By Anthony Cervino
Nov 11, 2021
Whether you are new to the sports betting world or an avid bettor, you have heard of prop bets.
While prop bets can be fun for everyone and a terrific way to keep yourself invested in a game or a player, wagering on props can also be a lucrative form of sports betting, especially if you are on the money with your player projections and can identify trends.
With prop bets, you can often find longshot odds with a solid shot at hitting if you do your homework. You can also build prop bets into parlays in an attempt to score a big win.
In addition to wagering props before a game starts, you can also find in-game prop bets as well.
Let’s say that you are watching a football game and a running back has already had four goal-line carries and it is only the second quarter. If you are betting at a sportsbook that features live in-game betting, it would be wise for you to place a bet on them scoring an anytime touchdown or a touchdown on the current or next drive.
Best Player Prop Bets This Week
Check out the best player prop bets this week with our props comparison tool, including projections to help you make the best decisions. Click “Place Bet” to unlock the associated sportsbook’s welcome offer and place your bet.
What Is a Prop Bet?
A prop bet is a sports betting term that is short for proposition bet. Contrary to your regular wagers — point spread, moneyline, point total — that are tied to the overall outcome of a game, a prop bet pertains to just about anything but.
Here are some examples of prop bets:
- Anytime touchdown scorer
- Player to hit a Home Run
- Will a matchup go into overtime?
- Will the game result end up in a tie?
- Color of the Gatorade shower the winning coach of the Super Bowl receives
Prop bets may also be referred to as novelty bets, exotic bets, or side bets. Learn more about how and where to place these bets with our online betting guide.
Where Can You Prop Bet?
These are some of the best sports betting sites for prop betting:
Caesars Sportsbook
Intuitive App
Plenty of Markets & Bet Types
VIP Rewards System
Bank Transfer
- Read Review
Betway Sportsbook
Easy-to-Use App
Quality promotions
Detailed Live Betting
Get Up To $250 FREE
Risk-Free Bonus
Bank Transfer
- Read Review
FOX Bet
Custom Bets
Cash-out Feature
Plenty of Fruitful Promotions
Up To $500 Risk-Free Bet
New Player Offer
bet365 Sportsbook
Easily Accessible Web Layout
Favorable Odds Compared to Competitors
Live Streaming & Live Betting
Get Up To $500 FREE
First Deposit Match
Bank Transfer
- Read Review
BetMGM Sportsbook
Terrific Promotions
User-friendly Layout
Live Streaming
Bank Transfer
- Read Review
How Does a Prop Bet Work?
A prop bet is based on the result of an individual player or team in a game.
When you go to a sportsbook, you will find ample game and player props. If you do your homework, you should be able to identify ones that have a high probability of hitting.
In a football game, for example, you will find a QB touchdown total prop. Let’s say that the Over/Under Total is 2.5 touchdown passes for them.
If you do some fast research, you’ll find that this QB has thrown for 3+ touchdowns in four of his past five games. You’d be wise to bet the Over on their 2.5 touchdown passes prop in this instance.
Once the game starts, the prop bet will lock. If the QB maintains his success, you will come out on top of your bet.
Types of Prop Bets
Here, I will list the different types of prop bets and provide an example of each.
Player Props
These are your most common form of prop bets. Just about anything pertaining to a statistical outcome of an individual player can be made into a prop bet at the book maker’s discretion.
Some sportsbooks even allow users to suggest their own prop bets.
- Example: (Player) Over/Under 49.5 Rushing Yards
Team Props
A team prop pertains to one given team in a matchup rather than an individual player or both teams combined.
- Example: (Team) Over/Under 109.5 Total Points
Game Props
Game Props are based on outcomes that could happen in a given matchup.
- Example: Will (game) go into overtime? Yes/No
Novelty/Exotic Props
Normally, novelty or exotic props are specials that are linked to a substantial event like the Super Bowl. These are normally reserved for big events that will attract everyone, not necessarily your everyday sports fan.
- Example: Which team will win the coin toss?
How to Bet Props Online
The easiest way to place a wager on a prop bet is to do so online.
Now that sports betting is legalized in the United States and growing in popularity each year, we are seeing sportsbooks launching in more states and expand its availability.
If you are new to prop bets or sports betting as a whole, I will break down the process on how to make a prop bet in a few easy steps.
- Sign up for a sportsbook and be sure to take advantage of their welcome offer bonus. Since there are so many sportsbooks to choose from, you might need some help. Be sure to check out all of our sportsbook reviews and welcome offers here at The Game Day.
- Once you find a sportsbook and welcome offer you like, all you have to do is click the “Get Bonus” button here at The Game Day and you will be redirected to that sportsbook.
- You will now sign up and make your first-time deposit to activate your welcome offer.
- Now that you are registered, funded, and loaded with your bonus, you are ready to make a prop bet.
- Next, you will go to a market and find a prop that you want to place a wager on.
- From there, you will add that prop bet to your bet slip, decide on how much you want to wager, click the “Place Bet” button and you are off.
Prop Betting Strategy
When you are making a prop bet, be sure to do your research.
There are many props out there that look attractive, especially if the sportsbook adds a boost to it. However, that could be a proverbial sucker bet.
Prop bets can be uber-lucrative, but they can also be costly. Make sure that you do your homework and give yourself an edge.
You also want to know the rules with your choice of sportsbook(s). While some may void a prop if the player is not in the starting lineup, others will credit you with a win or loss if said player is a substitute.
Example: In baseball, some sites may cancel out your wager if a player is not starting, but another will credit you with a win or a loss if they end up coming in as a pinch hitter.
While the second book will take into consideration whether they get a hit or not as a pinch hitter, the first will not give you any credit either way and simply void your bet.
You also don’t want to allow favoritism to get in the way with prop bets, or any other wagers for that matter. I know you may want to bet on your favorite player or team, but letting emotion get in the way will prove costly nine times out of ten in the end.
Perhaps the best tip I can give you is to watch yourself when betting props.
Saying there are hundreds of props to bet on in a given day massively undersells it. There could be well over a thousand when the NFL, NHL and NBA seasons are all going on at once.
With so many prop betting opportunities, you might be enticed to wager on a lot of them because they all look so easy to hit. However, if it was that easy, everyone would be a professional sports bettor.
If you are doing your homework and betting correctly, you will only make bets on props that have a high probability of winning.
Don’t become a victim of the sportsbook. No matter how enticing they make certain props seem, if they’re giving you (+2000) odds on a pitcher to hit a home run, there is a reason for it. You will probably come out on the losing end of the wager.
Where Can I Legally Prop Bet Online?
You can place prop bets anywhere in the United States where it has been legalized. The sportsbook must also offer prop bets as a wagering market, but at this juncture, I’d say most if not all do offer props in one form or another.
Here are the following states in which online sports betting is legal, as well as those which are pending full legalization/launch.
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida (Pending)
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Maryland (Pending)
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Nebraska (Pending)
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- Washington D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (Pending)
Should You Make Prop Bets?
Yes, you should make prop bets. Just be sure to have some self-control and give yourself an advantage over the book by not only line-shopping but by also doing your due diligence and research.
Everyone can be a profitable sports bettor if they put in the time, just like with anything else.
Here are the Pros and Cons of Prop Betting.
Pros:
Variety
Like I have noted earlier in this article, there are prop bets for virtually every game in every market. Eventually, you’re destined to find at least one you’re willing to place a wager on.
Favorable Odds
Since there are so many prop bets to choose from, you will find odds that are in your favor over the sportsbook. Sure, you might have to put in some time to do some line-shopping, but if you give yourself the edge, you have a better shot at winning your bet.
Cons:
Hard to Project
Prop bets are difficult to project. Since there are so many props to choose from, you should focus on a handful of them and really dig into your research. If you randomly go in blind and place wagers on any prop that looks good to the naked eye, there is a good chance you will come out on the losing end at the end of the day.
House Advantage
In theory, the house always has the advantage, but even more so with prop bets. How many do we see attached to a flat number? Not many. Normally, if you are wagering on a passing yards total, it will be Over/Under 290.5 yards. There is a reason for this — no shot of a refund. There are no halves. You either win or lose.
Author