What Is a Prop Bet? Player and Game Props Explained

Not every bet is about who wins. A prop bet lets you wager on something that happens inside the game: a quarterback's passing yards, whether a running back scores, which team gets on the board first. Props have become one of the most popular corners of football betting, and they work a little differently from the spread and total.

Prop bets, defined

A prop bet (short for proposition bet) is a wager on a specific event or statistic within a game rather than the final result. The most common are player props, like a receiver's yards, and game props, like the first team to score.

Most player props are simple overs and unders on one stat line, often priced a little higher than a standard spread.

Types of prop bets

Player props

•Passing, rushing and receiving yards

•Completions, receptions and attempts

•Anytime or first touchdown scorer

Game props

•First team to score

•Total touchdowns in the game

•Will the game go to overtime

Specials

•Season-long player totals

•Award markets and futures-style props

•Availability varies by state and book

How player props work

A player prop usually looks like a mini total. The book posts a number, say 249.5 passing yards, and you bet whether the player finishes over or under it. Scorer props work differently: an anytime touchdown bet at +150 simply asks whether the player scores at least once, and pays $150 on a $100 bet if he does.

Common NFL props (illustrative lines)

Prop	Example line	What has to happen
Quarterback passing yards	O/U 249.5	250 or more for the over, 249 or fewer for the under
Receiver receptions	O/U 5.5	6 or more catches for the over
Running back rushing yards	O/U 64.5	65 or more yards for the over
Anytime touchdown	+150	The player scores at least one touchdown
First team to score	-120 / +100	The chosen team scores the first points of the game

How sportsbooks price props

Props often carry more juice than a standard spread. Where a spread is usually -110 on both sides, a player prop is frequently -115 each way, sometimes higher. That small difference raises the win rate you need to break even and the share the book keeps:

What the extra juice costs

Spread or total at -1104.55% hold

Break even at 52.4%

Player prop at -1156.52% hold

Break even at 53.5%

Player prop at -1208.33% hold

Break even at 54.5%

Many player stats are also lopsided. A receiver might catch 3 passes most weeks and 11 once in a while, so a single huge game pulls his average above what he typically does. Books tend to set lines near the typical outcome rather than the average, which is worth knowing before you bet an over based on a season average alone.

How to size up a prop

Start with role, not reputation

Snap share, targets and carries tell you more than a big name.

Check the game script

A team expected to lead late usually runs more; a team expected to trail throws more.

Watch the injury report

An injured teammate can add targets; a banged-up offensive line can take yards away.

Shop the number

Prop lines vary more between books than spreads do. A few yards or a better price adds up.

Props in college football

College football offers plenty of game props, but player props on individual college athletes are restricted or banned in a number of states. Whether you see them depends on where you are betting and which book you use, so check your sportsbook's available markets.

Props and same game parlays

Props are the building blocks of most same game parlays. Because props from one game are often connected (a big passing day usually means big receiving days too), books adjust those combinations. Bet individually, each prop stands on its own.

Prop bet questions

What is a prop bet in football?

A bet on a specific event or stat inside a game, such as a player's yards or the first team to score, instead of the final result.

What does an anytime touchdown prop mean?

You win if the player scores at least one touchdown at any point in the game, including overtime at most books.

Why do props have worse odds than spreads?

Props are harder to price and draw less betting volume, so books usually charge a bit more juice, often -115 or more per side.

What happens if a player does not play?

If a player is inactive or does not take the field, most books void the prop and return your stake. Rules vary, so check your book's house rules.

Can you bet player props on college football?

It depends on your state. Several states restrict or ban props on individual college athletes, while game props are widely available.

Keep reading

Same game parlays →

Stacking props from one game.

Over/under bets →

Totals work the same way props do.

The vig →

Why -115 costs more than -110.

All betting basics →

Every guide in one place.

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