In rare circumstances the sequel tops the original.
For UFC betting enthusiasts and fans, that is the hope this Saturday for UFC 261. That’s when Denver’s Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal meet for the second time for the Welterweight title. The rematch is set to take place in Jacksonville for a sold out VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Yes, a full house is expected for Saturday’s card.
The first fight was last July when MMA fans had a lot of hype but it wasn’t much of a fight. Usman used his grappling and wrestling for a unanimous decision to retain his title.
Can the second fight deliver where the first did not?
What adds to the excitement is a knockout promo from DraftKings for new users.
UFC 261 DraftKings promo
- Bet & Get up to $200 in Bonus Bets Instantly!
- PLUS up to $1,000 Deposit Bonus
- PLUS $50 Bonus Bet on Deposit
- PLUS Daily King of the Court NBA Profit Boost
- Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
DraftKings is giving new users 26-1 odds on either main event fighter with a maximum $5 bet ($5 to win $130).
Here’s how the promo works:
- First time DraftKings depositors only.
- Make a deposit of at least $5 into your sportsbook account.
- Following your deposit, you’ll be issued with a single-use odds boost to choose either fighter in the main event. The boost is for +2,600 (26-1) odds for either fighter to win.
- Apply your boost to the fighter you want by adding that fighter’s moneyline to your betslip and applying the boost. Your first bet with the boost is your qualifying bet.
- Again, the max bet is $5.
Parlay insurance and prop bets for UFC 261
FanDuel is offering UFC parlay insurance up to $25. Combine the offer with the latest FanDuel sportsbook promo code for Colorado.
BetMGM is offering multiple parlays around the main event. For example, you can choose either fighter to win by knockout, TKO, submission or disqualification. And they’re both “boosted.” For Masvidal, it’s at +450 as of Thursday morning.
UFC 261 odds
The sportsbooks think what happened in the first fight will happen again.
Usman (18-1) is the heavy favorite over Masvidal (35-14). At DraftKings, the Welterweight champ is at -435, while Masvidal is at +320.
What could sway the betting action is Masvidal took the first fight on just six days’ notice. Needless to say, the underdog has way more time and a fight under his belt for Saturday’s rematch. Whether that makes a difference, as the saying goes, that’s why they play the game.
For those who want to go beyond the moneyline, here are the odds at DraftKings for each round of the title bout:
- Over 1.5: -715
- Under 1.5: +425
- Over 2.5: -360
- Under 2.5: +250
- Over 3.5: -250
- Under 3.5: +180
- Over 4.5: -190
- Under 4.5: +140
UFC bettors can also wager on the method of victory, the winning round and whether or not the fight will go the distance.
Two women’s title bouts
If that wasn’t enough, there are also two women’s title fights that should add to the excitement.
In the women’s Strawweight title bout, Zhang Weili (21-1) puts an impressive 21-fight win streak on the line against former champion Rose Namajunas (10-4). As for the odds, Zhang is the favorite at DraftKings at -200 while Namajunas is +165.
In the women’s Flyweight title fight, Valentina Shevchenko (20-3) looks to defend her title against Jessica Andrade (21-8), who followed her loss to Namajunas with a first round KO/TKO win over Katlyn Chookagian in October. Shevchenko is the heavy favorite at -435 over Andrade at +325.
UFC 261 fight card
If you were curious for the non-title fights, here is the rest of Saturday’s card and the moneyline odds at DraftKings as of Thursday:
- Uriah Hall (+100) vs. Chris Weidman (-125)
- Anthony Smith (+160) vs. Jim Crute (-200)
- Alex Oliveira (+125) vs. Randy Brown (-155)
- Dwight Grant (-240) vs. Stefan Sekulic (+180)
- Karl Roberson (+125) vs. Brendan Allen (-155)
- Danaa Batgerel (-182) vs. Kevin Natividad (+150)
- Kazula Vargas (+195) vs. Zhu Rong (-250)
- Qileng Aori (-110) vs. Jeffrey Molina (-110)
- Na Liang (+165) vs. Ariane Carnelossi (-210)
- Johnny Munoz (-286) vs. Jamey Simmons (+220)
Let’s get it on
In rare situations the sequel tops the original.
For the Colorado sports betting market, here’s to that ringing true on Saturday for the anticipated rematch between Usman and Masvidal.
UFC 261 viewing info
What: UFC 261, “Usman vs Masvidal 2”
When: Saturday, 6 p.m. MST prelims; 8 p.m. main card
Where: VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville
Watch: Prelims on ESPN/ESPN+; main card on ESPN+