Gambling on any football game or any other sport is fun. You can place a moneyline wager on the Dodgers beating Cardinals or guess who will cover the spread in Sunday’s Saints vs Cowboys game. The whole point of gambling, however, is to have fun and hopefully win some money.
Prop betting is a fun and entertaining way to wager on sports.
What is a Prop Bet and how do you define it?
A prop bet, short for proposition, is a wager that is based on the outcome of a sporting event. These incidents, unlike straight-up wagers, totals, or point spreads do not impact the outcome of the game, or the final score. Because they can be used to deal with milestones for individual players or teams, props are called novelty wagers. These milestones include how many wide receivers a wide receiver will catch (football), how much total goals will be scored by hockey (hockey), and how many strike throws a pitcher (Major League Baseball). Or how many rebounds a center will take (basketball).
How to read Prop Odds
The first step to making a prop wager is understanding the odds. The following are the prop odds you will see at your preferred online sportsbook:
NFL First Touchdown Scorer: Eagles against Packers
- Davante Adams +300
- Aaron Jones +450
- Zach Ertz +700
- Miles Sanders +1000
If you bet $40 that Adams will score the first TD and believe Adams is going to do it, a winning wager would pay $160. Your original $40 is returned with your $120 prize.
We used American odds for this example. You can also choose decimal (1.20), or fractional (1/5) depending on your preference. North American bettors tend to favor their namesake odds, while those in the UK prefer fractions. Each type of odds is offered by most betting sites.
Our Odds Calculator will help you determine the amount you would win based upon your odds and how big you bet.
Make a live proposition bet
You can bet live on any sport, and you will find action at your favorite online sportsbook for games in progress. These prop bets allow you to place wagers on every drive, at-bat or kick, as well as any faceoff. In-play betting is available for college and NFL footballs like this:
What will be the end of the next drive?
- Touchdown +250
- Field Goal +500
- Interception + 900
Live odds change quickly. You should take advantage of these opportunities as soon as possible to avoid missing out on amazing action.
Super Bowl Prop Betting
You’ll find the best props on Sunday, which is NFL’s largest day. Prop betting on Super Bowl is huge for all levels of bettors, as you can get odds on everything, from how many sacks each player will receive to which team’s score.
- Coin Toss – Will it land on HEADS OR TAILS?
- National Anthem: How much time will it take for you to sing the Star-Spangled Banner
- Gatorade Color – What color liquid will be poured on the winner’s coach?
- MVP: Who will be the Most Valuable Player (MVP)?
- Player’s Projection Production: How many touchdowns does quarterback X score? Is there a safety in halftime? Which receiver will receive the longest reception?
These props will be available approximately one week before the big game. This gives you ample time to research and make smart choices. More information is below.
Handicapping your Prop Bets
It’s essential to do your research to get an edge with your props. While you don’t need to search the internet for angles for your props, Odds Shark has betting news and trends for every sport.
We’ll use the Most Valuable Player as an example to show you how to handicap a prop wager. We’ll be using retired players instead of current players and pretending they all played in one Super Bowl.
- Peyton Manning +150
- Jerry Rice +175
- Jim Brown +250
- Barry Sanders +300
- Joe Montana +300
- Emmitt Smith +500
- Randy Moss +700
This research would focus on the performance of each player leading up to the Super Bowl. Peyton would be used to assess his QB rating, ability to move in a pocket and how calm he is when under pressure. What number of Sunday Night Football games did he win during the regular season? How did he fare in the playoffs What has his record been against opposing teams in the past?
After you have analyzed this information, it’s time to pick your MVP. This information will also be available for you immediately after the Super Bowl props are announced, saving you valuable time.
Prop Bets vs. Futures
Although they are sometimes confused with futures bets (proposition bets), they are actually different. Futures are bets you place on future events. These bets are made before the season begins for any sport. They include the prediction of which team will win the World Series or which team will win their conference.
We have all the information you need to make player picks about how many TDs Tom Brady will throw in a Buccaneers-Packers NFC Championship game, or which Super Bowl MVP player you will choose.
Last Updated on October 2, 2021
