The octagon is where the finest martial artists in the world show off their dazzling mixture of athleticism, discipline and raw power. And with each event a new generation of fans is drawn to this sport that is fast becoming one of the biggest in combat sports. As the UFC has grown so has the popularity of wagering on the action inside that fearsome structure, with some of the biggest pay-per-views rivaling boxing’s all-time mega events.

With a wide range of betting markets available, there are plenty of different ways to bet on MMA. The most basic wager is on who will win the fight, and a typical odds board will display the two combatants and their moneyline odds. But for more complex bets, bettors can look at other market segments such as a fighter/round combo or method of victory props.

Aside from predicting who will win the fight, MMA bettors can also place wagers on how long a contest will last. Non-championship fights typically last three rounds, while championship or main event fights can go up to five. There are also a number of other types of MMA bets, such as over/under and round bets. These bets can carry higher risks and payouts than traditional moneyline wagers, but are based on specific events rather than the outcome of a particular fight.

Some of these MMA prop bets are similar to those found on other sports, such as basketball. For example, a sportsbook may offer an over/under on the number of points scored during a game, while other MMA prop bets are unique to the sport. These bets are generally based on the combatants’ fighting styles and any advantages or disadvantages that may exist between them. For example, a southpaw fighter will often have an edge over an orthodox fighter because they are not used to facing left-handed opponents.

Many MMA bettors like to do what is known as “MMA math,” which involves comparing a combatant’s record against their opponent’s record. But this type of reasoning can mislead bettors and take away from studying fight film and handicapping fighters’ styles. This type of logic can lead to a bettors overestimating a fighter’s abilities because they have won past fights against similar foes.

One of the best things about betting on MMA is that it offers an incredible amount of flexibility when it comes to how you can bet. Unlike most mainstream sports, where the majority of betting handle goes on wagers on who will win a match, mixed martial arts has numerous other bets that can be placed during a fight. From predicting the method of victory to a specific round, MMA bets are diverse and can be placed at any sportsbook online. Just remember to keep your wagering limits in mind and avoid getting swept up in the excitement of an exciting fight card!

A horse race is a competition between horses in which the winner is determined by which one crosses a designated finish line first. The winners are awarded a sum of prize money. There are four primary kinds of horse races: flat racing, steeplechasing, harness racing and endurance races. Horses in flat racing compete over a course without obstacles, while those in steeplechasing must jump over barriers, horses pull a cart in harness races and those in endurance races must cover extreme distances.

The horse racing industry faces criticism from animal rights groups and others who believe that the sport is inhumane or that it has become corrupt as a result of doping, overbreeding and illegal gambling activities. However, there is an argument that the horse racing industry should be allowed to exist because it is a source of jobs, taxes and economic growth for communities across the country.

In its early days, horse racing was a match race between two or three horses. The owner of the winning horse provided the purse for the wager, and bets were taken by disinterested third parties called keepers of the match book. If a horse withdrew from the race, it would forfeit half of the stakes money, later the entire amount. Eventually the sport evolved into a field race with larger purses and rules governing the eligibility of horses based on age, sex, birthplace and previous performance.

Some races, known as handicap races, are run in a series of heats. A horse’s position in the starting gate, its gender and the type of jockey are all used to determine its weight allowance. In a handicap race, a young horse will carry less weight than an older horse in order to give it the best chance of winning.

Other races are run in a single heat, and the winner is determined by a photo finish. In a photo finish, the stewards, or racing officials, closely examine a photograph of the finishing line to decide which horse broke the plane, or crossed the finish line first. A photo finish can sometimes be difficult to determine, so a dead heat is declared when the stewards cannot agree on a winner.

Many people choose to watch horse races because they enjoy the ambiance of a racetrack, where fans wear fancy clothes and sip mint juleps. But behind the romance of the racetrack is a world of injuries, drug abuse and gruesome breakdowns. If the equine racing industry is unable to address its problems with equine welfare, it will ultimately fail.