...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!
Sorry it's been a while, but the MMATorch confidence picks and betting game is finally back. Firstly, I'd like to thank my fellow columnist Daniel Moore for all the hard work he's put in over the last couple of years to keep the game running.
Due to an increase in his work load, the reins have been handed over to me, and I hope to emulate the success Dan has had. For the next prediction game that's planned for UFC 178, I'm hoping to introduce some new and exciting changes to the game that will make it even more entertaining for us all.
UFC 177 sees the (questionably) anticipated rematch between T.J. Dillashaw and Renan Barao for the UFC Bantamweight Title. Can T.J. retain the title, or will Barao regain the title that was once his. The event has gone through many changes, and it may be a pay-per-view event that struggles to sell with an undercard so weak. Though, as Dana likes to say, let's not judge the event before it's even happened.
All UFC 177 picks should be submitted to tommy.strong@talk21.com before the first prelim fight on Saturday night.
Don't forget this weekend will be the 2nd Round of the World Cup.
MMATorch World Cup 2nd Round Draw:
Mark Sacchetti vs. David Little
Nick Williams vs. Rick Thayer
Dan 'Tucky' Moore vs. Ben Heather
Josh Hall vs. Mark Bunc
Dave Hughes vs. Joel Wielenga
Avery Clarke vs. Sam Martin
Chris McCann vs. Gareth Moores
Richard Race vs. Dennis Fagan
MMATorch Confidence Picks Championship Match Up
Joel Wielenga (Champion) vs. Chris McCann (Challenger)
Everyone else will be battling it out in the pool for the right to face the champion at UFC 178 next month.
MMATorch Betting Picks Championship Match Up
Tommy Strong (Champion) vs. Mark Sacchetti (Challenger)
Everyone else will be battling it out in the pool for the right to face the champion at UFC 178 next month.
UFC 177 – FIGHT CARD
T.J. Dillashaw vs. Renan Barao
Tony Ferguson vs. Danny Castillo
Bethe Correia vs. Shayna Baszler
Ramsey Nijem vs. Carlos Diego Ferreira
Yancy Medeiros vs. Damon Jackson
Lorenz Larkin vs. Derek Brunson
Scott Jorgensen vs. Henry Cejudo
Ruan Potts vs. Anthony Hamilton
Joe Soto vs. Anthony Birchak
Chris Wade vs. Cain Carrizosa
CONFIDENCE PICKS GAME AND RULES
1. UFC 177 is a 10 fight card. Therefore, the point values you assign must range from 10 (most confident) down to 1 (least confident).
2. Additionally, please list your prediction for method of victory, along with the round. Choose either TKO, KO, SUB, UD (Unanimous Decision) or SD (Split Decision).
3. Using UFC 172 as a template, here is how a simple entry might look:
10 – J.Jones TKO2
09 – T.Gomi - TKO3
08 – L.Rockhold – TKO2
07 – J.Benavidez - UD
06 – M.Holloway - SUB2
05 – J.Miller - UD
04 – C.Beal - KO2
03 – B.Correia - UD
02 – A. Johnson - UD
01 – D.Castillo - TKO2
4. When you email me your entry, please sort the entry numerically (as shown) from high to low. Thanks.
5. The first tie-breaker is the sum of confidence points. Using the examples above, a Jon Jones victory would earn 10 points. Danny Castillo winning would earn just 1 point, etc.
6. If two participants earn the same number of confidence points, the next tie-breaker will be the total number of winners predicted. If Player A earns 40 points on 7 winning picks, and Player B earns 40 points on 6 winning picks, Player A would be declared the winner.
7. The next tie-breaker is the number of victory methods predicted correctly. Next would be predicted rounds of victory. If both players are still tied at this point, both players will be declared the winner. If the tie is for a championship, they would match up again at the next event, along with the winner of the pool. If the tie occurs in the pool itself, both challengers would advance to face the champion at the next event.
BETTING GAME AND RULES
Here are the UFC 177 betting lines courtesy of 5Dimes:
T.J. Dillashaw -145
Renan Barao +125
Tony Ferguson -245
Danny Castillo +205
Bethe Correia -135
Shayna Baszler +115
Carlos Diego Ferreira -220
Ramsey Nijem +180
Yancy Medeiros -115
Damon Jackson -105
Derek Brunson -120
Lorenz Larkin +100
Henry Cejudo -160
Scott Jorgensen +140
Anthony Hamilton -200
Ruan Potts +170
Joe Soto -120
Anthony Birchak +100
Chris Wade -125
Cain Carrizosa +105
8. Using UFC 172 as a template again, here is how a simple entry might look:
$450 on Jones
$300 on Gomi
$50 on Rockhold
$200 Parlay on Jones, Gomi and Rockhold
9. Every player has $1000 of fake, imaginary, theoretical, play money to wager on each event. This is not a real money game, it is strictly for fun.
10. Players must place a bet of at least $50, but no more than $500, on each of 3 or more different fighters. Bets may be in any denomination, as long as the amount falls in the range of $50 - $500.
11. Players may also play a parlay bet. A parlay bet is a bet placed on multiple fighters. All fighters in the parlay must win their fights in order for the parlay to pay off. Parlay bets pay off at a higher rate than a bet on a single fighter. The parlay bet may be placed on either two or three fighters.
12. The minimum parlay bet is $50. The maximum parlay bet is $200. This money comes out of the $1000 allotted to each player. The parlay bet is NOT separate from the $1000 budget. A player is not required to play a parlay bet. The maximum number of parlay bets a player may wager is one.
13. Whether or not a player chooses to place a parlay bet, the player must still place at least three straight bets. It is not legal to place two bets on individual fighters and one parlay bet. No entry is considered valid unless there are a minimum of 3 straight bets placed on individual fighters.
14. If a fight ends in a draw, any money bet on said fighter will be refunded, with no fake money commission taken. If a fighter in a 3-fighter parlay is involved in a draw, that fighter will be removed from the parlay and the 3-fighter parlay will be treated as a 2-fighter parlay. If a fighter in a 2-fighter parlay is involved in a draw, that fighter will be removed from the parlay and the 2-fighter parlay will be treated as a straight bet on the remaining fighter.
FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS
15. If a fighter has a positive number such as +150 next to his name, he is the underdog, which means a successful bet on that fighter will pay off at a higher rate. That means that if the fighter wins, the bet will payout $150 net profit for every $100 bet on him. If a player were to bet $500 on a +150 fighter, and the fighter wins, the player will profit $750. If a player bets $500 on a +150 fighter, and the fighter loses, the player will lose his $500 bet.
16. If a fighter has a negative number such as -200 next to his name, he is the favourite, which means a successful bet on that fighter will pay off at a lower rate. That means that if the fighter wins, the bet will payout $100 net profit for every $200 bet on him. If a player were to bet $500 on a -200 fighter, and the fighter wins, the player will profit $250. If a player bets $500 on a -200 fighter, and the fighter loses, the player will lose his $500 bet.
Structure for each game
17. For each UFC numbered (or listed otherwise) event, both the Confidence Picks and Betting Game will feature a champion and a challenger facing off against one another. The winner of the head to head battle will be declared the reigning champion.
18. All other players for each UFC numbered (or listed otherwise) event will compete against each other for the right to face off against the reigning champion at the next UFC numbered event. This is known as The Pool.
19. As games administrator, I have the subjective right to eliminate any entry for any reason I deem worthy.
20. Entries may be submitted via email (tommy.strong@talk21.com), or on the comment section of this post. Email is the preferred method, because if a player posts an invalid entry, I have no way to make sure I can get hold of the player so that it may be corrected. Please, under no circumstances should you both email and post on the board your entry. One or the other please, preferably via email.
21. If you have any questions, please email me and ask. For game updates follow me on Twitter, @MMATorchTom
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(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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