Anytime Touchdown Scorer Bets: How They Work and How to Bet Them
It is the simplest prop on the board. Pick a player, and if he crosses the goal line at any point in the game, you win. No yardage totals, no reception counts, no spreads. That simplicity is why anytime touchdown scorer bets are among the most popular props in football, and also why they are easy to bet badly.
How anytime touchdown bets work
Each player gets a price, usually with a plus sign for pass catchers and backups and sometimes a minus sign for lead goal-line backs. If your player scores once, you win the full payout. Scoring twice does not pay more (that is a separate "2+ touchdowns" market). If he does not score, you lose.
- What counts: rushing, receiving and return touchdowns, plus defensive and special teams scores by that player, and overtime touchdowns.
- What does not count: touchdown passes for the passer and two-point conversions.
- If the player does not play: most sportsbooks void the bet and refund your stake. If he takes at least one snap, the bet usually stands, even if he gets hurt early.
How to read anytime TD odds
Like any price, anytime TD odds convert to an implied probability. That number is the chance you need your player to score for the bet to break even. Our guide on how to read betting odds covers the formula.
| Odds | $100 bet profits | Implied chance to score | Typical role at this price |
|---|---|---|---|
| -150 | $66.67 | 60.0% | Goal-line back in a high-scoring spot |
| +100 | $100 | 50.0% | Lead back or top red-zone target |
| +150 | $150 | 40.0% | Featured receiver or tight end |
| +200 | $200 | 33.3% | Secondary receiver |
| +400 | $400 | 20.0% | Rotational player |
| +800 | $800 | 11.1% | Backup or low-volume role |
What drives touchdown odds
Find the team total first
Before looking at players, figure out how many points each team is expected to score. You can do it from the spread and total: the favorite's implied points are (total + spread) ÷ 2, and the underdog's are (total − spread) ÷ 2. A 7-point favorite in a game with a 47-point total is expected to score about 27 points; the underdog, about 20. Many books also post team totals directly.
A team expected to score 27 points is projected for roughly three touchdowns. The question then becomes who gets those touchdowns. That is where snap counts, red zone usage and goal-line carries come in.
Other touchdown scorer markets
| Market | Wins if | Payout vs. anytime |
|---|---|---|
| Anytime TD | Player scores at least once | Baseline |
| First TD scorer | Player scores the game's first touchdown | Much bigger |
| Last TD scorer | Player scores the game's final touchdown | Much bigger |
| 2+ touchdowns | Player scores two or more | Bigger |
| Team first TD | Player scores his team's first touchdown | Bigger |
First TD markets pay a lot more because only one player in the game can win. If no touchdown is scored, first TD bets usually lose, so read the rules.
Anytime TD parlays: fun, but price them honestly
Stacking anytime TDs into a parlay or a same game parlay is hugely popular. The math is steep. Three players at +150 each is about +1463 as a standard parlay, which needs all three to score. Even before the vig, the implied chance of that hitting is about 6.4%. In same game parlays, books also adjust payouts for correlation, so the price is often less than simple multiplication suggests.
Tips for betting anytime touchdown props
Anytime touchdown questions
What does anytime touchdown scorer mean?
Does a passing touchdown count for an anytime TD bet?
Does overtime count for anytime touchdown bets?
What happens if my player does not play?
Do two-point conversions count as a touchdown?
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