Proposition betting is one of the most popular types of wagers in the world. In fact, even people who do not gamble on sports engage in propositions.

1. Online Sports Prop Bets
2. Cbs Sports Prop Bet
3. How Do Prop Bets Work
4. Cbs Sports Prop Bets
5. Las Vegas Sports Prop Bets

However, Coloradans need to pay special attention to props these days, thanks to the advent of a particular type of proposition that has taken US sports betting by storm. Read on for all the information you need to bet propositions.

Online Sports Prop Bets

Prop bets are additional wagering opportunities that are available for each game on the docket. At most sportsbooks, they can be found in the betting lobby by clicking on a link titled something along the. SportsLine Prop Guide See which big game props you need to bet, which players sail over their yardage and touchdown totals, and get trends you need to know, all from a team of football insiders.

How prop betting works

The first thing to know about propositions is what they are. Simply put, a proposition bet, or prop bet, is a wager on an event ancillary to the outcome of the game.

As a result, any kind of bet on side events, partial game results, or individual players falls into this category. Basically, prop bets are an umbrella category for wagers that don’t qualify as other straight bets.

Because the definition for a prop bet is so broad, most informal wagers between individuals fall into this category, too. Anything from friendly bets, gentlemen’s wagers, and dares could be termed a proposition.

The good news is that, as far as professional sportsbooks are concerned, a prop bet is perhaps the easiest type of wager for the layman to understand. Rather than having to know what the spread or moneyline are, a casual sports bettor can place a bet on events such as:

• Player-based events
  ○ Which player will score the first goal/basket/run
  ○ Which player will score the most goals/points/runs by the end of the game
  ○ Whether a player score more than or less than a certain number of points
  ○ Whether a player will achieve a certain goal or statistic, like a double-double or a hat trick
• Game-based events
  ○ Which team will be first to score a certain amount of points/goals/runs
  ○ Whether the game will go into overtime
  ○ Whether the total number of goals/points/runs be odd or even
• Team props
  ○ Over/unders for points each team might score by the end of the 1st quarter
  ○ Over/under for each team’s individual points

Some propositions will even combine these elements into a single bet. In effect, it’s a mini-parlay, but the two events will affect one another.

So, a prop wager might ask if a player might score a certain number of points AND his team wins the game. Needless to say, the odds of both events happening are much lower than either event happening individually.

Some sportsbooks will even allow bettors to propose their own wagers to the sportsbook. Obviously, if a player can come up with an offer not already available, it’s a proposition bet.

Real examples of proposition bets

There’s no major math or calculation to perform for prop betting. Prop bets tend to be expressed as moneylines, and pay accordingly.

So, here are some real examples of proposition bets. All of these wagers were offered at DraftKings Sportsbook at one time.

Example of a player prop

Game: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Milwaukee Bucks (NBA)
Prop: Player to Score the First Field Goal of the Game

Selections:

• Giannis Antetokounmpo +350
• Joel Embiid +550
• Khris Middleton +700
• Tobias Harris +700
• Ben Simmons +700
• Eric Bledsoe +1000
• Brook Lopez +1100
• Al Horford +1100
• Wesley Matthews +1600
• Shake Milton +1600

Example of a game prop

Game: Anaheim Ducks vs. Montreal Canadiens (NHL)
Prop: Away Team to score first and win the match – Inc. OT and Shootout

Selections:

• Yes +220
• No -335

Prop: Home Team to score first and win the match – Inc. OT and Shootout

Selections:

• Yes +117
• No -159

Example of a team prop

Game: Athletic Club Bilbao vs. FC Barcelona (Copa Del Rey)
Prop: Away Team Totals

• Over 0.5 -335
• Over 1.5 +160
• Over 2.5 +575
• Over 3.5 +1800
• Under 0.5 +235
• Under 1.5 -220
• Under 2.5 -1000
• Under 3.5 -10000

Live betting: The revolution is live

Propositions are also home to a subset of betting that has taken the sports betting world by storm. Live betting, or in-game wagering, has become a must-have for online sportsbooks throughout the US.

As its name implies, live betting involves wagering on sporting events that are already in progress. The technological advances enjoyed by online sportsbooks have allowed sports betting to look very different from the smoky backrooms of old.

One of the main reasons for the change is that the technology allows sportsbooks to offer wagers on extremely small events during the match. Prop bets on situations as mundane as individual play outcomes are common offerings.

Because of that magnification, sportsbooks now have the potential to offer more than one hundred wagers during the course of a single game. As it turns out, this ability is a rare win-win situation for both operator and bettor.

For bettors, the increased number of bets means that you can either augment your pre-game bets that look promising, or you can hedge against those that are going awry. In either case, you have more flexibility to stay active and put more money in your pockets.

For sportsbooks, their revenue tends to vary directly with the number of wagers that bettors make. The more bets that are submitted, the more vigorish, or “vig,” sportsbooks can add to their coffers.

Most Recent Betting Guides

Types of live bets

Live bets tend to come in three flavors. Each comes with its own set of quirks.

Continued pregame wagers

The first type of live bet is the continuation of pregame wagers. A sportsbook will often allow the spread, moneyline, and totals offers to keep going, even after play begins.

The trick is that these pregame wagers are not nearly as static as they used to be. Instead of only moving according to the amount of betting, a live bet will now vary dynamically according to the progress of the actual match.

Partial game results

Cbs Sports Prop Bet

The second type of live bet is the partial game result. Though it is possible to bet on segments of the game before it begins, sportsbooks are now able to offer a far greater array of questions about how portions of the game will end.

There will obviously be questions about the outcome of defined periods of play, of course. Those are common in pregame betting, too.

However, it is here where sportsbooks can begin breaking down pieces of the game into astounding granularity. It is not uncommon to see offers about whether the next football play will be a pass or run, or which player in a tennis match will win the next point.

Milestone achievements

Finally, the third type of live bet pertains to milestone achievement. A sportsbook might pose the question about whether a team or player will achieve a certain statistic during the course of the game.

These statistics could be specific to the game, the season, or even the player’s career. Generally, however, they relate to a player’s performance based on existing patterns.

For instance, if a player were to score 10 points in the first quarter of a basketball game, the book might offer a bet about whether he will score 20 by the time the game ends. Or, if a player is having an off night, the sportsbook could ask whether he’ll achieve his average number of points.

Obviously, the milestones are just arbitrary measures. One of the great things about live betting, and prop bets in general, is that they are limited only by the imagination of the sportsbook and bettor.

In most mainstream betting circles, wagers such as point spreads, moneylines, and totals capture the overwhelming majority of the attention. However, there are plenty of other ways to get in the game.

Prop Betting is one of those ways. In a nutshell, these are side wagers you can make on something that may or may not happen in the confines of a sporting contest. You’ll find props available for team-based situations, as well as ones that revolve around individual player performance.

For sportsbooks, prop bets are a great way to increase user engagement. For sports bettors, they can make contests all the more interesting, and potentially even more profitable.

We’re going to walk through everything you need to know right here while going through a number of examples. Let’s get started by taking a more detailed look at what they are.

What are Prop Bets?

Prop bets are additional wagering opportunities that are available for each game on the docket. At most sportsbooks, they can be found in the betting lobby by clicking on a link titled something along the lines of ‘more wagers’ which appears in the game listing.

They’re essentially side wagers for things that could happen during the course of a game. Offerings will vary based on sport, but let’s look at a few possibilities for the major team-based pro sports.

• NFL: First Player to Score a TD
• NBA: Total Points Scored in 1st Quarter
• NHL: Highest Scoring Period
• MLB: Total Runs Scored in 1st Inning

You’ll find prop bets that are related to team performance, as well as wagering opportunities that are tied to individual player output. Those that fall in the latter category have become a popular entry point for those who are transitioning over from fantasy sports to sports betting

Prop bets are incredibly popular for major events such as the Super Bowl, but you’ll be able to find them all year long in your sports of choice. They help to expand the betting menu significantly and open up different possibilities for bettors.

Prop Bet Odds

The format for prop bet odds will differ based on the opportunity that’s listed. There will be some that resemble the odds format you’ll find in game lines, and others that look more like the outright odds in futures markets.

Let’s take a look at an example of each. For starters, here’s a player prop from an upcoming NBA game on the potential points scored for Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans.

• Over 20.5 points -108
• Under 20.5 points -114

As you can see, the odds for the two choices are similar to what you might find in an Over/Under wager on the total points scored for the game. Next, let’s stick with the same game in which the Pelicans are facing the Milwaukee Bucks. Here are the odds on who will score the first basket in the contest.

• Giannis Antetokounmpo +370
• Zion Williamson +480
• Khris Middleton +600
• Brandon Ingram +650
• Eric Bledsoe +900

And so on for all of the players expected to play in the game. For prop bets with only two choices, odds listings are similar to what you’ll find in game lines. When there are a number of choices to consider, then the odds are listed like a futures market, such as the winner of the upcoming NBA Finals.

Examples of Prop Bets

You’ll find plenty of different choices for prop bets at major sportsbooks. As always, offerings will vary by operator. You could find an awesome selection for all sports at one book, but another operator may be a little skimpy in some spots.

Let’s walk through some additional examples. This time, let’s switch gears over to the NHL. The Colorado Avalanche will be at the Buffalo Sabres for an upcoming game. Here are the odds for the first goal scorer in the contest.

• Jake Eichel +600
• Nathan MacKinnon +750
• Mikko Rantanen +900
• Sam Reinhart +1000

You’ll find odds listed for all players scheduled to compete, as well as for a ‘no goals’ selection. Sticking with the same game, here are the odds for total goals scored by the home team.

• Sabres 2 or Less -120
• Sabres 3 or 4 +145
• Sabres 5 or More +550

Last but not least, here are the odds for an individual player prop in the same contest. This one revolves around the total points that Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche will score in the game.

• Over 1.5 Points +136
• Under 1.5 Points -182

In short, you’ll find numerous prop betting opportunities available for all of the major sports. There will be team-based and single player props, as well as ones that revolve around just parts of the game, such as the first goal scorer or total number of goals scored in a period.

Prop Bet Odds and Line Movement

When it comes to game lines, it’s pretty simple to track the odds from open until game time. After you see the opening lines, you can keep your eyes out for changes based on things such as market reaction or news that breaks after the odds were unveiled.

In addition, many major operators will remain in range of each other on lines and odds. Those who don’t will stick out like a sore thumb, and line shoppers will typically pounce quickly and generally bring them back in line with the overall market before too long.

For prop bets, this information isn’t quite as easy to track. There’s no centralized location for prop betting odds, and you’ll generally have to click through on each individual game to explore opportunities.

Additionally, offerings will vary by sportsbook. The major prop bets types will be found everywhere, but some operators will have exclusive offerings and/or go the extra mile with offerings that aren’t found everywhere.

All that said, you can still use your general sports betting sense while examining different prop betting opportunities.

For example, you may have a great read on the individual performance of certain players, as well as the matchup they are facing for the game at hand. This can make for a great spot for individual prop bets related to that player.

On the team-based side, you may know that certain teams start off quick and close slow, or vice versa. That’s valuable intel to consider when you are examining opportunities for things such as halves and totals.

How to Handicap Prop Bets

Just like the odds will vary based on the prop bet at hand, so too will the handicapping approach for team-based and individual parlay wagers.

On the team side, you can generally stick to the same types of principles you use when handicapping games themselves. You’ll be looking for things like matchup advantages and recent play, for example.

When it comes to the individual player props, it’s pretty similar to projecting the fantasy performance for individual players in the game. Those who have favorable matchups could outperform expectations and averages, while those with less favorable circumstances could have a challenging game.

In both cases, the odds will be your opening guideline. Props with shorter odds have more likelihood of occurring, so sportsbooks will be willing to pay out a fair price and that’s it. However, that doesn’t mean you should shy away from opportunities with higher odds and less of a probability of happening.

How Do Prop Bets Work

In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Many props revolve around situations that can be tough to predict, such as the first basket in an NBA game or the first goal in an NHL contest.

For those who feel they are solid when it comes to forecasting things such as this, that can open the doors to serious returns, i.e. a lot of bang for the buck. However, that doesn’t mean you should break the bank chasing longshot opportunities.

Instead, approach prop betting with a specific budget in mind, just as you should with single-game wagers. You can take your budget and allocate it out based on confidence level, such as:

• 80-90% of your prop betting budget on those you feel most confident about.
• 10-20% on speculative or longshot opportunities.

While prop betting can certainly open the door to additional profit opportunities, it’s important to remain just as disciplined as you are when it comes to single-game wagers. It can be really easy to fall down the rabbit hole, so choose your spots wisely and stick to a plan.

Essential Questions to Ask About Prop Betting

Diving in and throwing money at any prop wager that tickles your fancy is a recipe for disaster. Sure, you may get lucky and have a good night or two by doing it this way, but it’s just not a viable long-term strategy.

When considering prop betting, it can be helpful to think about it in the same fashion as you would approach a monster slate of games.

For example, an average Saturday in the heart of College Football season can include 40+ games. There aren’t that many folks out there who have time to tackle every game on the slate, and probably even fewer who place wagers on every single game on the docket.

Instead, the majority of handicappers will focus on the games that they find most appealing. They won’t necessarily bet on all of them, but this will be the list of contests they’re focusing on to mine for opportunities.

The same approach can be used for prop betting. Let’s consider one of the biggest prop betting days of the year as an example.

For the Super Bowl, sportsbooks go all out on the prop front. It’s not uncommon to see 300+ different opportunities available in some spots.

Naturally, few will have the time – or the bankroll available – to bet on each and every one of these opportunities. Rather than doing that, the best course of action is to go through the list and find those that jump out to you as good opportunities.

While going through the list, you can narrow down the field substantially just by asking yourself a couple of simple questions.

Cbs Sports Prop Bets

• Which of these prop opportunities can I reasonably expect to predict with some semblance of accuracy?
• Are there any longshot opportunities that look like they could be worth exploring further?

After going through the full list and using those questions as a guide, you should be able to get down to a much more manageable group of choices to consider. If you still feel like the list is too big, go through the process again and narrow it down even further.

In a perfect world, you’ll wind up with a manageable list that you feel comfortable with, and you will then go on to place wagers on the ones you feel best about.

You can use this exact same process when it comes time for prop betting on a daily sport such as NBA, NHL, or MLB. Your time may be more limited here, but you can narrow down the choices before you even begin. Ask yourself the following:

Las Vegas Sports Prop Bets

• Which type of prop bets am I strongest at handicapping?
• What props do I feel the most comfortable making at least an educated guess on?

If you answer those two questions right away, you’ll know which types of props you want to zero in on each night. From there, it’s just a matter of choosing the most appealing options.

The Bottom Line on Prop Betting

Prop bets are basically side bets that open up additional wagering opportunities for games or contests. In a nutshell, the bets revolve around something that may or may not happen during the game.

There are prop bets which are team-based which revolve around instances such as first-half scoring or total margin of victory. There are also props which are based on individual player performance, such as a total number of points scored or yards gained.

How to handicap for prop bets will depend on whether they are team or individual bets. On the team side, normal handicapping rules will suffice. For individual player performances, it can help to approach them in the same fashion as you would for projecting fantasy output.

You’ll typically find a wealth of prop betting opportunities available for each game on the docket. As always, it’s important to be selective with how you’re allocating your hard-earned dollars. In short, be selective with prop bets and only wager on those you feel most comfortable with.