Prop bets, short for proposition bets, are wagers placed on specific events or occurrences within a game or sporting event that are not directly tied to the final outcome or score. Unlike standard bets on spreads, moneylines, or totals, prop bets allow you to bet on various segmented aspects of a game, including individual player performance, team achievements, or unique happenings during the event. There are several types of prop bets:
- Game Props: Bets on specific events during the game, such as which team will score first, whether there will be a goal in the first five minutes, or total rushing yards by a team.
- Team Props: Bets focusing on team performance like the total number of three-pointers made, whether a team will win all quarters, or if a team will score a defensive touchdown.
- Player Props: Bets on individual player performances, such as the number of touchdowns a player will score, total rebounds in basketball, or strikeouts by a pitcher.
Prop bets often add excitement because they offer more detailed betting options beyond the overall game outcome. They can be graded over the whole game or segments like quarters or halves. Although once seen as "sucker bets," prop betting has become extremely popular with the rise of fantasy sports and analytics, attracting many sharp bettors for its potential value and variation. Some prop bets even cover unusual or entertainment-based outcomes, like the color of the Gatorade poured on a winning coach or the length of a halftime show, especially in major events like the Super Bowl. In summary, prop bets give bettors a broad and diverse range of opportunities to wager on finer details within a sporting event, providing additional engagement and the chance for unique betting strategies. This concept is widely offered in legal US sportsbooks and is especially popular during large sporting events such as the Super Bowl.
