Understanding Of Player Props

Written by on November 4, 2016

A proposition bet, or simply a prop bet, is a type of wager on virtually anything other than the traditional betting on the moneyline, point spread or OVER/UNDER game totals. When we are talking about player props, reference is therefore being made to bet on the performance of an individual rather than the future of a team or event. Essentially, player props cover all sorts of scenarios from how many touchdowns an NFL player will throw in a game to the average ERA of a pitcher at the end of the season.

In Depth Analysis On The Understanding Of Player Props


The Basics of Player Prop Bets

In most cases, player props are largely driven by public perception and interest, no wonder the wagers can be on just about anything, as long as the focus is centered on players. On another crucial note, player props come in two major categories, as is detailed below.

First, we have bets on player performances in individual games that can change on a day-to-day or weekly basis depending on the frequency in occurrence of a sport and the opposing players/teams. Examples here include betting on the number of rushing yards an NFL player will post in a given week or the number of points that will be scored by an NBA in a particular game.

Second, we have wagers on cumulative performances in a tournament or season. Examples here include betting on who will win the Cy Young in the MLB or even the total number of Grand Slams that will be won by a player in the ATP circuit.

How Profitable Are Player Props?

Player props are generally considered as the most profitable markets in the world of sportsbetting. This is based on the fact that bookmakers usually have to create several props and on a frequent basis, hence giving them very little time to ‘sharpen’ their lines. The best time to capitalize on this is when we have several sporting events going on at the same time, like between October and December when we have the NHL, NBA, NCAAF and Soccer running concurrently.

In addition, the player prop betting market is mostly flooded with more recreational bettors than sharps, so bookies often don’t pay too much attention to their lines as they aren’t worried about incurring big losses. This opens an opportunity for small to mid-stakes sports bettors to study the lines and find some overlooked value to bank on.

Even more notably, different sportsbooks offer different—and a wide variety of lines and odds—thus giving you a large pool of options to choose from. And the best part is that the lines can be very diverse, depending on the people creating the lines. In fact, when there are so many events running at the same time, most sportsbooks resort to automated numbers from the computer rather than lines that are rigorously set and monitored (like point spreads and moneylines). As such, it is much easier to find good value player props as opposed to finding such value in the traditional lines.

Final Remarks on Player Props

Despite all the above-mentioned advantages of player prop betting, it is important to take note that most online sportsbooks usually have maximum betting limits for the props, meaning you can’t make a huge one-time killing in the sportsbooks as you’d do with the regular lines. But then again, with plenty of player props released every day, the limits come at your advantage, as you can still make money in a progressive way without hurting your budget with bad bets. To ensure maximum profitability in player prop bets, be sure to stay updated about player injuries and other related news. And while you are at it, have a good betting plan and remember to shop for your lines smartly and carefully.