Props are among the most popular betting markets for sports fans to wager on.
Since outcomes can be doomed by bad luck and trend regressions, bettors might be inclined to choose bets that are not tied to the final score or outcome. That’s where prop betting comes in.
Betting props on a sportsbook like PointsBet is a great option since the online betting service offers both fixed-odds betting and its custom PointsBetting-style.
If you’re a props bettor who has been considering PointsBet but haven’t yet pulled the trigger, don’t fret. We’re here to help.
Here’s a guide to prop betting with the PointsBet Online Sportsbook.
How to Do Prop Bets on PointsBet
Placing prop wagers on PointsBet is a cinch. Here’s a look at the steps:
Step 1: Create an Account or Sign In
If you already have an account with PointsBet, simply sign in. If you don’t, visit The Game Day’s PointsBet review page and click the “Get Bonus" button to take advantage of the sportsbook’s best new-user promo.
From there enter your personal information, keeping in mind that all information is secure and used only to affirm your identity.
Step 2: Deposit Funds
You’ll then need to deposit money into your account. Remember that credit-card deposits carry a cash-advance fee, meaning an e-wallet like PayPal or an online-bank transfer are better options.
Step 3: Peruse Prop Bets
Search the sportsbook’s prop markets by clicking on the game you wish to wager and consulting the odds and lines. If you need help finding the game or even sport, PointsBet has a helpful search function that lets bettors find a team or game.
Add the bet you wish to make to your bet slip.
Step 4: Straight Bet or Parlay?
Determine whether you want to combine that prop bet with another wager from either the same game or a different game or if you’re content making it a single bet. If you’re parlaying, consult other markets and add any subsequent legs you wish to your betslip.
Step 5: Place Your Bet
Once you have all legs or bets in your slip, add your desired stake and press “place bet" then root for it to hit!
Types of PointsBet Prop Bets
PointsBet offers bettors a vast array of prop-betting options. Here is a glance at those:
Player Props
Player props are the most widely known prop bets, since bettors like to root for star players to perform. Player props are usually an over/under in a specific stat category like rushing yards, points+rebounds+assists or total bases or could be odds on the player to score a touchdown, goal or hit a home run.
Here are some examples of popular player props:
- Over/Under passing yards/touchdowns/interceptions (NFL)
- Over/Under rushing/receiving yards (NFL)
- First/Last/anytime touchdown scorer (NFL)
- Over/Under points, rebounds, assists, points+assists, points+assists+rebounds (NBA)
- First/Last basket (NBA)
- Over/Under pitcher’s strikeouts/batters faced (MLB)
- Over/Under batter’s hits/runs/total bases (MLB)
- First/Last/Anytime home run (MLB)
- Over/Under skater’s points/assists/shots/blocked shots (NHL)
- Over/under goalie’s saves/shots faced (NHL)
- First/Last/Anytime goal scorer (NHL)
PointsBet also offers PointsBetting on player props, which means a bettor may choose to bet a player to go over a certain threshold on the stats listed above.
Be careful when PointsBetting though because you may be rewarded by receiving a larger percentage if you are correct, but you’ll also be punished depending if your wager is wrong.
Game Props
Game props are wagers that are game-related but not tied to the outcome.
For instance, you can wager on a team to be the first to score 21 points or four runs. Or you can wager on a team to score first or last or to cover a first-half/quarter/inning spread.
Bettors may also wager on a specific team to score more or fewer than a specific number of points/runs/goals in a game and much more.
PointsBet also offers PointsBetting on game props, like a game’s winning margin squared or the time of the first goal or points scored.
Remember, when PointsBetting you will docked funds for being wrong and rewarded with more money if your wager is extra correct.
Novelty Props
Novelty props usually center around the Super Bowl, since the Super Bowl is a prop bettor’s dream. But there are other novelty props available for award shows like the Academy Awards if you live in a state where betting on such markets is legal.
Typically, Super Bowl novelty props center around the length the national anthem will take, the color of Gatorade the winning coach will be doused with or which side the coin will come up on the coin toss.
PointsBet offers those types of bets when the Super Bowl is set.
Team Props
Team props are usually referred to as “futures" bets and offered during the offseason.
Typically, futures center around a specific team’s chances of winning its division or conference, making the playoffs or winning more or fewer than a specific number of games.
For example, one of my proudest wagers was betting on the Minnesota Timberwolves to make the playoffs before the 2021-22 NBA season.
The T-Wolves were +610, meaning a $100 wager would net $610 in profit plus the initial stake back. Minnesota qualified for the tournament, and I won.
Bettors who wager on team props or futures can take advantage of lucrative odds, especially before the season. Futures bets are still available as a season goes on, but it becomes harder to get more lucrative odds as the season evolves.
Draft Props
Draft props are especially popular for the NBA and NFL drafts since those are marquee sporting events for fans.
Bettors can wager on an individual to be chosen with the first, second and third picks or for a specific number of players from a specific school or position group to be chosen in the first round.
PointsBet also offers bettors the opportunity to wager on which team will pick with the top selection in the NBA or NFL drafts and offers over or under a specific draft slot for players who are eligible to be chosen as well.
Does PointsBet Have Player Props?
Yes! PointsBet has a robust number of player props available for fixed-odds betting as well as PointsBetting.
Where Are Player Props on PointsBet?
Seek out the game you wish to wager and peruse the player prop options. If you aren’t sure what player props you like, PointsBet lets prospective bettors consult betting lines and markets for every game every day.
PointsBet Player Props Rules
PointsBet has rules about prop betting. Here are a few of those:
- Novelty props carry a single-day maximum of $20,000
- Player prop is activated when an athlete participates in the game in any capacity
- College player prop bets are only available in states where those markets are legal
- If a player does not participate in a game, his/her player props are voided and stakes are returned
PointsBet Prop Bets for NFL
The PointsBet Online Sportsbook, like many online betting platforms, provides hundreds of prop-betting markets for each NFL game from the Hall of Fame game in August through the Super Bowl in February. Plus, bettors may wager on team props, or futures, year-round.
Not only are there fixed-odds wagers available on PointsBet, but gamblers are also empowered to wager on player props in the custom PointsBetting style.
In PointsBetting, the sportsbook will reward a user with a per-unit multiplied bonus depending on how right he or she is, but also docks a bettor by a percentage if he or she is extra wrong.
For instance, in PointsBetting if you wager $10 on Lamar Jackson to finish with more than 70 rushing yards, and he finishes with 90, you would win $200. But if you put up Jackson to surpass 70 rushing yards and he ended up with 63, you’d lose $70.
If that seems too intense, a bettor could wager on over/under NFL props, like Jackson to rush for over or under 69.5 yards at -110 odds. Then, a bettor would win $0.91 profit per dollar wagered.
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is like Christmas for prop bettors, and PointsBet offers a robust assortment of game and novelty props for the NFL championship game each February.
Plus, bettors may also PointsBet on the Super Bowl, which makes the big game even bigger.
Best PointsBet Prop Bets
There is a science to betting props. Here are some things to consider when determining which props to target
NFL
- Passing Yards: Focus on a pass-first offense that is competing against a defense that surrenders yards against the pass
- Receiving Yards: Choose a pass-catcher who has a high target share, especially if he is facing a suspect secondary
- Interceptions: If you feel a quarterback is going to throw a lot, he is likely to throw at least one to the other team
- Rushing Yards: Find a running back on a team with a high probability of winning
NBA
- Points: Zero in on a star who takes a lot of shots in a game that should be high-scoring
- Rebounds: Find bigs who are playing against smaller teams or a club that has an injury to its main big man
- Assists: Target point guards and other ball-distributors who have high usage rates
MLB
- Strikeouts: Focus on a strikeout pitcher in a good matchup
- Total Bases: Find a star player in a plus-matchup against an iffy pitcher. Tip: betting total bases is better than a player to have a specific hit
- Yes/No Run First Inning: Choose “Yes" when there is suspect pitching. Choose “no" in a battle of aces.
NHL
- Shots on Goal: Find players who shoot at will, especially in matchups against questionable defenses
- Saves: Target a goalie that is peppered with shots, especially against offensive-minded teams
- Points: Again, look for value, especially when elite point producers are against porous defensive squads
How to Find the Best Prop Bets
Do your homework. Do you like bet a star player’s points props in a matchup against a poor defensive team, or wager on a better team to cover the first period/quarter/inning/half spread when it is facing off against an inferior opponent. Or you can trust an inferior opponent to keep a game close before the better team ultimately pulls away.
Seek out market inefficiencies if you can. Find the odds that are most conducive to the wager you like.
Maybe Kevin Durant’s over/under point total is too high, but Kyrie Irving’s might be better. Or if you think Jordan Poole is poised to go off, and his over/under point total is too low, mash that.
The best prop bets are the ones we love. If the bet you love flies in the face of what your research says then maybe it’s time to reconsider. But if your homework affirms the prop you love then it’ll always be worth the bet, even if the trend ultimately regresses.
Prop Bet Strategies
Like all wagers, target value. If the odds are friendly then pounce. We generally do not advocate placing any single wager with odds shorter than -150, except as a parlay leg, since the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.
How do you know if the odds are friendly? By doing your homework, of course. We at The Game Day produce analytical content designed at helping bettors make the most informed decisions every day.
But if you’d rather do your own research, seek out trends. Crunch advanced stats and find the metrics that will produce the outcome you believe will happen. Sometimes you’ll get crushed, since every trend has a regression, but you’ll win in the long run.
Ultimately trust your gut too. You don’t want to bet on a prop you don’t believe in, especially if it is a player prop. If you believe in it, you may lose but you’ll never regret the bet.
Prop Betting for Beginners
Start small to get your feet wet. Place a small amount on a prop wager you really like and see if it hits. For example, if you use a bet and get — like a bet $5 to win $200 — on a prop and see how it goes.
Do your homework. Again, we produce analytical content aimed at helping bettors make the best decisions. You can do your own research, but who has the time?
Find a community. It’s less fun to bet alone. Find a friend or two with whom you can bounce things off of and discuss your picks. It’ll also make winning more fun when you have someone to win with.
Learn the ins and outs. The best way to get comfortable betting is by doing it. You’ll learn about terms and other facets that might seem confusing simply by playing with a sportsbook.
Be responsible and have fun. Don’t bet more than your comfortable — especially with a practice like PointsBetting where things can get away from you quickly. Plus, we bet to add some juice to the games we are watching anyway, so have fun and enjoy the ride.
How to Calculate Prop Odds?
Most game prop odds are about -110, or the sportsbook equivalent of a coin toss. A bet with -110 odds will produce $0.91 profit per dollar wagered plus the initial stake back.
However, if a player prop has either a better or worse chance of hitting, the odds may reflect that. For example, if LeBron James’ odds of putting up 40-plus points and rebounds are -140, that means a bettor would get $0.71 profit per dollar bet plus his/her initial stake back.
Calculating payout on a bet with minus-money odds is as simple as dividing 100 by the number listed then multiplying that times your stake. But don’t forget to add your stake too, since you win that back when you place a bet.
If a prop bet has plus-money odds, that is easier to calculate. You simply divide that number by 100 and multiply your stake by it. For example, if a prop has +140 odds you’d simply multiply your stake by 1.4 then add your stake to calculate the total payout.
Fortunately, PointsBet, like every online sportsbook, will let you know the exact payout of your prop bet as you are placing it so you’ll know exactly what you’ll win when it’s done.
Why Are Props a Good Bet?
Props generally spare bettors bad beats, plus you can get lucrative odds if you trust one team but not the other. For instance, if you think the Los Angeles Rams can score a bunch of points against the Seattle Seahawks, but aren’t sure Seattle can keep up, you can wager on the Rams to go over its over/under point total instead of the game over/under.
Plus, player props are fun to bet on when you like a star player’s matchup or to put up stats against a specific opponent. If you know a star like Odell Beckham Jr. or Kyler Murray go off against the Dallas Cowboys, it’s smart to target that wager when their teams face off against the ‘Boys.
Can Props Be a Bad Bet?
Sometimes! Like any bets, there are risks associated with betting on props. Injuries can doom player props, as can the dreaded off-night. If you place a first-half spread bet, and the team you wagered gets off to a slow start, you can get burned.
What Sports Are Available for Props?
All of them. Some sports, like golf for example, are almost entirely made up of prop bets.
Here’s a glance at what sports are available for prop betting:
- Football (NFL/NCAA/XFL/USFL)
- Basketball (NFL/NCAA/G League/Global pro leagues)
- Baseball (MLB/AAA/Global pro leagues)
- Hockey (NHL/KHL/NCAA/Global leagues)
- Soccer (EPL/La Liga/Champions/MLS)
- Golf (PGA Tour/LIV/Champions)
- Tennis (WTA/ATP)
- Combat (Boxing/MMA/UFC)
- Motorsports (NASCAR/Formula One/IndyCar)
- Aussie Rules
- Darts
- Snooker
- More
Is There Bet Insurance on Props?
Sometimes. Sportsbooks like PointsBet will sometimes reimburse bad beats, judged by its Karma Kommittee, in the form of a free bet. If a prop wager is doomed by bad luck or a bad beat, you may receive insurance in the form of a free bet.
