What is prop betting?

Prop bets – short for proposition bets – are bets that are related to a specific game but not directly tied to its outcome. While moneyline and point spread bets are directly linked to the event’s result, there are various additional bet types that can be placed before or during a game. These could include betting on the coin toss, total passing or rushing yards, first touchdown, and many more. These are all prop bets.

With a plethora of statistics and metrics tracked during football, basketball, hockey and soccer games, the opportunities for prop betting action are huge, and if you are well researched and can spot the right opportunity, they can be a fun way to enhance your betting experience. Prop bets have grown exponentially in popularity since its introduction. In 2022 during a Kansas City Chiefs prime-time game, more bettors wagered on Travis Kelce to score a touchdown over the actual spread of the contest.

The world of prop betting was closed off to Canadian bettors until 2021, when single-game betting was legalized nationwide. However, the change in the law now means that bettors are able to explore the wide range of additional betting opportunities available, through the various prop betting markets for each of the major sports.

Placing a prop bet couldn’t be easier. Simply choose your bet, pick an outcome and set your stake. All you need to do is decide whether the odds offered to you are good enough to bet on. Some bets, such as Total Rushing Yards for a given player, have just two options, while others, such as First Touchdown or Goalscorer, offer long lists of options.

Here is an example of a total rushing yards prop bet market for an NFL game:

A bet of $100 on either selection would win $190.90 (your $100 wager plus $90.90 profit).

Here is an example of a first goalscorer prop bet market for an NHL game:

A $100 bet on William Nylander would win $1,000 (your $100 wager plus $900 profit).

In short, yes. Prop bets offer value you won’t find too often in point spread or moneyline markets. Prop bets that offer multiple options also provide the possibility of large payouts if a less-fancied option becomes a winner, and it is these props that give you the chance to find outstanding value.

The key, as with all sports betting, is research. If you think a betting line has a better chance of success than the odds suggest, then you have discovered a solid value betting opportunity. For example, injuries to key players may open up opportunities for the opposition, or provide additional playing time for fringe players. Knowledge of which players have filled in effectively in similar injury-hit situations could provide a higher-value prop bet on the replacement player.

While you will need to check the odds in multiple-option bets like first goalscorer, other coin-flip bets like the total or over/under can still offer value even though the odds are smaller. With total bets, the odds will tend to be the same across different sportsbooks, but there may be differences in how they set their total lines. Look for the sportsbook whose total line offers you the best chance of success. Don’t forget, BET.CA has a comprehensive set of sportsbook reviews to ensure you always bet with a betting site you can trust.