What Does Props Mean In Betting
It’s hard to argue that prop bets (short for proposition bets) aren’t the most exciting and entertaining form of sports betting available.
Quite similar, we will only be referring to prop betting as it pertains to sports betting in this article. Now that we’ve gotten the logistics out of the way let’s talk about exactly what a prop bet is. The answer to that is there really is no “exact” answer to what a prop bet is.
They’re so popular that almost all the top online sportsbooks offer a huge range of prop bets for virtually every sport.
- Prop bets are additional wagering opportunities that are available for each game on the docket. At most sportsbooks, they can be found in the betting lobby by clicking on a link titled something along the lines of ‘more wagers’ which appears in the game listing.
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Best Sports Betting Sites for Prop Bets
While prop bets are awesome for entertainment value, a lot of people are surprised to realize that they can also be extremely profitable and a key part of a long term winning sports betting strategy.
A lot of props are just for fun with no strategy involved. This is especially true around big events. For example, many Super Bowl prop bets are purely for entertainment value.
The key to winning money with prop bets is being able to distinguish between the skilled bets and the fun bets.
Today, we’re going to cover this in full as well as the basics of prop bets including what exactly they are, how they’re paid out, and some of the benefits that they bring to the table.
The chances are that you’ve made a lot of prop bets in your life and might not be aware of it.
For example, if you’ve ever said, “I bet you $5 that you can’t jump over that,” you’ve made a prop bet. If you’ve said, “I bet you $10 I can eat more than five slices of pizza,” you’ve made a prop bet.
In this contenxt, a prop bet is a proposition that you can or cannot do something that is wagered on.
In our two examples, you proposed that your friend couldn’t jump over something and that you could eat more than five slices of pizza. You attached a wager amount to it, and voila, you’ve made a prop bet.
Prop bets, sometimes referred to as ‘specials’, come in all shapes and sizes and are usually offered in some form or another for all sports.
Prop bets will typically not have a direct effect on the final outcome of a game (though they sometimes can).
EXAMPLE OF A PROP BET IN SPORTS
A popular prop bet in most sports is ‘who will score first’? While the team that scores first might have a better chance of winning the game, they can easily score first and still lose.
But, if you make a prop bet that team will score first, you will still win regardless of whether they win or lose. The outcome of the game does not matter for most prop bets.
MLB betting odds have been released and pitchers and catchers are reporting to Spring Training. While it is a long season – I find it fun to bet on teams so you can be a fan throughout the year. However, there is very little value on these types of bets.
It is important to recognize that sportsbooks will always take expected (implied) odds to equal more than 100% no matter what. This is to say, the implied probability for all these bets between 30 teams will equal over 100%.
While futures bets are often juiced by sportsbooks – that does not mean that value cannot be found. These types of bets typically are found in divisional props, player props, and championship props.
Below we look at the World Series odds and the best bet for the season.
2021 MLB World Series Odds
William Hill Sportsbook | FanDuel Sportsbook | BetMGM Sportsbook | PointsBet Sportsbook | DraftKings Sportsbook |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dodgers +350 | Dodgers +350 | Dodgers +350 | Dodgers +350 | Dodgers +350 |
Yankees +550 | Yankees +550 | Yankees +600 | Yankees +550 | Yankees +550 |
Padres +900 | Padres +800 | Padres +900 | Padres +800 | Padres +800 |
White Sox +1000 | White Sox +850 | Atlanta Braves +900 | White Sox +900 | White Sox +850 |
Atlanta Braves +1200 | Atlanta Braves +1000 | White Sox +1000 | Atlanta Braves +950 | Atlanta Braves +1000 |
Mets +1000 | Mets +1000 | Mets +1200 | Mets +1100 | Mets +1000 |
The best odds have come and gone for this bet it appears. I have the Mets to win the World Series because I am a homer and got it at +3000 but there is little value at its current price.
The White Sox are badly overrated and unproven at this point, so that will not get a preseason bet from me. If I had to make a bet, the Atlanta Braves at +1200 good value on William Hill Sportsbook – their roster is one of the best in baseball.
MLB Futures Best Bet
Sports Prop Betting
AL Central Odds
William Hill Sportsbook | PointsBet Sportsbook | DraftKings Sportsbook |
---|---|---|
White Sox -125 | White Sox -149 | White Sox -143 |
Twins +165 | Twins +135 | Twins +175 |
Indiana +650 | Indiana +750 | Indiana +650 |
Royals +3000 | Tigers +4500 | Royals +4000 |
Tigers +4000 | Royals +5000 | Tigers +4000 |
The Chicago White Sox win total is projected at 91.5 which is incredibly high for a young team like this. They are expecting Luis Robert to walk into the league and dominate from the beginning. As we have seen from Vlad Guerrero Jr., young kids do not often come into the league dominating.
What Does Props Mean In Betting Work
Furthermore, the Twins are projected to 88.5 wins putting them well within possibility. Should Robert struggle more than most expect, I believe that alone is worth a win or two. The Twins are consistently one of the better teams in the AL Central and the White Sox are simply too young for me to buy into their short-season successes.
AL Pennant Value?
A longshot bet that I like is more of a lean than anything. The Houston Astros are +1000 to win the American League which I think is excellent. Aside from losing George Springer, I believe that the Astros made enough request moves to contend in the American League.
While both the Yankees and White Sox are excellent teams – they are not at the level of the Dodgers. This leads me to believe that this league is up for grabs. Of course, A lot will depend on who wins the battle at the trade deadline but the Astros have an excellent opportunity this year.