The great thing about the sports betting industry is the number of ways you can place bets or the many different events you can bet on. One way to accomplish this is by placing proposition bets or “prop bets.” 

What are prop bets?

Prop bets are wagers or bets placed on anything other than the typical point spreads, totals, and money line bets. Prop betting is becoming increasingly popular daily, and the variety of prop bets is endless. In an NFL game, player props are sportsbooks' most popular prop bets they have to offer. 

Prop Betting Options

There are an endless amount of prop bets out there. Most sportsbooks offer prop bets on most sporting events and even some of the largest events in the world, like the Presidential Elections, award shows, or TV shows.

Sports Props

Like I mentioned earlier, the most popular prop bets are going to come in sports games via player props. But, there will also be other options in sporting events like a simple “yes” or “no” scenario.

Common NFL Player Props

  • Over/under Player Passing Yards
  • Over/under Player Receiving Yards
  • Over/under Player Rushing Yards
  • Anytime TD scorer
  • First TD scorer

Common NBA Player Props

  • Over/under Player points
  • Over/under Player points + assists + rebounds
  • Over/under player made 3-points attempts

Common MLB Player Props

  • Over/under strikeouts for starting pitcher
  • Yes or No runs scored in first innings
  • over/under total bases by offensive player

Common Yes/No Prop Bets

  • Will there be overtime?
  • Will the game end in a tie?
  • Will either team have a defensive touchdown?

Super Bowl Props

The Super Bowl is one of the biggest bet-on events of the year, and most of the money is coming on prop bets that don't even pertain to the actual game. You can place bets on the color of the winning team's Gatorade bath, the length of the National Anthem, and even the coin toss. 

2022 Super Bowl Prop Bets

  • Coin Toss: Heads or Tails
  • National Anthem: Over/Under 106 seconds in length
  • Color of Gatorade Bath: Blue, Red, Yellow, Other
  • What will Eminem’s first song be?
  • Will the score ever be tied after it’s 0-0?
  • Which team will score last?

Entertainment Props

Believe it or not, some online sportsbooks offer prop bets on TV shows like The Voice, The Bachelor, or American Idol. If you are a fan of any of these shows, you can place bets on who will win it all, be the first to be eliminated, or do other things of that nature.

Other events like The Grammys, Oscars, Emmys, and Golden Globes have become popular in the betting world.

Political Props

As stated earlier, you can even find prop bets during the Presidential Election. Looking back at the 2020 election, they offered more props than just the standard Trump vs. Biden. According to Betfair, more than $564 million were bet on the 2020 election.

Tips and Advice

Like any bet you want to place, you must do the research beforehand. You want to ensure you are updated with as much information as possible, especially if you are diving into the player prop market.

Player props are an excellent place to start if you are new to betting. 

NFL spreads are the most efficient lines in the market. An easy way to take advantage of these sportsbooks is to find inefficient or less efficient markets like NFL Player Props. Sportsbooks even tell us they are less efficient indirectly by lowering the amount of money you can bet on props. 

Jack Miller of Establish The Run said it best, "Sportsbook puts less effort into props."

So while player props are an excellent way to pad your bankroll, they are not a profitable way of betting long-term just because of the lower limits.

Just like any bet you want to place, you have to do the research beforehand. You want to ensure you are updated with as much information as possible, especially if you are diving into the player prop market. Below are some tips to consider before placing your prop bets.

  • Consider weather conditions. Bad weather, like heavy winds, rain, or snow, may impact gameplay.
  • Bet on familiar players, like players on your favorite teams.
  • Research team's strength of schedule. You don't want to bet the over on a running back rushing prop and then realize he is facing the best-run defense in the league.
  • Bankroll Management. Be selective, and keep an eye on how much you are wagering on your prop bets.
  • Always shop for the best lines and odds. Having access to multiple sportsbooks is key.

Also, like any other bet, make sure you shop for the best line. You may not find a big difference between other sportsbooks, but trying to find a 1-2 yard advantage could be the difference in becoming profitable long term.

Final Word

Like everything else in this industry or even life, prop betting has pros and cons. Prop betting can provide more entertainment/excitement for many events outside of the sports world as well as all other sporting events for the more advanced sports bettors. If done correctly, sports bettors can exploit the lines more easily than the typical spread wagers. 

With the betting industry growing and the prop market becoming increasingly popular, the edge in props won't last forever. Please take advantage of it now while you still can.