What are Props?
With sports betting, a prop bet is made on an outcome of a certain statistic or event involved with a game. All prop bets are giving in the same mode as regular game bets. A lot of times, you can find prop games on big games.
For example, prop bets for a NFC Championship game could include reception yards from the tight end. The bet would look something like this: Greg Olsen, Chicago, total receiving yards: 94. Bettors would be able to bet whether they felt Olson would catch for more, or less than 94 yards. The odds for prop bets are varied, depending on the prop. The most basic odds are -110, which would mean if you were to bet $100, you would win $90 with a winning bet.
Another prop bet would be which receiver will have more receptions: Owens or Moss? Odds would then be giving for both individuals and the bettor would have a choice of the receivers.
The most familiar game for prop betting is the Super Bowl. With nearly $70 million put on Super Bowl bets, nearly 60% of that is put on props. Sportsbooks began putting prop bets out there to disperse the money different ways. Instead of one major decision for such a big game, now there are plenty of opportunities to win.
A popular prop bet during the Super Bowl is the opening coin toss. In what could be the most random bet of any event in sports history, odds for the coin toss typically start, and finish at -105. For the chance to win $95 on a $100 bet, you could select heads. If the coin came up heads, you would win. If not, then your $100 is gone. Talk about random, and luck. This definitely brings a new perspective to the opening coin toss. If the coin toss is not your cup of tea, another exotic prop bet that comes up during Super Bowl time: Which team will get the ball first? Sometimes bettors have a hunch whether a certain coach may defer, to put their vaunted defense on the field first, and will bet the other team getting the ball first. With maybe a little more logic then simply which side of the coin will come up, this prop bet is still very random.
Other popular prop bets during a Super Bowl would be: Which team will score first? Will the first score be a touchdown, field goal, or other? How many turnovers will be committed in this game, etc? The Super Bowl is not the only place you can place prop bets on. Events such as the World Series, the NCAA Tournament, the NBA Finals, the Stanley Cup, the World Series, etc. all are great opportunities to find sensational prop bets.
Prop bets certainly allow for the average sports fan to find a reason/reasons to watch each and every aspect of the game. Some people can get carried away with prop bets, and just find reasons to make bets. When looking at prop bets, be careful, and be selective, and you can find some great value on some solid bets.
