What Is a Prop Bet? – Props Betting Guide

Prop bets are wagers placed on specific aspects of a game that don’t affect the final result.

In our props betting guide, we explain how these wagers function in sports, the various types you can place, and cover everything else you need to know about prop betting.

What is a Prop Bet in Sports?

Proposition bets, known simply as prop bets, are wagers you can place at online sportsbooks right now.

These wagers may focus on team, individual, and game-centric aspects of an event.

For example, our AI sports picks and props include wagers based on passing yards in football and rebounds in basketball.

How Do Prop Bets Work?

Placing prop bets follows a similar process to traditional wagers. First, visit the props section of your online betting site and select the market of interest.

You then add your stake, and place your bet. As with any other type of wager, your predictions must be 100% accurate for a payout.

However, what sets NBA prop bets and others apart from moneylines and spreads is the outcome of the event itself doesn’t matter.

In other words, these bets focus not on predicting the overall winner but on specific happenings within a game or contest.

For example, instead of gambling on the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the Houston Texans using the over/under betting or moneyline, you might wager on Kansas being the first team to reach 25 points in team props.

You may predict that Patrick Mahomes will throw the most passing yards in player props. Here are some additional examples of team and player prop bets you could consider in this scenario.

Prop Bet Examples

Props aren’t limited to just our NFL picks. They come in all shapes and sizes.

This diversity in proposition bets allows for a wider range of betting opportunities, which can often be more profitable than moneylines and spreads.

In fact, you’ll find a lots of these wagers during major events like the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, or Indy 500.

You can place props as single wagers or incorporate them into larger parlay bets, including with prop builders and Same-Game Parlays (SGPs).

This flexibility means you can combine prop wagers from different events or even from within the same game.

However, remember some correlated selections may not be permitted, so always check the sportsbook rules before placing your bets.

How to Read Prop Bet Lines

There are always odds for each prop bet meaning you can work out how much you can win by betting it. Whether it’s for NASCAR picks or football bets, prop bet odds are always displayed next to the market – these indicate the likelihood of something happening.

For example, oddsmakers are offering prop bet lines ranging from -10000 (99.01% implied probability) to +184 (35.21% implied probability) on this basketball game.

Implied probability is another way of gauging the likelihood of your prop winning.

You can work this out with an implied probability bet calculator, although it’s usually easier to just consider the odds.

At the same time, a good rule of thumb when assessing props lines for March Madness picks or something else is to consider the likelihood of them winning.

As shown above, a -900 prop is considered to have a highly likely chance of winning.

Anything with an implied probability is certainly a big gamble, where prop bets are concerned.

With that being said, many props have high odds due to their unpredictable nature.

Teams and/or individual player performances matter here. As such, you can bet on most knockdowns in boxing matches or field goals in football.

Better yet, you may gamble on yellow cards in a soccer match or how many steals a player makes in basketball.

Different Types of Prop Bets Explained

Most online sportsbooks offer a wide variety of prop bets aimed at predicting different scenarios of an event.

For example, you can wager on several prop betting markets for Super Bowl touchdowns or college basketball props covering the team that scores first, last, or at any time.

In like manner, sports-specific props cover different aspects of other major and smaller events.

What are Player Props?

You can place player props like first goal scorer, which relate to how a player performs in a single game.

These wagers are extremely popular among NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, and soccer bettors, especially when moneyline bets or spreads are not feasible.

NFL Player Props

With these NFL props, you focus on individual achievements such as the number of passing yards or rushing yards in a game.

You can find a wide range of prop lines for games at most major sportsbooks.

Popular prop markets in football range from predictions for total field goals (college football props) to exotic bets like the length of this year’s National Anthem performance at the Super Bowl (NFL).

Offshore sportsbooks also provide plenty of props, including alternative types, you can source for NFL and College Football picks online.

For instance, there are tons of prop odds for events like rushing yards, touchdowns, receptions, and how many touchdowns a quarterback will throw in a single game.

NBA Player Props

NBA props are popular betting options that allow you to wager individual basketball player performances, rather than the final team score.

Common prop betting options include betting on three-point shots in basketball, total rebounds, or least assists in a game.

These types of prop NBA picks are similar to wagering on the first goal scorer in a soccer match, for example.

MLB Player Props

Betting on baseball games props is fun and can be even better than targeting any of the common team props available.

Individual MLB picks for props are where you’ll find the more popular types of markets.

For example, bets on props in this major sports league range from RBIs, home runs, total hits, total bases, Grand Salamis, strikeouts, and even more.

NHL Player Props

NHL sports prop bets include goals, assists, fouls, and other game events focused on single player performances.

You’ll find major prop markets among smaller online prop bets throughout the season.

When the Stanley Cup playoffs come around, there are always plenty of big-game wagers to choose from, however.

Soccer Player Props

Soccer has some of the most diverse prop bets online, with a wide array of player prop betting options in almost every game.

You’ll find markets for red and yellow cards in soccer matches, but we recommend the first goalscorer and anytime assist markets for value.

The best online sportsbooks usually have better depth when it comes to lines. This creates soccer picks at attractive odds.

Team Props

Betting on markets aimed at team performance can often provide another layer of excitement to games.

For example, MLB prop bets for players rely on the performance of individuals and star players. Conversely, team props focus on collective achievements including defensive efficiency.

Here are some team props examples, to illustrate:

• Team to Win First Half in Soccer
• Total Quarters in Football
• Team with Most Turnovers in Basketball
• Overtime Yes/No in Hockey

Game Props

These markets focus on what happens in the game, rather than the performance of one team or player.

For example, our AI-powered NHL picks for props predict winners of specific halves, head-to-head matchups in quarters, top offensive players, and more.

Here are some other examples:

• Winning Margins
• Total Touchdowns
• Over/Under Yards
• Combined Runs Scored

Exotic Props

If you’re looking for more unique markets – ones that are not always based on the gameplay of an event – these are a good shout.

Exotic prop bets can be extremely diverse and available for both sports and other events.

For instance, you may find exotic props for the number of celebrities spotted at the NBA Final game or for who wins the presidential election.

Super Bowl Props

There are always plenty of Super Bowl props you can wager on close to the Big Game.

These include everything from the coin toss, length of the National Anthem, Gatorade color, which songs performers will sing, and other entertainment props.

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