Prop Betting Explained: A Complete Guide to Proposition Betting

Prop betting is a popular type of wager that focuses on specific events within a game rather than the final score. Many new bettors ask, “What is a prop bet in sports betting?” — and the answer is pretty simple:

These bets revolve around player performance, team milestones, or unique game scenarios that may or may not influence the actual result.

For example: 

• Player Props: How many touchdown passes Patrick Mahomes will throw in a game
• NBA Props: Total points, assists, or rebounds for LeBron James
• Season Props: How many home runs a player will hit or how many wins a team will finish with

Prop betting used to be more of a fun add-on during major sporting events. Today, it has grown into a major betting market with bettors using advanced analytics and data to gain an edge.

What Is Prop Betting?

Prop betting — short for proposition betting — focuses on specific events that may occur during a game, rather than the game’s final score or outright winner. These bets add extra excitement and opportunities for profit because you’re wagering on performance, milestones, or game scenarios.

Prop bets typically fall into two major categories:

• Player Props — individual performance outcomes
• Team or Game Props — collective or situational results

Examples include:

• How many touchdown passes Patrick Mahomes will throw
• Whether LeBron James will record a triple-double
• Which team scores the first goal in an NHL game
• Total number of three-pointers made by a team

These bets have evolved from a novelty feature during big events like the Super Bowl into a major strategic betting market used by sharp bettors and analysts.

Types of Prop Bets

Player prop bets have become increasingly popular because of the daily action and multiple options available, but team props are also popular with countless gamblers.

There are dozens of variations, but here are the most popular types:

Player Prop Bets

Prop betting on players focuses on individual performance during a game or a full season.

Common Player Prop Markets:

• Basketball: Points, rebounds, assists, 3-pointers, combos, head-to-head props
• Baseball: Hits, home runs, strikeouts, RBIs
• Football: Touchdowns, passing/rushing yards, sacks
• Hockey: Goals, assists, total points 

Examples: 

Player props depend heavily on matchups, injuries, and recent form.

Team Prop Bets

Team prop bets involve collective performance instead of individual players.

Popular Team Prop Options: 

• First team to score
• Most rebounds / penalties / shots on goal
• Over/Under team points, field goals, or goals
• Season-long milestones (wins, scoring ranks, etc.)

Simple & Familiar Markets:

• Moneyline-based team props
• Team total Over/Under props 

Remember: Player props / Team props – They each use different pricing and performance metrics.

Game/Event Props

Game/event props wager on situational outcomes within a matchup — sometimes unrelated to the final score.

Examples of Event Props:

• Will the game go to overtime?
• Which team scores first?
•  Will the final score be odd or even?
• Will a team score in every period/quarter?
• Exact final score props

Why Bettors Like These?

These props are harder to predict — risk is higher but so are potential returns.

How Proposition Betting Works

Prop betting options are easy to find on the Prime Sportsbook interface and, like all other bets, are based on odds or totals.

Yet, there is a difference between fun prop bets, such as the Super Bowl opening coin flip, and skilled prop wagers that require more knowledge regarding the specific abilities of the players and teams involved.

Fixed-Odds Format

Prop betting in a fixed-odds format is where you know the odds up front when you place your bet.

Example:

Connor McDavid to score: -120

You wager $120 to win $100 if he scores.

Other fixed-odds examples include:

• Travis Kelce anytime TD scorer
• First team to score 20 points
• Over 3+ goals in hockey

Over/Under Props

Totals-based props allow bettors to choose more or less than the posted number:

Examples: 

• Jalen Hurts O/U 300 total yards
• O/U 2.5 touchdown passes
• O/U 1.5 interceptions

Applies across sports:

• Basketball: Points / rebounds / assists
• Auto Racing: Lead changes / caution flags
• Baseball: Hits / home runs / strikeouts

Prop Betting Strategy Tips

Prop betting strategy relies on knowledge and price.

• Compare sportsbook odds with your own projections
• Never overpay if the number feels wrong
• Only wager when there's true value

Focusing on One Market or Sport

Sharps often specialize: 

• One sport (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL)
• One prop type (scoring, passing, hits)

Becoming an expert in one option could increase profit margins.

Using Stats and Matchups

Stats and matchups are useful tools, but they are hardly the only tools.

You must also consider:

• Injuries
• Game script
• Weather
• Pricing & value

Prop Bets Across Different Sports

Each sport offers unique prop angles: 

• Football = massive popularity; weekly markets
• Basketball = daily player props boost volume
• Baseball = heavy data opportunities
• Hockey = playoff props are a huge attraction

Variations = more fun and more options

Football (NFL & College Football)

It’s called King Football for a reason. Football is the most popular sport to wager on, and it is no different on the props board.

Betting examples: 

• Total yards
• Touchdowns
• Sacks, interceptions
• Tackles
• Anytime TD scorer

Football player props are popular because they tie into the fantasy sports craze that is a big part of NFL betting.

Basketball (NBA & College Basketball)

Basketball betting popularity and activity have dramatically increased, and props betting is a major contributor.

Daily props include: 

• Points / rebounds / assists
• Combo props (P+R+A)

The NCAA Tournament draws plenty of player props, too, especially with star players such as Cooper Flagg of the mega-brand Duke Blue Devils.

Baseball & Hockey

Baseball props: 

• Total home runs
• Hits, runs, RBIs
• Strikeouts, walks

Baseball is the ultimate game of numbers, and that is a draw for props betting.

Hockey props: 

• Goals
• Assists/points
• Saves
• Shots on goal

Hockey League playoffs, considered to be the best postseason in sports, are a major draw for props betting, too.

Combat Sports

Combat sports, such as mixed martial arts, are among the fastest-growing sectors in sports betting.

UFC and MMA prop types: 

• Winning method: KO / TKO / Submission / Decision
• Will fight go the distance?
• Round props
• Fighter-specific trends

Methods of winning include knockout, technical knockout, submission, or decision. Combat sports have fighters with individual reputations, such as knockout artists, wrestlers, kickboxers, etc., which could factor into a props wager.