What is a prop bet?
Written by Short answer
Props are bets on events inside the game.Player props are over/unders on one player's stats.A .5 line means no push.Books often set lower limits on props.
A prop is a bet on something that happens inside the game. You're not betting on who wins. You're betting on one piece of it, usually one player's stat line.
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Player props
▸Points, rebounds and assists in basketball
▸Passing, rushing and receiving yards in football
▸Strikeouts, hits and total bases in baseball
▸Shots on goal and points in hockey
Game props
These cover things like which team scores first, whether there's overtime or how many total touchdowns get scored. Same idea: a yes or no question, or an over/under.
Why the prices aren't the same on both sides
In the example, the over is -115 and the under is -105. The book thinks the over is slightly more likely, so it charges more for it. Always check both prices, not just the line.
-115: 115 ÷ 215 = 53.5% break-even. -105: 105 ÷ 205 = 51.2% break-even
My take
Props are where books are softest and where they limit you fastest. If you find an edge, the limits will be low. Shop the same prop across books because the lines differ more than they do on spreads.