Prop betting introduces bettors to a whole new world of wagering possibilities. Short for “proposition” bets, prop bets cover a wide array of events happening in the game that can be independent of who wins. Books allow betting on how many touchdown passes to whether the coin toss will land on heads or tails. Prop betting has something for everyone.
Single-game betting on moneylines, spreads and totals can be fun and interesting. They also limit bettor in their versatility. Wagers like parlay bets and teaser bets can spice up these wagers and offer bigger payouts. But they still all just focus on the final scores of games.
How to Bet on Player Prop Betting
Player performance props are quite popular, especially among NFL bettors who also enjoy fantasy sports. These wagers set specific totals on individual player statistics. There is also “Yes” or “No” options on whether a player will achieve a certain task.
Imagine you think Derek Carr is going to have an excellent day under center for the Raiders against the Saints. You considered betting on the Raiders, but their weak defense has you worried. What is the best way to bet the game if the Over 55 doesn’t thrill you?
The total for Derek Carr’s passing yards is 255.5 (Over -120, Under -110) on the NFL props betting page. You decide to bet $120 to win $100 on the Over 255.5 passing yards. Your bet is a winner if Carr passes for 256 yards or more in this game.
Wagers on Oakland to win or the total to go Over aren’t optimal choices. They each come with legitimate concerns. A prop bet on Derek Carr specifically, however, will not be hampered by these concerns. The only worry you have is your prop bet regardless of who wins or the final score.
What does Yes/No Prop Betting Mean for Players?
In a Yes/No prop bet, a bettor will be asked a yes or no question on an upcoming player’s performance. The odds will be given on both sides of the prop. During Russell Westbrook’s 2016-17 MVP season, for example, whether or not Westbrook would record a triple-double was a popular nightly prop.
“Will Russell Westbrook record a triple-double against the Chicago Bulls?” Yes (-120) or No (-110). A “Yes” bet on this prop is simply betting on Russell Westbrook to get a triple-double in this game against the Chicago Bulls. If Westbrook ends the night with 28 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists, your “Yes” bet will cash regardless of what the final score of the game.
How to Bet on Game Prop Betting
Similar to individual player props, many games also include team-specific props. A common team prop is the “team total”.
For example, the Boston Celtics are hosting the Philadelphia 76ers and the total for the game is set at 212.5 points. You are confident that the Celtics are going to be able to score at home. But you aren’t sure whether the 76ers are also going to score a lot to turn this game into a shootout or if they are going to struggle to score on the road.
Instead of taking a guess, you can turn to team totals betting. In a game like this, the team totals might be set at Boston Over/Under 109 and Philadelphia O/U 103.5 points. You can bet on the Boston Celtics to go Over 109 points in the game, and won’t have to worry about what Philadelphia does.
Other team-related props include which team will score first, which team will score last, which team will be the first to 10 points in basketball and many more.
Examples of Game Prop Betting
Instead of betting on an individual team or player, you can also find prop bets that cover specific events in a game. Popular situational football game prop bets include:
• Will the first score of the game be a field goal, touchdown, or safety?
• Will the last possession of the first half end in a score?
• Game goes to overtime? Yes or No.
Prop bets like this are helpful for games where you’re not sure who’ll win, but you have a feel for how the game might go. Imagine you expect a game to be high scoring, but feel the total is set too high to confidently bet on the Over. You could instead wager on the first score of the game being a touchdown.
This type of bet is also graded much more quickly than a game-long bet. This means your winnings are in your account sooner than a full-game wager.
How to Handle Exact Outcome Prop Betting
Bettors who have capped a game inside and out, and aren’t satisfied with the standard odds can look to prop betting. Alternative betting lines and exact outcome props.
For example, if the Miami Dolphins are a 3-point underdog on the road against the Buffalo Bills this Sunday. You think Miami is going to win this game comfortably. A bet on the moneyline at +130 might not be your most enticing option. Instead, an alternate spread lists the Dolphins as 3-point chalk and pays +300.
You’re giving up so many points compared to the posted line, but this might be exactly what you are looking for.
Exact outcome wagers take this a step further. They allow you to bet on which team will win and by how many points. These types of plays are difficult to hit, but they also pay out very nicely when you do hit them. If all of your game simulations keep coming back to a similar final score, you may want to seek this type of prop bet out.
This is also a great prop bet for combat sports like boxing or MMA. Instead of simply betting on which fighter will win the fight, you can bet on that fighter to win by knockout or decision at a more favorable price.
How to Bet on Fun Prop Betting
Many props explore the intricacies of the game with in-depth lines and totals. Others are put in place simply for the enjoyment of the player who likes to bet on random and fun things. These are called entertainment props.
These are the types of props that are most commonly talked about on sports radio and television shows around the Super Bowl.
• Will the opening coin toss land on heads or tails?
• How long will the national anthem take to sing?
• What color of Gatorade will the winning coach get doused in at the end of the game?
• Which of the following will the Super Bowl MVP thank first in his speech?
There isn’t much handicapping that goes into these types of props. They’re designed to be fun, and are a nice reprieve from the more serious types of bets that bettors are usually caught rooting in.
What Other Prop Betting Options are There?
Entertainment props branch outside of the world of sports. These props allow bettors to venture into markets like who will be the next U.S. President and which movie will win the Oscar for best picture?
The prop bets discussed in this article are just scratching the surface. There are so many different types of prop bets that the only way to really get acclimated to them is to dive right in.
One of the advantages to playing at online sportsbook is having the luxury of being able to choose from hundreds of props. You might be a serious bettor that wants to take advantage of your in-depth handicapping with specific prop bet.
You could be a casual bettor that is just looking to have fun and make the game more interesting to watch with prop bets. Sportsbook’s wide selection of props across all sports will give you the chance to find what you are looking for.