With UFC 254 fast approaching, most of the attention is on the main event – the clash between the undefeated Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and his opponent Justin Gaethje, who surprised everyone by defeating Tony Ferguson earlier this year. The odds on Khabib Nurmagomedov heavily favour the Russian, and most are expecting him to give Gaethje a torrid time in the Octagon, all of which could lead to a rather one-sided affair.

With that being the case, perhaps there may be some value in paying close attention to the other fights slated for UFC 254. There are several bouts taking place before the main event of Khabib v Garthje, and some of these tussles could prove to be wholly intriguing. Here, we’ve had a look at four of these to give you a quick preview of the action.

Robert Whittaker v Jared Cannonier

Also on the main card for UFC 254 is the middleweight clash between Robert Whittaker and Jared Cannonier. Hailing from New Zealand, Whittaker is a former UFC Middleweight champion. He defeated Yoel Romero in 2017 to earn the belt, but lost to Israel Adesanya last year to surrender it once again.

He’s a formidable fighter in the Octagon, and the pressure will be on the 36-year-old Cannonier to make a spectacle of it. The American has been in decent form in recent years though, having won his last three fights against Jack Hermansson, Anderson Silva and David Branch respectively. Those wins helped make up for a run of three losses in four fights prior, and Cannonier will be hoping to continue that good form against Whittaker.

Alexander Volkov v Walt Harris

In the heavyweight division, Alexander Volkov and Walt Harris will battle it out. The former will be reeling after he lost to Curtis Blaydes back in June, and will be eager to put things right by producing a dominant display against his opponent at UFC 254.

Veteran Harris finds himself in a similar situation, having lost at the hands of Alistair Overeem in May. The 37-year-old had been in a decent run of form prior to that, and he’ll also be keen to get back to winning ways. Neither man will want to record back-to-back defeats, so this one could be a cracker.

Stefan Struve v Tai Tuivasa

The vastly experienced Stefan Struve will be in action on the preliminary card, as he takes on 27-year-old Tai Tuivasa. Struve has been struggling of late, with just one victory in his last five outings, although he did earn Performance of the Night for his defeat of Marcos Rogério de Lima in February 2019.

Tuivasa is on a similarly poor run, having lost his last three, so again there is a sense that this could be an explosive battle as both men seek to get back to winning ways.

Jacob Malkoun v Phil Hawes

Another preliminary card showdown is Jacob Malkoun’s fight against Phil Hawes. Both men are UFC newcomers and will be hoping to prove themselves on the big stage. Malkoun is unbeaten after four fights so far in his career, while Hawes comes in with slightly more experience with eight wins and 2 defeats to his name.

While few will be looking at this fight as one of the highlights of UFC 254, sometimes these preliminary showdowns can provide a great deal of entertainment, and could whet the appetite perfectly for Khabib v Gaethje later on.

Fans of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) know that the fights are scripted and the winners are usually predetermined. However, only a few people know the outcomes of the game before-hand. This then allows for betting on the outcomes of the games. The sportsbooks also do not know the outcome and they try to look for clues just as much as anyone else. This makes betting on the fights exciting as they could go either way.

Sportsbooks set a limit on how much money a player can bet so as to protect themselves. There is however no lower limit and some sites allow players to bet as low as $5 or even lower. There is a no deposit bonus casino list of casinos that allow players a free test run. This feature allows players to test games and play without needing a deposit. No deposit bonuses often have wagering requiring which are the minimum amount that is required in order to qualify for a withdrawal of winnings.

Why people like WWE betting:

1. there is value in betting on WWE games: since the sportsbooks do not have information on who the predetermined winners are beforehand, they protect themselves by setting the amounts people can bet on. This is to protect them from leaked information and bad lines. By limiting the amount people can bet, they are in essence admitting that they may set bad lines. If a player can find and take advantage of the bad lines then they can make some money gambling.
2. WWE betting is fun: all betting should be done for fun and betting on WWE shouldn’t be different. For people who enjoy watching the games, staking money on your favourites adds to the fun.
3. Risk limit on WWE betting: since sportsbooks limit the amount a player can bet, there is only so much they may lose in a single bet. You never have to get worried about getting too carried away.

Types of WWE betting

Not all online betting sites offer WWE betting, those that do make betting straightforward unlike in mainstream games like football. This could be because the outcome of the games is predetermined and because the main goal is entertainment.

The most common bet is usually the standard bet where you have to bet on the winner of a match, tournament or the entire season. All you do is pick who you think is going to win and then wait for the outcome.

Other sites offer prop(proposition) bets. This is a bet on the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event that does not affect the outcome of the game. Such bets as who will spend the most time in the ring, who will appear first or even whether a certain person will appear. The props are different based on the wrestler or event involved. During multi-person fights like the Royal Rumble, there is the pro bet on which player eliminates the most players. They do not have to be the winners of the match, just have the most eliminations. There is also the option to bet on how the match will be won.

How to choose a WWE betting site

In choosing a site to place your bets, you should consider:

1. The Credibility of the site: look for sites with positive reviews from customers and experts.
2. Safety and security: make sure to choose sites that provide security to your information and money.
3. Ease of making deposits and withdrawals: choose a site that offers a wide range of payment and banking options.
4. Availability of bonuses and promotions: look out for sites that offer sign up bonuses and subsequent promotions. The purpose of betting is to make money while you enjoy the game. You should therefore take advantages of all the offers.
5. Ease of use and compatibility: choose a site that is compatible with mobile and your specific Operating System for convenience. As a first-time user, it is also important to get a site that offers tutorials.

Why WWE betting is not as popular

There isn’t as much interest in WWE betting as there is in mainstream sports like football, the NFL or the NBA.  This is mostly because the matches are predetermined with the winner known beforehand unlike the other sports. The outcome of the matches is available to only a handful of people. The fighters are only made aware of the expected outcome a few hours before the match. This is to reduce the chances of a leak.

Sportsbooks have as much information as the average viewer and this is why they accept wagers on the outcomes of matches. There is always the risk of information leaking before the game and the Sportsbooks try to get around this by: setting proper lines for big money games. Much like the viewers, the sportsbooks spend time trying to predict the matches so that they can set the lines well because they stand to win or lose if the lines are off. Most importantly, they set a limit on the amount of money a person may bet on a single event to avoid being taken for too much on a bad day. The more popular events have more bets and also the highest limits.