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Prop bets are great fun and hugely popular in many sports. This means that there is an almost endless variety of prop concepts to choose from. Because they are so profitable and fun, there’s no reason not to try them.
We’ve prepared this article to help you - especially if you are a first-timer, to learn about the different prop bets. By taking you through some examples, advantages of prop betting over conventional betting, and top tips you should know, we’ll set you on a path to becoming a genius at prop betting. Let’s get started!
Prop bets are short for proposition bets, which are basically wagers based on circumstances linked to occurrences or non-occurrences during a game. This means that prop bets will most likely not influence the final outcome of the game or the final score, unlike totals, straight-up wagers, or point spreads, because this is not the focal point of prop betting.
The most common example of a prop bet is picking the first player in an NBA game to record a basket to the length of the national anthem at the Super Bowl. Simply described, prop betting is usually the best way to find positive expected value when sports betting.
Recently, several states have updated their rules for prop betting on college sports, with others considering changes as well. Some states completely ban prop bets on college sports or only permit them before the game starts. Other states don't allow prop bets on how individual players will perform.
Lately, more states have made their prop bet rules stricter, particularly for college sports compared to professional sports. Refer to the table below to check the current prop betting rules in your state.
State | College Prop Betting Legal Rules and Regulations |
---|---|
New York Prop Betting | ✅ Allowed, but only out-of-state college teams |
New Jersey Prop Betting | ✅ Allowed, but only out-of-state college teams |
Indiana Prop Betting | ✅ Allowed, but pre-game props ONLY |
Michigan Prop Betting | ✅ Allowed on college sports |
Louisiana Prop Betting | ✅ Allowed on college sports |
Maryland Prop Betting | ✅ Allowed on college sports |
Arizona Prop Betting | ❌Prohibited on college sports |
Colorado Prop Betting | ❌Prohibited on college sports |
Illinois Prop Betting | ❌Prohibited on in-state college teams |
Iowa Prop Betting | ❌Prohibited on college sports |
Pennsylvania Prop Betting | ❌Prohibited on college sports & non-sport events |
Tennessee Prop Betting | ❌Prohibited on college sports |
Virginia Prop Betting | ❌Prohibited on college sports |
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Advantages | Prop Betting | Conventional Betting |
---|---|---|
Extra action | Keeps you involved during the game | Involves choosing a team and waiting for outcome |
Exploitable opportunities | Low betting limits allow for potential advantage | Betting limits may be higher, less exploitable |
Profit Potential | Can be profitable based on number of bets made, especially for experienced bettors | Profit potential varies, may rely more on chance |
Variety | Adds variety to the betting experience | Betting options may be more limited |
Before you want to start looking at what can happen during the game or your possible prop options, it’s a very smart move to assess the full outcome with logic and stats if they are at your disposal. So, what does the full outcome entail? Consider the facts that you know relevant to the teams and game, and play the game out in your head. What is most likely to happen? Look at quarters, halves, and the full picture before moving on to a conclusion.
Then, after you’ve done your homework, you can make more educated decisions with your prop bets.
Which of the available prop bets fit naturally into your game outcome? Make a list, and choose only those that require minimum luck.
You may be a highly educated individual, but how much do you know about the teams and players’ stats as well as the sport you have your eye on? Additionally, do you know the wager types and odds?
These are all tidbits of information that can help you make winning choices. For example, prop bets can range from where a player is selected in a draft to how many points/touchdowns/yards/rebounds/goals/ they will rack up in the game you have your eye on.
What do you need to know before you can place an educated bet on a specific player? You most likely want as much information as possible about the player’s skill-set, their team, their matchup, and the position they play in their sport. Don’t tie your own hands and leave your fate to risk by not wising up before a game. Making prop bets as minimally risky as possible makes them all the more profitable and rewarding.
Have you noticed a trend yet? Yes, everything is about gaining relevant knowledge and diminishing chance, luck, and risk during the decision-making process. Now, here is a vital piece of advice — some prop options can be a little vague, and no matter how attractive they appear, opting for one of them can be extremely reckless.
Let’s just say that you should think twice before betting on a prop that’s wide open to interpretation and everyone’s imagination.
Your smart move here is to ensure that you’ve checked and fully understand the exact terms of a prop before risking your hard-earned money on it. If you don’t fully understand a prop’s T’s & C’s, just avoid the proposition and leave it for the next person.
You can combine what you read in the T’s & C’s with both your game prediction and your knowledge. If it still doesn't add up, don’t even give it another thought. You may feel like you missed out, but losing your money for no good reason is going to make you feel much worse.
After the first three points, this one may sound a bit counterintuitive. But to be a master bettor, deductive reasoning involves looking at your pros, cons, filtering them, and then looking at them again. As you learn this skill, it becomes second nature. So, don’t get us wrong — stats can be tremendously useful when betting props. This will always be a fact.
The only other detail you need to keep in mind is that stats are not everything. Don’t put all your money on stats. Consider the unique context of the specific game you want to bet on by asking yourself if there is one, and aim to identify circumstantial or situational factors that may affect the validity of the stats.
For example, you may be comparing the most recent averages of two quarterbacks when you consider betting on which one will pass the most yards in a game. What about other factors like whether both these quarterbacks have had easy games? Do these stats tell you if the quarterbacks were playing tougher or easier games? That may influence the outcome of the game you want to bet on. Considering contributing factors suddenly becomes multidimensional, but if you use this knowledge, it will pay out big time.
You are most likely going to develop a killer strategy if you follow our advice and apply it to your unique approach to prop betting. So, the final piece of advice is to not share your winning strategy once you’ve got it figured out!
At CaptainGambling.com, we love to share the most useful and current information so you can make the best betting choices, but if you find a formula that works, don’t post your carefully construed brainchild on any betting forum where other bettors can take advantage of it.
By just sharing your strategy with friends, you could potentially lose money. This is because there is only a limited value in the prop betting markets, and sharing the fruits of your hard work is going to cause it to systematically lose its value. You can totally be selfish here. When it comes to betting, it’s each for their own, and you’re not doing anything at anyone else’s expense.
BetMGM stands out as a top site for prop bets due to its vast selection of single-game prop markets and well-organized mobile app. For MLB games, you can easily find bets under categories like Pitching Props, Batting Props, and Star Player Props. In Batting Props, for instance, you can bet on Home Runs, Hits, RBIs, Total Runs, Singles, Doubles, Triples, Bases, Stolen Bases, and Hits+Runs+RBI.
As an official NFL betting partner, BetMGM is also excellent for NFL prop bets, offering options on players, teams, and full seasons. The sportsbook also provides attractive promotions and bonuses.
Available in: Arizona, Colorado, DC, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
- Wide range of prop bets for every NFL team with competitive odds.
- Easy-to-use mobile app with a functional search feature.
- Welcome bonus of up to $1,500 in first-bet insurance.
FanDuel is a top choice for NFL prop betting because it offers a large variety of prop bets, a user-friendly mobile app, and attractive promotions and bonuses. New users can take advantage of the "bet $5, win $150 in bonus bets" welcome offer. FanDuel also provides some of the best odds in the industry, both during the regular season and the playoffs.
You can use FanDuel in the following states: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
FanDuel stands out for NFL prop bets because it offers:
- A wide range of NFL prop bets, including those on players, teams, games, and seasons.
- A simple and efficient mobile app for easy prop bet placement.
- Excellent options for live betting.
DraftKings, well-known for daily fantasy sports, is also a top choice for player prop bets in sports betting. DraftKings offers special odds boosts for player props, such as combining three player props into a Same Game Parlay for bigger payouts. The user-friendly interface makes it easy for sports bettors to find the best NFL prop bets each week.
DraftKings is Available in: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Reasons to choose DraftKings for NFL prop bets:
- Large and diverse selection of NFL prop bets.
- Fast and seamless banking transactions.
- Intuitive mobile app for quick bet placement.
- $1,500 no-sweat bet welcome offer.
Caesars has been providing top betting odds for many years, including a wide range of NFL prop bets. You can bet on various outcomes, such as which player will be drafted first or team win totals. Caesars is known for its extensive variety of prop bets and odds boosts, covering all aspects of the game.
One of the standout features of Caesars Sportsbook is its extensive season-long prop markets. While many sportsbooks focus on single-game props, Caesars offers a large selection of future prop bets. For instance, in the NFL, you can bet on which player will lead the league in stats like passing touchdowns, rushing yards, and sacks.
Caesars is also highly rated for its welcome promotions, bonuses, and frequent odds boosts. New users can get up to $1,000 in first bet insurance using a Caesars promo code.
Caesars is available in: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Caesars excels in NFL prop betting with:
- A comprehensive list of NFL prop bets.
- Competitive odds and frequent odds boosts for better returns.
bet365 offers a wide range of game, team, and player performance prop bets. Besides competitive odds, bet365 enhances the betting experience with regular bet boosts for NFL props. The platform also provides solid bonuses, live betting, and live-streaming of NFL games. New users can get $150 in bonus bets after placing a $5 bet.
bet365 is Available in: Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia.
Key features of NFL prop betting at bet365:
- Extensive selection of NFL prop bets, including player, game, team, and novelty props.
- Numerous live-streaming options for easy in-game prop betting.
- Highly rated for Super Bowl betting.
If you want to scour your options for other operators also offering prop bets as an option in promotional offers, you don’t need to go far. CaptainGambling’s got you covered with all the latest betting promotions and bonus deals, what you need to know about them, and which ones will best suit your betting wants and needs. The most comprehensive and up-to-date reviews of the operator you’re searching for are right here on this platform.
Prop betting opportunities have great profit potential based on the number of bets made and are a never-ending source of entertainment. If you feel your game is getting bland, it’s surely time to develop your own personalized prop betting strategy.
These tips will lead you to discover new depths of betting potential that you can use with the bonus offer at our top-rated operator, BetMGM. There are so many advantages to incorporating prop bets into your betting experience, and it will keep you on the edge of your seat! Once you follow our advice, your strategy will not only be successful but as unique as you are. So, what are the best prop bets today? CaptainGambling.com’s got you covered with the best NBA prop bets today and best NFL prop bets tonight - among many more!
Yes! Prop betting has great profitability if you play a focused game. For the best tips on successful prop bets, check out our site.
A prop bet is a type of wager that takes place within a game, but it is independent of the game’s outcome. So, prop bets don’t have a PUSH — they work differently in this regard.
Prop betting deals come in a wide variety – there are so many different options out there. CaptainGambling.com gives you all the information you need about the best betting deals and even when and where you can find them in our sports betting reviews.
A prop bet is a wager made regarding either the occurrence or non-occurrence of a specific event during a game. This event doesn’t have a direct effect on the game’s final outcome.
Yes. During the big event, there is a wide variety of Superbowl prop bets to choose from, which makes the prop betting experience fun and exciting.
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