What Is a Prop Bet?

In online sports betting, a prop bet is a specific kind of bet where gamblers wager on a small aspect of an overall game outcome, like an individual player’s performance or which team records more penalty yards.

Prop bets are different from traditional six-pack bets like the spread, total, and moneyline, where bettors are generally focused on the score and outcome of a game.

Some prop bets, like my colleague Nick Hennion’s NFL player prop picks, function like totals. In these props markets, bettors are predicting whether one player’s specific stat category like yards or points will fall over or under a predetermined number.

Other prop bets require forecasting whether something specific will happen, like a fourth-quarter comeback or a touchdown from a specific player. These kinds of props often have more dramatic odds attached since the likelihood of specific events happening is often not 50-50. 

Just like regular bettors can parlay sides and totals, bettors can also build a prop bet parlay.

If you’re here wondering just what is a Super Bowl prop bet, that’s just a prop bet available to bet on at the Super Bowl. 

For major sports events like the Super Bowl or March Madness, online sportsbooks often provide hundreds of interesting, low-stakes props for bettors to enjoy during the event. 

What’s a Prop Bet Example?

Here are several examples of prop bets:

• Patrick Mahomes Over 371.5 Passing Yards
• LeBron James Under 44.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists
• Ja’Marr Chase Over 6.5 Receptions
• Mohamed Salah Records a Goal
• Jonathan Quick Over 13.5 Saves
• Connor McDavid Over 1.5 Points
• Harrison Butker Under 1.5 Field Goals
• 49ers Call First Timeout in Super Bowl LVIII
• Stephen Curry Records Over 3.5 Three-Pointers
• Travis Kelce Scores 2+ Touchdowns