Freedom 250 UFC odds: How to bet on White House card headlined by Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje

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UFC Freedom 250 promises to deliver an action-packed night of MMA fights featuring some of the sport’s biggest stars and plenty of betting opportunities for fight fans. Whether you’re a seasoned MMA bettor or placing your first wager, understanding the various markets available can help you make more informed decisions ahead of fight night. 

Sportsbooks offer a wide range of UFC betting opportunities beyond simply picking the winner. In addition to traditional moneyline wagers, bettors can also choose the method of victory, over/under rounds, if a fight goes the distance and same-game parlays.

Many operators also provide live betting options, allowing fans to bet as the action unfolds inside of the Octagon.

However, before placing a bet it’s important to understand each fighter’s strengths, weaknesses, recent performance and style. Striking ability, wrestling, cardio and finishing power all factor into the outcome of a fight and provide insight when you are evaluating odds.

The Sporting News breaks down everything you need to know to bet on the UFC Freedom 250 White House fight card from Washington D.C., including odds for each fight on the card, the most popular betting markets and best bets.

How to bet on UFC Freedom 250

Betting on the UFC Freedom 250 fight card is quite simple. First you need to choose a sportsbook to bet with. DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, bet365, theScore Bet and Fanatics all offer odds on the entire UFC Freedom 250 fight card. 

1. Choose your sportsbook and claim your welcome bonus

Once you choose your sportsbook, you can claim a welcome bonus. First, you must sign up and enter all of your verification information such as your name, address, social security number and other details. Once your account is confirmed you can claim a welcome bonus from one of these sportsbooks below.

2. Learn the main MMA bet types

There are a variety of ways to bet on MMA, including several popular bet types. Moneylines allow users to pick an outright winner and profit if their fighter comes out victorious. Total round betting provides betters with the opportunity to call their own shot on how many round a fight will last. Prop betting has all the niche markets that an MMA bettor could ask for. To learn more about the variety of bet types, check out our full guide below. 

MORE: Complete guide to MMA bet types

3. Research

Successful MMA betting requires analyzing fighter statistics like strikes and takedowns, recent form, style matchups and training camps to identify value in odds. Key factors include researching a fighter’s opponent quality, whether or not ring rust (long layoffs) plays a factor and overinflated lines.

4. Place your bet

Pick the fighter that you like to win or the method of victory you like that fighter to win by, and enjoy the fights. 

MORE: Everything to know about betting on MMA

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Ilia Topuira vs. Justin Gaethje odds (Lightweight championship)

Ilia Topuira vs. Justin Gaethje best bet

• Ilia Topuria to win by KO/TKO/DQ in Round 2 (+350 at DraftKings)

The UFC hasn’t seen a champion like Topuria before. The Spaniard has been extremely technical and calculated in almost every fight he’s been in. Topuria is known for limiting his mistakes in the Octagon and Gaejthe’s bruising style of fighting doesn’t mix well with Topuria’s strengths. Expect this fight to end very quickly if Topuria can get going. However,  Gaejthe is as tough as they come and will likely want to battle through the first round. Ultimately, Gaejthe’s only chance to win is by making the fight a brawl, and that leaves him vulnerable to the power of Topuria on the feet. Taking Topuria to win by KO in the second round is more risky than just betting on him to finish the fight in the first round, but it’s hard to completely count Gaejthe out, especially being the headlining American for this fight card on the White House lawn in front of the president.

Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane odds (Interim heavyweight championship)

Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane best bet

• Alex Pereira to win via KO/TKO or DQ (+130 at Caesars)

This fight is a hard one to pick as evidenced by the almost even odds across all sportsbooks on the moneyline for each fighter. Gane will enter the fourth heavyweight title fight of his career at UFC Freedom 250 after losing his two attempts at grabbing the belt from Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones and seeing his fight against current champion Tom Aspinall end in a no-contest due to an eye poke. Gane looked great in the first round of his last fight before the unfortunate eye poke ended things and that might be the reason why the odds are so dead even heading into Sunday.

However, Pereira has the far better recent track record after avenging his loss to Magomed Ankalaev and recapturing the light heavyweight belt last October. With Pereira going up a division to face Gane, there have been questions about how his power, cardio and shape will hold up against the awkward style of Gane.

If there’s one thing that has been proven over the course of Pereira’s UFC career, its that he’s not afraid of big moments like these and almost always ends his fights by knockout. So while his odds in the KO/TKO/DQ market are pretty short at +130, its far better if you like Pereira to win that betting him straight up. Its very likely we see the first three-division champion in UFC history on Sunday in what is sure to be a memorable night.

Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi odds (Bantamweight)

Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi best bet

• Sean O’Malley to win via decision (-160 at DraftKings)

O’Malley is 2-2 in his last four fights with two of those losses coming to former champion Merab Dvalishvili. Styles make fights, and whenever a fight is expected to be a stand-up battle, it makes sense that O’Malley is heavily favored. Whether or not O’Malley finishes this fight will be the big question here against a pretty game Zahabi, who hasn’t lost a fight since 2019. His most recent wins, however, were unimpressive against a fading Marlon Vera and a post-retirement Jose Aldo. Zahabi hasn’t faced anyone on the level of O’Malley, and this fight, if it remains standing, should easily go to the more experienced fighter. O’Malley hasn’t finished a fight since his 2023 victory over Aljamain Sterling to win the bantamweight belt, and I don’t expect this one to be any different. Take O’Malley to win via decision despite the juiced odds.

Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis odds (Heavyweight)

Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis best bet

• Josh Hokit KO/TKO in Round 1 (+190 at FanDuel)

Something crazy is going to happen in this fight. With the extraordinary antics that Hokit has shown leading up to the fight, he will want to put on a show to make his case for a future heavyweight title shot. In such a thin division with a lack of exciting contenders, one win is all he needs, and its perfectly set up for him against a 40-year old Derrick Lewis. Gone are the days of Lewis dominating the heavyweight division with his crushing power, and while Hokit doesn’t have the heaviest hands, he should be able to get it done with a flurry in the first round. If this fight goes beyond the first round, it will be a huge surprise, and Hokit’s determination to have a viral moment on one of the biggest MMA stages of the year is a reason it might not.

Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler odds (Lightweight)

Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler best bet

• Ruffy vs. Chandler to go the distance (+360 at FanDuel)

This bet is a bit out there, but its worth the ride. There probably isn’t a fighter on this card more determined to win than Chandler. His story is a bit sad, missing out on his chance to fight Conor McGregor, losing part of his prime and now being thrown into the fire against a hungry up-and-comer like Ruffy. But despite all of the misfortunes, Chandler knows how to put on a show, and while there’s no question that Ruffy should win this fight quite easily, I’m betting on Chandler to be tough enough to make it until the final bell sounds. At +360, this is great value on what should be a barnburner of a fight.

Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus odds (Middleweight)

Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus best bet

• Bo Nickal to win via submission (+195 at FanDuel)

You don’t get more American than All-American wrestler Bo Nickal. This fight is a showcase for him on the UFC’s biggest stages more than anything else. He should be able to finish Daukaus quickly, but it’s probably best to bet on it coming on the ground by submission. We’ve seen Nickal win in every type of way in the UFC, and his last submission victory was over Cody Brundage in April 2024, but something feels like he can get another one under the bright lights of the White House lawn.

Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia odds (Featherweight)

Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia best bet

• Lopes vs. Garcia fight to go the distance (+194 at DraftKings)

Lopes should be game for this fight, coming off two back-to-back championship losses to arguably the greatest featherweight of all time in Alexander Volkanovski. While both Lopes and Garcia have an excellent all-round game, expect this one to be more even than the odds suggest. I thought about taking Garcia as the underdog here since after two wars with Volk, Lopes might enter into this fight with a weakened chin. However, it’s more likely we see this one go to the judges’ scorecards. This one is going to be a great appetizer for what should be an epic night of fights.

MMA bet types

Unlike other sports, MMA betting has a lot more variety than many people know. Its not just about who wins or loses, but the multiple layers of bets that can be made based on outcome, method and timing. Here are the main types of MMA bet types explained:

• Moneyline bet: This is the simplest bet. You pick the fighter who you think will win the fight. In certain rare cases this can include a draw/no contest outcome. This is by far the most common MMA bet.
• Method of victory bet: This is a bet on how the fight ends, not just who wins. Some common options available are a stoppage by KO/TKO, submission or decision (the judges’ scorecards).
• Round betting: This bet is a prediction on when a fight ends or how long it will last. You can bet on if a fight will end in Round 1, 2 or 3 if its a bout or non-main event. And you can bet on if a fight will end in Round 4 or 5 if you are betting on a main event or championship fight. 
• Over/Under rounds (total rounds): This is a bet on whether the fight goes longer or shorter than the number set by the sportsbook. Examples are if a fight goes over 2.5 rounds or under 1.5 rounds. These are often one of the most popular MMA prop bets. 
• Prop bets (fighter-specific stats): These are “extra” bets about performance, like if a fighter lands more strike, scores a knockdown, the fight ends in the first 60 seconds or a fighter wins in Round 1.
• Same Game Parlays (SGPs): Combine multiple UFC bets into one ticket.
• Live betting (in-play MMA bets): These are bets that you make while the fight is happening. Examples of these are next round winner, if a fight ends in next 60 seconds and live moneyline shifts during a fight.

MORE: Complete guide to MMA bet types

Legal betting states

The sports betting industry continues to grow year after year, with more states joining the ranks offering retail and online sportsbooks. UFC wagering is widely available across the United States and has become one of the more popular sports/leagues to bet on.

Here’s a look at which states offer online sports betting:

The availability of UFC betting will only increase from here as more states continue to legalize and launch sportsbooks.

MORE: State-by-state guide to where sports betting is legal