Tips for Recognizing Underdogs

‘They said I would never make it, but I was built to break the mold, the only dream that I’ve been chasing is my own…’ People who follow the world music scene will know these are the lyrics from Alicia Key’s song ‘Underdog’. The term ‘underdog’ is very popular in the sports and gambling world; it describes a loser or someone who is predicted to lose in a clash of two or more teams. Everything started at the end of the 19th century when were famous dog fights and a dog who got defeated was called the underdog. Then in the 60es of the last century, a superhero dog called underdog showed up; it was a cartoon character and under-qualified.

Even though this term might have a negative connotation in most people’s heads, being called an underdog can be positive – it can motivate people to fight harder and win. This practice is mainly spread in the sports world, in which MMA fights the most. It is proven that mixed martial arts fighters, more often than in other sports, surprise the scene, and fighters who were called underdogs – win! And because of this, bets on underdogs in MMA fights are more often than in other gambling areas. Of course, this doesn’t mean betting on every MMA underdog out there will bring cash to your pocket, no, no, it simply can’t be that easy!

Watch out for the Statistics

Statistics say more or less 33 % of underdogs in MMA fights win their game, and betting on them can make players win as well. Four underdogs will break it through in every 12 fights on the menu. Also, it is proven that the late replacements bring the high possibility to lose the fight; more than 60 % chances for such a scenario. Sports betting fans like to take advantage of these statistic outcomes, as those are some decent odds when it comes to what you could get from not staking that much in the first place. 

Younger fighters have better chances of winning. 61 % of the younger fighters in MMA fights last year succeeded in the clash, which is something that’s often overlooked. This is especially prevailing if the younger fighter is the underdog simultaneously. However, when there is a superior striker in a fight, the chances that he/she wins load to a massive 72%. There are many calculations on the mass of fighters, and some miss weight, coming overweight to the fight to meet the weight limit. However, statistics are merciless and show that 67 % of strikers who miss weight usually lose the fight. That’s every two out of three strikers! When you put on paper, it feels almost ludicrous, but the fact of the matter is that these percentages play high in favor of one side, which is, again, suitable for the sideline stakers.

Ready Underdog

Most players will follow the familiar MMA fights like UFC and alike. However, there is a prosperous MMA world outside the famous competitions, so digging into this world is only a plus, especially for recognizing underdogs. Fighters who show up on more prominent and big worldwide competitors haven’t fallen from the sky suddenly. On the contrary, they have been practicing and fighting hard in numerous smaller and local competitions. If a player has information about this, it is much easier to recognize the winning underdog once he/she shows up on some big event. 

Moreover, some underdogs are 100 % ready to make a massive step in the class – they fight on the challenging level, more demanding and more competitive than their opponents. This, plus the young age is the clear sign it is worth investing in this kind of underdog.