What Exactly Is a Prop Bet?
In sports betting pro a prop bet (short for proposition bet) is a wager that is not directly related to the final score or outcome.
A prop bet can be almost anything other than the point spread, total, and money line — total passing yards by a player, who will score the first touchdown, coin toss result (yes, even the coin toss), and so much more. Props are a great way to add more action to a game, and they are frequently easier to beat than efficient markets like point spreads. You can use Action Labs’ props tool to compare prop prices at various books and beat the market with our industry-leading projections.
Why should you wager on props?
There are two main reasons for this.
Additional action: If you’re bored with simply rooting for a team in a game, props provide a way to stay involved during almost every play. You’ll be on the edge of your seat every time Patrick Mahomes drops back and launches a deep ball, hoping Mecole Hardman is on the other end. If you bet Travis Kelce over 6.5 catches, you should expect a lot of action in the flat and over the middle.
Props can be used: Many prop markets can be beaten with some simple math. The betting limits are modest. Because the betting limits for these props are low, books aren’t as motivated to get the lines right.
Remember, your biggest advantage over a sportsbook is that you don’t have to take every bet, whereas they do (or are supposed to). You can beat the books by specialising in a specific type of prop because they can’t get hundreds of lines as accurate as you can with one or two.
Gambling site: What exactly is a live bet?
A live bet is one that can be placed after an event has already started. Sportsbooks will constantly adjust their odds based on how the game is progressing.
However, live betting is not just for those who are late with their pregame wagers. Many bettors strategically choose to postpone their wagers in order to observe the flow of a game.
The timing of a live bet is critical. Some bookmakers update their live odds after each basket, missed shot, pitch, or first down. If you think you might be interested in live betting, I recommend following a sportsbook’s live bets on their app or on their odds boards in person.
Sports betting: How Do I Bet on a Live Team?
Making a live team bet remotely from a mobile device or computer is always more convenient because the bets are always at your fingertips. In-person, there may be a long line of people before reaching the cashier. The odds you’re looking to bet on may have changed by then.
Look for the “live betting” icon on a sportsbook’s app. You can then navigate to the league or sport you want to bet on. If the spreads and totals are constantly changing, you’re on the right track.
When using an app with tips to place a live bet, keep in mind that these bets are not always instantaneous. Sportsbooks protect themselves and give themselves time to update their odds by placing a ten-second hold on a bet before it is processed. If you make a live wager and the odds change before your bet is processed, your bet will be marked as “timed out,” and you will have to re-wager using the updated odds.
When visiting a sportsbook in person, make sure the cashier is aware that you want to place a live bet. Otherwise, they may look at you puzzled as they realise the game has already begun. Because you will most likely not have access to an odds board at the betting window, have the cashier read you the current odds and entertainment purposes.
Timing is everything in any bet, but especially in live sports betting. As easily as one can find value in a live line, that value can also vanish just as quickly. Take note of when your sportsbook stops providing live lines. Every sportsbook is unique. Some continue to change their live odds advice until a few minutes remain in a game, while others may not offer any live lines after halftime.
Final thought
When it comes to pouncing on a live team line, many bettors have different strategies. For example, if a football team is initially favoured by seven points, the live line may increase to double digits if they score the first touchdown. At that point, some bettors would take the underdog plus the double digits, assuming that the game would end closer to the original line. Others may decide to make a live bet later in the game when there is more play to analyse.
There may be interesting live team props to take advantage of in addition to spreads and totals. Some sportsbooks, for example, offer bets on the winning margin of victory. There are also options such as real-time team totals.