY KO/TKO OR DQ (-112).

If you feel the fight will end inside the distance, and like Smith, he is a good bet to win in Round 1 (+300) or Round 2 (+550), as an early ending to the evening will result in a nice little return.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Smith (-176) to win returns a $5.68 profit. A $10 bet on Smith to win by KO/TKO or DQ (-112) earns a $8.93 profit, while a parlay bet of Smith (-176) and No (-334): Will the fight go the distance fetches a $10.38 profit. A $10 bet on Smith winning in Round 1 would profit $30, while a $10 bet on Smith winning in Round 2 profits $55.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Teixeira betting odds and viewing guide

Betting odds and viewing guide for Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night card featuring Anthony Smith vs. Glover Teixeira.

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship will get right back at it Wednesday with UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Teixeira at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. Prelims begin at 6 p.m. ET with the main card set to start at 9 p.m. ET. The full event is available on ESPN+. Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds for all 11 fights on the UFC Fight Night main card and prelims.

UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Teixeira comes on the heels of UFC 249, which saw Justin Gaethje upset Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight title.

UFC Fight Night Smith vs. Teixeira betting odds: Main card (9 p.m. ET)

Betting odds courtesy of BetMGM. All lines last updated Monday at 1:30 p.m. ET. *OTB: Off the Board, lines not posted

Anthony Smith (-175) vs. Glover Teixeira (+145)

Light heavyweight bout. No. 3 contender vs. No. 8 contender.

Ben Rothwell (+120) vs. Ovince Saint Preux (-147)

Heavyweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Alexander Hernandez (OTB) vs. Drew Dober (OTB)

Lightweight bout. No. 15 contender vs. unranked.

Ricky Simon (-182) vs. Ray Borg (+150)

Bantamweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Karl Roberson (+145) vs. Marvin Vettori (-175)

Middleweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Want to place a bet on UFC Fight Night? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NV, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

UFC Fight Night Smith vs. Teixeira betting odds: Prelims (6 p.m. ET)

Andrei Arlovski (OTB) vs. Philipe Lins (OTB)

Heavyweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Michael Johnson (-110) vs. Thiago Moises (-110)

Lightweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Sijara Eubanks (-357) vs. Sarah Moras (+275)

Women’s bantamweight bout. No. 15 contender vs. unranked.

Gabriel Benitez (+140) vs. Omar Morales (-172)

Lightweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Hunter Azure (-182) vs. Brian Kelleher (+150)

Featherweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Chase Sherman (OTB) vs. Isaac Villanueva (OTB)

Heavyweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

How/Where can I watch UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Teixeira

Where is it? VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville

When is it? Wednesday, May 13 at 9 p.m. ET

How to watch: ESPN+

Get some action on UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Teixeira by placing a legal sports bets in Colorado, Indiana, Nevada, New Jersey and West Virginia at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC 249: Best three-fight parlay in Jacksonville

Highlighting Saturday’s UFC 249 with a three-fight parlay, with odds, analysis and picks.

UFC 249 goes off from VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., Saturday night, the first live sporting event in the United States since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation. While there will be no fans in attendance, that shouldn’t affect the wagering aspect of the event, giving sports-starved bettors finally something to wager on.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday, May 7 at 8:35 p.m. ET.

Want to place a bet on UFC 249? Place them at BetMGM. New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Anthony Pettis vs. Donald Cerrone betting odds

Per BetMGM, Pettis (-150) is favored over Cowboy (+125) on the 2-way betting line, but that’s not the wager to make.

Pettis is 9-9 in 18 bouts at the UFC level, while posting a 1-3 mark across the past four outings, and 4-8 in the past 12. He has been knocked out in three of his past eight appearances, while four of his previous six victories have come via submission. In other words, he doesn’t see the judges getting involved in his fights very often.

For Cerrone, he is 0-3 across his past three outings. However, while he has been knocked out in those losses, it has been against the cream of the crop in Conor McGregor, Justin Gaethje and Tony Ferguson – the latter two are the main event Saturday in a bout for the lightweight strap.

Meanwhile, Cowboy is back in the welterweight class, where he has a little more experience. He was knocked out by Pettis at UFC on FOX Jan. 26, 2013, and only three of his previous 17 bouts have gone the distance.

The best bet here is to take UNDER 2.5 ROUNDS (-125) in our three-piece parlay.

Also see:

Carla Esparza vs. Michelle Waterson betting odds

Esparza (-159) is a moderate favorite over Waterson, a.k.a. “The Karate Hottie.” The latter hasn’t been so hot for bettors in the octagon lately, however, going just 3-3 in his past six bouts. More importantly, Waterson has gone the distance in each of her past five bouts.

For Esparza, all five of her victories have at the UFC level have come via decision, including four of the unanimous variety. She topped Alexa Grasso Sept. 21, 2019 by majority decision last time out. Avoid any bets on the 2-way line, but look to the OVER 2.5 ROUNDS (-455) for part II of this three-fight parlay.

Vicente Luque vs. Niko Price betting odds

Luque (-304) is a heavy favorite in this early preliminary bout, but like the previous two fights, look to the round total play for the final play of our three-fight parlay.

Eight of Luque’s past 10 professional wins have come in the second round or earlier, and four of his past five have come via KO/TKO. Only one of his 10 victories have come via decision, too.

For Price, all 10 of his UFC fights have finished inside the distance, and he has never ventured into the third round in any of his bouts. Seven of the outcomes, win or lose, have been via knockout, with three coming by way of submission. He doesn’t leave it in the hands of the judges either way. As such, playing NO (-400) on WILL THE FIGHT GO THE FULL 3 ROUNDS? is the way to go.

New to sports betting? A $20 THREE-PLAY PARLAY wager on these three options will pay a little more than 1.74 to 1, netting a profit of $34.89.

  • UNDER 2.5 ROUNDS IN PETTIS-CERRONE (-125)
  • OVER 2.5 ROUNDS IN ESPARZA-WATERSON (-455)
  • NO (-400) FIGHT GOES FULL 3 ROUNDS IN LUQUE-PRICE

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC 249: Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing the big UFC 249 matchup between Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje with UFC betting odds and picks.

Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje square off for the lightweight strap in the co-main event at UFC 249 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, with the main card on pay-per-view.

The highly anticipated bout between Ferguson (26-3-0) and Khabib Nurmagomedov has been scrapped yet again, this time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as Khabib returned home to Russia and is not willing to risk fighting. Gaethje (21-2-0) stepped in on short notice as opponent previously, but has not gotten an extra month to prepare after the first card in England was wiped out and this event was pushed back.

Ferguson last fought at UFC 238 on June 8, 2019, and he is 5-0 across his past five bouts, including four wins as a favorite. In addition, he has won two fights either by corner or doctor stoppage, while four of the past five outings have finished inside the distance. In other words, he doesn’t like to leave his fate in the hands of the judges. Five of his past 10 outings have resulted in a submission, too, which isn’t surprising given his 42.86 takedown-accuracy percentage, 0.56 takedown average and 1.40 submission average. While he goes to the mat, he can throw hands, too, and he has a respectable 5.81 significant strikes landed per minute with a 45.33 significant strike-accuracy percentage. He also enjoys a 6.5-inch reach advantage over Gaethje.

Gaethje has no interest in going to the canvas. In fact, he has zeroes across the board in the takedown and submission statistics. He does rain down blows early and often with his fists, posting a heavy 8.57 significant strikes landed per minute, while posting a solid 55.59 significant strike-accuracy percentage. He started just 1-2 in his UFC career, but found his sea legs and has rattled off three straight victories since. All three of those wins came in the first round, so Ferguson will have to be very mindful of the big blow early. In 23 professional bouts, Gaethje has had just two fights go the distance, with wins by decision in each.

Want to place a bet on UFC 249? Place them at BetMGM. New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday, May 7 at 6:40 p.m. ET.

Gaethje (+145) is a dangerous opponent, but FERGUSON (-176) is worth a roll of the dice on the 2-way line. You’ll definitely want to back that up with other action, though, just in case Gaethje is able to surprise with a big, early blow.

Taking the total number of rounds UNDER 2.5 (-154) is the way to go, while avoiding the rather risky “will the fight go the full 5 rounds” (No, -500) prop. As mentioned, you can avoid the submission as a method of victory, but taking both fighters on the KO/TKO or DQ line isn’t a bad idea. Ferguson (+260) and Gaethje (+170) can both end the night of the opponent quickly, and if there is a knockout by either fighter, you win, even if that’s all you bet. Frankly, that’s too safe for me, and I like to take one fighter or the other, but you can come out ahead that way.

A better way to go might be taking Ferguson to win in a certain round. A Ferguson victory in Round 1 (+350), Round 2 (+520), Round 3 (+750), Round 4 (+1000) and Round 5 (+1400) can all be bet. I think the best bet here is a FERGUSON WIN IN ROUND 2 (+520), if you’re going to try and pinpoint it. Therefore, you’ll also want the FERGUSON BY KO/TKO or DQ (+260) prop attached.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Ferguson (-176) on the 2-way line nets a profit of $5.68. A $10 bet on Ferguson to win by KO/TKO or DQ (+260) nets a profit of $26, while betting $10 on Under 2.5 (-154) returns a profit of $6.49. The big hit would be a $10 bet on Ferguson winning in Round 2 as it would profit $52.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC 249: Henry Cejudo vs. Dominick Cruz odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing the big UFC 249 matchup between Henry Cejudo and Dominick Cruz with UFC betting odds and picks.

Henry Cejudo and Dominick Cruz tangle for the bantamweight strap in the co-main event at UFC 249 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, with the main card on pay-per-view.

Cejudo (15-2-0) enters on a five-fight win streak, including a pair of KO/TKO wins against TJ Dillashaw (UFC Fight Night Jan. 19, 2019) and Marlon Moraes (UFC 238 June 8, 2019). The former Olympian has 17 career bouts, and he has never been submitted. On the flip side, he has never won by submission, either, so you can expect him to keep this one upright. Avoid that type method of victory when selecting your wagers. His last loss at the UFC level came April 23, 2016 in a split-decision loss to Demetrious Johnson at UFC 197. He also suffered a split-decision loss to Joseph Benavidez at The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale Dec. 3, 2016. He took out his frustrations from those two losses on Wilson Reis with a second-round knockout at UFC 215 (Sept. 9, 2017) and has been on a mission since, a calculated and careful mission, some might say.

A string of injuries has forced Cruz (22-2-0) from the octagon over the past few years. In fact, the last time we saw “The Dominator” was Dec. 30, 2016 when he left following a unanimous decision loss to Cody Garbrandt for the title at UFC 207. Yeah, it’s been a while, and rust is certainly a concern, especially against a polished pounder like Cejudo. Cruz hasn’t won in the octagon since June 4, 2016 against Urijah Faber. While Cejudo likes to throw hands and try and end it early, Cruz is more calculated and draws his fights out. Seven of his past eight fights have been decided by the judges, winning six of those battles. He is 4-1 across his past five championship bouts, too. Like Cejudo, Cruz doesn’t care much for the mat, last winning via submission Sept. 9, 2006.

Want to place a bet on UFC 249? Place them at BetMGM. New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Henry Cejudo vs. Dominick Cruz betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday, May 7 at 6 p.m. ET.

It’s hard to bet Cruz (+180) on the 2-way line, only due to the rust. This price is awfully attractive, though. Cejudo (-223) is the moderate favorite, and he is expected to keep his strap, but “The Dominator” represents a real danger when healthy. He is so technical which wows the judges, while Cejudo can play it safe on occasion, working ever so hard to protect what is his.

Looking to method of victory, you should avoid any talk of a submission. Instead, taking Cejudo by KO/TKO or DQ (+275) is worth a look, as is a roll of the dice on Cruz to win by decision/technical decision (+275). If you like to hedge bets, and cheer for a method of victory, not caring which fighter wins, those are the ways to go. Cejudo might try and end this one early, and there are concerns Cruz can go a full distance after such a long layoff. As such, taking UNDER 4.5 (+162) for total number of rounds, and NO (+150) WILL THE FIGHT GO THE FULL FIVE ROUNDS, might be the best bets.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Cruz (+180) to win on the 2-way line returns a $18 profit. A $10 bet on Cejudo to win by KO/TKO or DQ (+275) earns a $27.50 profit. A $10 wager on the Under 4.5 rounds (+162) fetches a net profit of $16.20, while $10 on NO, the fight will not go the full five rounds profits $15.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC 249: Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing the big UFC 249 matchup between Francis Ngannou and Jairzinho Rozenstruik with UFC betting odds and picks.

Francis Ngannou and Jairzinho Rozenstruik do battle in a heavyweight bout on the main card at UFC 249 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, with the main card on pay-per-view.

Ngannou (14-3-0) is looking to keep his impressive knockout streak alive against Rozenstruik (10-0-0), who has yet to taste defeat in his professional career. Ngannou, a.k.a. “The Predator,” has made quick work of his prey over the past three bouts, recording knockouts in the first round in each tilt. The fights haven’t been against slouches either, as he defeated Curtis Blaydes, Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos in order – not exactly cupcakes in the division. Ngannou has been on a mission since a title-shot defeat to Stipe Miocic in a unanimous decision loss in the main event of UFC 220 (Jan. 20, 2018), followed by another loss at the hands of the judges to Derrick Lewis at UFC 226 (July 7, 2018).

Rozenstruik, who hails from Suriname, presents a big challenge for the 33-year-old Ngannou. Rozenstruik throws a lot of punches, posting 3.72 significant strikes landed per minute to just 2.15 for Ngannou. He also has a 46.99 significant strike accuracy percentage to 37.70 for Ngannou. Neither of these fighters try to go to the mat, so you can avoid any thoughts of this one ending via submission. Since arriving at the UFC level, Rozenstruik has recorded four straight KO/TKO wins, including a Round 1 knockout of Andrei Arlovski at UFC 244 and a Round 5 KO/TKO against UFC veteran Alistair Overeem last time out on Dec. 7, 2019.

Want to place a bet on UFC 249? Place them at BetMGM. New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday, May 7 at 5 p.m. ET.

Ngannou (-278) is a heavy favorite, but if you were to bet the 2-way line, Rozenstruik (+225) is a much better value in this potential brawl.

Checking out method of victory, NGANNOU BY KO/TKO or DQ (-125) is a better bet than taking him on the 2-way line. This will be a toe-to-toe street fight, with both fighters throwing titanic blows. Ngannou doesn’t throw and land as many as Rozenstruik on average, but the ones he does land can rock his opponent in just one shot. It’s proven throughout his career.

While both of these fighters have ended things rather early in their recent fights, they might feel each other out early, looking to avoid the big blow from each other. As such, taking OVER 1.5 ROUNDS (-106) for the total number of rounds is worth a small-unit bet, too.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Ngannou (-278) to win returns just a $3.60 profit. A $10 bet on Ngannou to win by KO/TKO or DQ (-125) earns a $8 profit, while a $10 play on the Over 1.5 rounds (-106) nets a return of $9.43.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC 249: Jeremy Stephens vs. Calvin Kattar odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing the big UFC 249 matchup between Jeremy Stephens and Calvin Kattar with UFC betting odds and picks.

Jeremy Stephens and Calvin Kattar tangle in a featherweight bout on the main card at UFC 249 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, with the main card on pay-per-view.

Kattar (20-4-0) is the heavy favorite in this one, and most of the stats are heavily skewed in his favor. First off, “The Boston Finisher” holds a two-inch height advantage and a one-inch reach advantage. More impressively, he has a 5.12-3.09 advantage in significant strikes landed per minute, while posting a 41.08 significant strike accuracy percentage.

Kattar has won each of his past three UFC wins by KO/TKO, including the past two in Round 1. His only two losses at the UFC level have come by unanimous decision. One thing to remember, when looking to method of victory, is that Kattar has never won or lost one of his 16 professional bouts by submission. He is 2-0 across his past two UFC fights as the favorite.

For Stephens, he is just 15-14-1 in 30 bouts at the UFC level, including 0-3-1 with one no contests across the past four. Like Kattar, he doesn’t go to the mat very often, and none of his 26 professional fights have results in a submission win or loss, so this fight will be one either by KO/TKO or points. Across the past seven fights, Stephens is 2-4-1 as an underdog, too.

Want to place a bet on UFC 249? Place them at BetMGM. New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Jeremy Stephens vs. Calvin Kattar betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday, May 6 at 8:50 p.m. ET.

Kattar (-250) is a rather heavy favorite on the 2-way line, but that’s the way to go. It’s very hard to envision a way Stephens (+200) gets it done against the more consistent fighter.

In addition, we mentioned above that Kattar doesn’t go to the mat for the finish, so avoid being tempted by Kattar to win by submission (+1100). Instead, focus on the KO/TKO or DQ WIN PROP BY KATTAR (+300), which can help you triple up your initial bet. Lastly, if you look to the Total number of rounds, UNDER 2.5 (+145) is quite attractive with two fighters standing toe-to-toe looking to land big knockout blows. “The Boston Finisher” will finish Stephens early, perhaps even in the opening round, which makes KATTAR TO WIN IN ROUND 1 (+550) an attractive play as well. If not, hedging on Kattar to win in Round 2 (+800) is also worth a look.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Kattar (-250) to win returns a $4 profit. A $10 bet on Kattar to win by KO/TKO or DQ (+300) earns a $30 profit, while a bet on the fight going less than 2.5 rounds (+145) returns a $14.50 profit. The real nice hit would be if Kattar wins in Round 1 (+550), profiting $55 on a $10 wager.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC 249: Greg Hardy vs. Yorgan De Castro odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing the big UFC 249 matchup between Greg Hardy and Yorgan De Castro with UFC betting odds and picks.

Greg Hardy and Yorgan De Castro square off in a heavyweight bout on the main card at UFC 249 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, with the main card on pay-per-view.

Hardy (5-2-1), the former Dallas Cowboys player, has had mixed results since making his UFC debut Jan. 19. 2019 in a disqualification loss to Allen Crowder. He has knockout wins over Juan Adams and Dmitri Smoliakov, but also a no-contest against Ben Sosoli and a unanimous-decision loss against Alexander Volkov last time out at UFC Fight Night on Nov. 9, 2019.

Hardy has been involved in eight professional fights, but he has neither won or lost via submission, so remember that when choosing method of victory in this one. In addition, each of his five professional wins have come via KO/TKO, so you know what you’re getting with Hardy – a brawl. As a favorite he has posted a 1-1-1 record, so not much to glean there.

As far as the 33-year-old De Castro (6-0) is concerned, he made his UFC debut at UFC 243 with a Round 1 KO/TKO win over Justin Tafa on Oct. 5, 2019. De Castro, who hails from the Cape Verde Islands, was a slight underdog in that fight against Tafa. Five of his six professional victories are also by KO/TKO, so like Hardy, he likes to fight upright and try to land big punches rather than ground and pound. Four of his professional victories have come in Round 1.

Want to place a bet on UFC 249? Place them at BetMGM. New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Greg Hardy vs. Yorgan De Castro betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday, May 6 at 6:15 p.m. ET.

Hardy (-200) is the chalk here, and risking two times your potential return isn’t terribly attractive. In addition, he hasn’t exactly dominated in his previous fights, posting rather uneven results. However, he is a brawler, and he is up against a rather inexperienced fighter, especially at the UFC level. You have to figure De Castro is going to walk into a big blow, and it’s over, especially since Hardy holds a ridiculous 6.5-inch reach advantage.

If you look to method of victory, HARDY BY KO/TKO or DQ (+140) is quite attractive. In addition, it’s extremely unlikely the judges are needed for this one, so playing NO (-250) WILL THE FIGHT GO THE FULL 3 ROUNDS? is the way to go. If you are looking to De Castro to spring the slight upset, he is attractive to win by KO/TKO or DQ (+210), while fetching +165 to win on the 2-way line.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Hardy (-200) to win returns a $5 profit. A $10 bet on Hardy to win by KO/TKO or DQ (+140) earns a $14 profit, while a bet on De Castro to win by KO/TKO or DQ (+210) returns a $21 profit.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC 249 Betting Odds: Ferguson favored over Gaethje, Cejudo over Cruz

Looking at the UFC 249 betting odds as Tony Ferguson battles Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title in the main event.

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UFC 249 is set to take place Saturday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. Below, we look at BetMGM‘s betting odds for the entire UFC 249 fight card, including the two championship bouts between Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje and Henry Cejudo and Dominick Cruz.

The UFC 249 pay-per-view is available via stream on ESPN+ with the main card getting underway at 10 p.m. ET. The main event between Ferguson and Gaethje for the interim lightweight title should start around midnight ET.

UFC 249 had initially been scheduled for Saturday, April 18, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

UFC 249 betting odds: Main card

Oct 6, 2018; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Tony Ferguson (red gloves) celebrates after beating Anthony Pettis (blue gloves) during UFC 229 at T-Mobile Arena. (Photo Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie – USA TODAY Sports)

Betting odds courtesy of BetMGM. All lines last updated Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Tony Ferguson (-175) vs. Justin Gaethje (+145)

Lightweight interim title bout. No. 1 contender vs. No. 4.

Henry Cejudo (-223) vs. Dominick Cruz (+180)

Bantamweight title bout. Champion vs. unranked, but former two-time champ.

Francis Ngannou (-278) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (+225)

Heavyweight bout. No. 2 contender vs. No. 6.

Jeremy Stephens (+200) vs. Calvin Kattar (-250)

Featherweight bout. No. 7 contender vs. No. 9.

Greg Hardy (-200) vs. Yorgan De Castro (+165)

Heavyweight bout. Both unranked.

Want to place a bet on UFC 249? Place bets at BetMGM. New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

UFC 249 betting odds: Prelims

January 18, 2020; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Donald Cerrone is introduced before fighting Conor McGregor during UFC 246 at T-Mobile Arena. (Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas – USA TODAY Sports)

Anthony Pettis (-143) vs. Donald Cerrone (+120)

Welterweight bout. No. 15 contender vs. No. 6.

Aleksei Oleinik (+260) vs. Fabricio Werdum (-333)

Heavyweight bout. No. 12 contender vs. unranked.

Carla Esparza (-159) vs. Michelle Waterson (+130)

Women’s strawweight bout. No. 7 contender vs. No. 8.

Uriah Hall (+105) vs. Ronaldo Souza (-125)

Middleweight bout. No. 10 contender vs. No. 14.

UFC 249 betting odds: Early prelims

Oct 12, 2019; Tampa, FL, USA; Niko Price (red gloves) celebrates after defeating James Vick (not pictured) during UFC Fight Night at Amalie Arena. (Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay – USA TODAY Sports)

Vicente Luque (-303) vs. Niko Price (+240)

Welterweight bout. No. 13 vs. unranked.

Bryce Mitchell (-159) vs. Charles Rosa (+130)

Featherweight bout. Both unranked.

Ryan Spann (-417) vs. Sam Alvey (+325)

Light heavyweight bout. Both unranked.

Also see:

  • Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje odds, picks and best bets
  • Henry Cejudo vs. Dominick Cruz odds, picks and best bets
  • Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik odds, picks and best bets
  • Jeremy Stephens vs. Calvin Kattar odds, picks and best bets
  • Greg Hardy vs. Yorgan De Castro odds, picks and best bets

How/Where can I watch Ferguson vs. Gaethje?

Ferguson and Gaethje, along with the rest of UFC 249, will be available on Pay-Per-View on ESPN+ streaming service. Sign up for ESPN+ now.

Get some action on UFC 249 by placing a legal sports bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit  SportsbookWire.com.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook. Please gamble responsibly.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC 249 – How to watch Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje, full fight card and betting odds

All of the details you need around Saturday’s UFC 249 fight card, featuring Ferguson-Gaethje and Cruz-Cejudo, including how to watch.

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UFC 249 will finally take place this Saturday at 10 p.m. ET at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The pay-per-view event will stream in HD on ESPN+, and will feature two championship title bouts as Tony Ferguson takes on Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title. Henry Cejudo battles Dominick Cruz for the bantamweight crown.

UFC 249 was originally scheduled to take place Saturday, April 18 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

UFC 249 fight card

All odds via BetMGM Sportsbook; last updated Wednesday at 5:15 p.m. ET.

Tony ‘El Cucuy’ Ferguson vs. Justin ‘The Highlight’ Gaethje

Oct 6, 2018; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Tony Ferguson (red gloves) fights Anthony Pettis (blue gloves) during UFC 229 at T-Mobile Arena. (Photo Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie – USA TODAY Sports)

Ferguson is the No. 1 contender in the lightweight division and will get his shot at the interim title against the third-ranked Gaethje. Ferguson (-175) is a sizable favorite over Gaethje (+145) with a record of 26-3, while his opponent enters at 21-2. Both fighters stand 5-foot-11, but Ferguson holds a reach advantage of 76.5″ to 70″ for Gaethje.

Henry ‘The Messenger’ Cejudo vs. Dominick ‘The Dominator’ Cruz

Jun 8, 2019; Chicago, IL, USA; Henry Cejudo (red gloves) celebrates after defeating Marlon Moraes (blue gloves) during UFC 238 at United Center. (Photo Credit: Jerry Lai – USA TODAY Sports)

Cejudo enters UFC 249 on a five-fight win streak, including his June 8, 2019 fight against Marlon Moraes, in which he claimed the bantamweight title with a TKO win. At -223, he’s a heavy betting favorite over Cruz (+180), who suffered his first loss his last time out against Cody Garbrandt to drop to 18-1 for his UFC career.

Want to place a bet on UFC 249? Place them at BetMGM. New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Francis ‘The Predator’ Ngannou vs. Jairzinho ‘Bigi Boy’ Rozenstruik

Jun 29, 2019; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Francis Ngannou (red gloves) reacts after beating Junior Dos Santos (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Target Center. (Photo Credit: David Berding – USA TODAY Sports)

Ngannou (-278) is the biggest favorite on UFC 249’s main card. The Cameroonian enters at 13-3 and is the No. 2 contender in the heavyweight division. Rozenstruik (+225) is 10-0 for his career and enters as the No. 6 contender in the division. All but one of his wins has been via knockout.

Jeremy ‘Lil’ Heathen’ Stephens vs. Calvin Kattar

Oct 18, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; Jeremy Stephens walks to his corner in between rounds of a fight against Yair Rodriguez (not seen) in a featherweight bout during UFC Fight Night at the TD Garden. (Photo Credit: Bob DeChiara – USA TODAY Sports)

The veteran Stephens enters with a 28-17 record and one no contest. He’s a +200 underdog vs. the 20-4 Kattar (-250). Stephens and Kattar rank seventh and ninth, respectively, in the featherweight division.

Greg ‘Prince of War’ Hardy vs. Yorgan ‘The Mad Titan’ De Castro

Oct 18, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; Greg Hardy (red) reacts before a fight with Ben Sosoli (blue) in a heavyweight bout during UFC Fight Night at the TD Garden. (Photo Credit: Bob DeChiara – USA TODAY Sports)

Hardy (-200) is 5-1 with a no-contest in his career and battles the 5-0 De Castro (+165) in the first heavyweight bout of the main card. Hardy holds significant advantages in height (6-foot-5 to 6-foot-1), weight (265 pounds vs. 250 pounds) and reach (80″ to 74″).

When is UFC 249?

UFC 249 is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, at 10 p.m. ET. The main event should begin around midnight ET.

Where is UFC 249?

VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville.

How/Where can I watch UFC 249?

Catch the entire UFC 249 fight card, including the Ferguson vs. Gaethje and Cejudo vs. Cruz title fights, on pay-per-view on ESPN+ streaming service. Sign up for ESPN+ now and don’t miss any of the action.

Where can I bet on UFC 249?

Get some action on UFC 249 by placing a legal sports bet at BetMGM.

If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and on Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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