The whole point of betting on sports is to enjoy yourself and, of course, to turn a profit, and achieving these goals requires a great amount of time and dedication. While betting on the NFL, punters will benefit from significantly greater flexibility as a slew of betting options are normally offered for each game.
NFL Prop Bets ExplainedGambling enthusiasts who are looking to expand their NFL betting session beyond the standard set of bet types like moneyline, totals, and point spreads will have multiple other wager types to decide between.
There is no doubt that one of the most exciting and entertaining ways to wager on American football is to make prop bets. Prop bets are also known as proposition bets and make it possible for punters to bet on matches without being concerned about the outcome of the game itself or the final score. Because of this, this wager type is not only cut out for seasoned NFL bettors but can work well for total novices as well.
In this article, we will provide an in-depth explanation of the way NFL prop bets work and whether such bets are profitable at all.
NFL Prop Bets Explained
It is hard to argue that prop bets are not one of the most chosen ways to bet on the NFL, but what are such bets all about? Proposition bets pose as a fun and interesting way to bet on sports and are more geared towards the needs and preferences of recreational bettors.
They are considered the easiest way to make bets on sports for the simple reason that such wagers can be placed on any event, which might or might not occur during NFL matches, series, or seasons. Such bets allow gambling enthusiasts to wager on more than game outcomes and depending on the sports betting platform punters are using, their content will vary significantly.
When placing proposition bets, gambling enthusiasts do not need to focus on the final result of the match or the team which will come out on top as instead, they need to keep track of the performance of the entire team or one of the players. As it turns out, many punters have the erroneous belief that proposition and future bets are one and the same thing. Still, this is not even remotely true as future bets are placed prior to the start of the NFL and focus on the conference winners, the MVP winner, or the Super Bowl winner, among others.
What punters should bear in mind is that depending on the betting site they are using the services of, they might select from prop bets that have several possible scenarios, as well as such that have just two probable outcomes. The latter type of prop bets is often referred to as yes/no prop bets.
What many punters do not know about these bets is that they can be exceedingly profitable, which is the main reason why their popularity exploded in the past few years.
There are two main types of NFL proposition bets as gambling enthusiasts are most likely to stumble upon bets that have to do with the performance of individual players, as well as such that are concerned with the performance of the teams or the entire game. What options punters will be given a choice from depends on their bookie of choice, but most of the time, they will be presented with a mixture of both types of prop bets.
NFL Player Prop Bets
Player prop bets might come in all shapes and sizes, and we mentioned already, they revolve around the individual performance of players. These might include the number of yards gained or points scored, a combination of rushing and receiving yards, whether the player will score a touchdown, and so on. Most of the time, when such player proposition bets are introduced, the number of points or receiving yards, for example, will be presented using over/under values.
Thus, if we assume that a bookmaker has introduced odds for the total passing yards of one of the players, the market might look like this:
Joe Burrow’s total points in game 5 of the North Division Finals
| Over 1.5 | Under 1.5 |
| -120 | -105 |
In this scenario, punters need to decide if they think the player will score more or fewer points than the preset value.
It is also not excluded to find bookmakers that want to make things even more simple and introduce the market in this way:
Will Joe Burrow score a point in game 5 of the North Division Finals
| Yes | No |
NFL Team Prop Bets
When it comes to the NFL team prop bets, punters will notice that such bets are nearly unanimous across the betting sites that offer lines for the league. If gambling enthusiasts want to place team prop bets, they should expect to see a greater range of possibilities when compared to player props.
There are lots of team-based situations punters might be allowed to bet on, and the opportunity to wager on the team which will score first in the game is among the most widely available options. Punters might also be asked to decide whether one of the teams will score three unanswered times and whether the home team will score more rushing touchdowns, for example.
Let’s take a look at a game between the New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins and assume that a bookmaker has introduced odds on whether the New England Patriots will score more or less than 26 points. In this scenario, the choice of punters boils down to just two options, as they need to pick yes or no.
Bookmakers might also introduce prop bets on the number of penalties the contending teams might get, whether the match will run into overtime, whether there will be a penalty on the first drive, and so on.
How Are NFL Prop Bets Created
NFL prop bets are created in the same way as the rest of the bet types punters can go for when wagering on American football. As with all other single or multi-game NFL bettors, bookmakers will introduce odds for several outcomes, and punters’ prop bet will be settled as a winning one if the scenario they have chosen ultimately takes place.
Let’s assume that the Philadelphia Eagles are playing the Green Bay Packers, and punters want to have a flutter on this game without picking an outright winner, whether the teams will cover the spread, or the total number of points that will be scored. Instead, they might be interested in placing a prop bet on whether the Philadelphia Eagles will score 20 points. If the team ultimately reaches this total, punters’ bets will bring them a payout. If they have fewer points than this total when the game ends, punters will lose the staked amount. It is as easy as that.
NFL bettors should keep in mind that oftentimes, prop bets are introduced as live betting options, which is to say that they should be constantly on the alert whether such options appear.
Super Bowl Prop Bets
American football is the most popular sport for placing prop bets, especially when the time for the Super Bowl comes. Each February, it attracts massive audiences, and without a doubt, this is the most heavily bet on sporting events in many parts of the globe.
The pinnacle matchup of each NFL season provides lots of opportunities punters can cash in on, and they might be allowed to place bets on the outcome of the coin toss and even the color of the Gatorade, which will be dumped on the coach when the match ends.
Some bookmakers will also allow punters to place prop bets on whether the outcome of the coin toss will be heads or tails, as well as which team will win it.
Super Bowl Game Props Examples:
- What will be the first scoring play of the game?
- Team to score last in the game
- What will be the first song played during the halftime show?
- Who will be the first player to lose a fumble?
The Super Bowl undoubtedly gives punters the opportunity to place bets on events they would not normally consider as prop bets related to the national anthem are also available. The options might vary from the time it will take to sing the national anthem to whether or not the artist will omit words from it.
Naturally, Super Bowl player prop bets are also available, and punters might be asked to pick the player who will score the first touchdown in the game, the player who will score the second touchdown, or pick the number of touchdowns without a wideout, among others.
Halftime show prop bets also attract lots of attention, and such bets are focused on the performances of the artists, their clothes, who will sing first, how many songs will be performed, and so on.
The Super Bowl undoubtedly offers some unique betting opportunities that are normally not offered, and some NFL betting sites tend to introduce exotic NFL bets that add even more thrill to betting action. An example of a Super Bowl exotic prop bet is whether a fan will run onto the field during the game.
How To Read NFL Prop Bets Odds
Before they go ahead with NFL prop betting, gambling enthusiasts should be aware that the difference in the odds is most noticeable exactly with such markets as with single-game bets like moneyline and totals, for example, there is just a minor difference in the odds.
As we said already, bookmakers introduce different kinds of prop bets, which is the reason why the way the market looks might vary based on the occasion. It is important to note that on the occasions when prop bets have an over/under line, the introduced odds for both sides are usually around -110.
As with the other NFL bets types, when punters make a prop bet, they will be paid according to the current odds and the amount they have decided to put at a stake. Gambling enthusiasts are most likely to see that the prop bet odds vary considerably when lines are offered whether something will happen or not.
If we assume that the odds for the outcome punters want to bet on are -110, and they have decided to stake $200, their potential payout will be $381. In this scenario, the initial stake of $200 is included in the amount NFL bettors will potentially get, meaning that their potential profit will be $181.
Now, let’s assume that punters are about to place a prop bet on who the first touchdown scorer will be in a game between the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles.
| Davante Adams | Aaron Jones | Zach Ertz | Miles Sanders |
|---|---|---|---|
| +200 | +400 | +600 | +900 |
If we presume that punters have staked $100 on Davante Adams, and he indeed becomes the first player to score a touchdown in the game, they will get a payout of $300. Thus, they will have their original stake of $100 returned, together with a profit of $200. In the event that gambling enthusiasts have picked Aaron Jones to become the first touchdown scorer, and they have again staked $100, their potential payout will be $500.
Staking the same amount on Zach Ertz will mean that NFL bettors will be eligible for a payout of $700, their original bet of $100, along with $600 profit. Naturally, punters will get the greatest return if they place a bet on Miles Sanders, and if they put $100 at a stake at these odds, they can potentially collect $1,000.
While placing NFL prop bets, punters might also stumble upon markets that have several lines to decide between, but even if such is the case, they simply need to pick the option, which, in their opinion, will bring them a payout.
The ceiling on the amount punters will be allowed to put at a stake when placing prop bets differs significantly between the various sports betting platforms, and while some operators take in a maximum of $500, others might not allow staking more than $1,000. An important thing to take into account is that the bet limits for player and team props are normally different.
Tips for Placing NFL Prop Bets
Many seasoned NFL bettors steer clear of proposition bets because the commission bookmakers take to accept such bets is slightly higher when compared to other wager types like totals, point spread, to moneyline, for example. In other words, in order for gambling enthusiasts to turn out a profit in the long run, they will need to make correct picks more frequently.
Yet, gambling aficionados should not be left under the impression that prop bets do not offer value at all as they should just pay attention to several simple tips before they dive into placing such bets.
Finding success in NFL prop bets or any other bet type is not possible without knowing your budget and sticking to it. This tip is particularly important when it comes to prop bets because of the wealth of such options punters are normally given a choice. Many gambling enthusiasts are tempted to keep on placing such bets because of their entertainment value and above all, because of the lucrative payouts they promise. It is a must for punters to bet within their limits, especially if they have decided to give in-game betting a chance, as in such cases, they will be more likely to overspend.
Before they jump into the action, punters should also learn how to find value in such bets. In spite of the fact that finding odds that are higher than what punters might expect will not be a breeze, they should always take their time to go for line shopping prior to wrapping up their bets.
In essence, line shopping is of crucial importance no matter what NFL bet type punters have decided to make. As we explained already, prop odds will vary significantly from one betting platform to another, and the difference will be more marked than with any other market, which is why comparing the prices is a must.
What punters should bear in mind if they are about to place prop bets on the Super Bowl is that handicapping such bets is far more challenging, especially when it comes to predicting the color of the performers’ shirt or whether the lead singer will wear a hat or not. The only thing they can check, however, is the color of the Gatorade, which was used in the previous Super Bowl editions.
In view of this, they should keep in mind that there is a difference between luck-based and skill-based prop bets. With the latter type of prop bets, NFL bettors can use the knowledge they already have about the team or the player in order to increase their chances of making a correct pick, which renders them a more favorable option than luck-based props for which punters can only rely on pure luck. Instead, it is advisable to look for prop bets that have an over/under line for the total number of touchdowns, the number of points scored, and so on.
Before they make a prop bet, punters should make sure that the scenario they are about to wager on is clearly stated. Sometimes, bookmakers might use vague phrasing while introducing prop bets, which does not work to the advantage of punters because operators can effortlessly turn the situation in their favor.
Ignoring stats is a mistake many punters tend to make while wagering on sports. NFL bettors who are about to make a skill-based prop bet should make sure that they are up to speed when it comes to the performance of the team or the player they want to bet on. Going through player and team stats, as well as injury reports will undoubtedly render punters more likely to make a correct pick.
Lastly, NFL bettors should be aware of the restrictions bookmakers tend to introduce on prop bets. As we said already, bookies are in the habit of imposing different limits for player prop bets and team prop bets, and normally, team props have a considerably higher upper limit.
Some gambling enthusiasts might consider it a good idea to look for prop bets on their favorite team. If they follow closely the performance of one of the teams, gambling enthusiasts will be more likely to make correct picks and get a payout, which is the reason why they should not rule out the option to place bets on the NFL team they root for.