The Ultimate Prop Betting Playbook: 5 Proven Tips to Win Big

Prop betting has taken the sports betting market by storm over the past few years. Bettors are talking about them, and the sportsbooks are pushing them. 

That’s because traditional wagers focus on who wins or loses, and prop bets open up a whole new world of possibilities. You can bet on everything from how many yards a quarterback will throw to whether the national anthem at the Super Bowl will last over two minutes.

But how do you navigate these fun, wild, but often unpredictable bets? Fortunately, we’ve put together a few tips to help you make the most of your prop bets.

Start with What You Know

When getting into prop betting, the smartest move you can make is to start with the sports or events you’re already familiar with. This might seem like a no-brainer, but trust us; when a sportsbook is offering a boost on a prop bet on a sport you’re unfamiliar with, it’ll be hard to pass up.

Familiarity gives you a huge advantage because you already have a sense of the game’s nuances, the players’ tendencies, and even the league’s overall trends. 

While you’ll still have to research some more, this insider knowledge is invaluable when making informed decisions about prop bets.

For instance, if you’re a die-hard NFL fan, you probably have a good sense of which teams have strong passing games and which ones rely more on their ground attack.

Suppose you know that Patrick Mahomes is up against a team with a weak secondary like the Chicago Bears. In that case, a prop bet on Mahomes to throw for over 300 yards might be a smart play. Your understanding of Mahomes’ strengths and the opposing team’s weaknesses gives you an edge. You might want to verify that Mahomes’ WRs are healthy and see if the Bears have any CBs that aren’t, but beyond that, it could be a smart bet.

Starting with what you know doesn’t just apply to sports, either.

If you’re into entertainment, for example, betting on prop bets related to major awards shows like the Oscars could be an exciting opportunity. Your knowledge of the film industry, current trends, and the “who’s who” could give you enough foresight needed to place winning bets on categories like Best Picture or Best Director.

Dive Deep Into Research and Stay Informed

To consistently win at prop betting, you need to stay on top of the latest news, statistics, and player performances. Consistency is what we’re after, after all.

Prop bets often hinge on details that most casual fans overlook. Whether it’s a sudden injury, a last-minute lineup change, or a shift in coaching strategy, these small details can really affect the outcomes of various prop bets.

Let’s take a look at an MLB game. Maybe you want to place a bet on Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers to get more than 6.5 strikeouts in a game. Sure, that’s a fairly simple bet and probably a good one under most conditions. However, they’re playing the San Francisco Giants, and the Giants pull all of the left-handed hitters from their lineup and go with only righties. Skubal, while great all around, does better against lefties by a big margin. With that, he might not top 6 Ks for the night.

By doing your homework, you’re not just betting on a player; you’re betting on a well-informed analysis of the situation. This gives you a much better shot at coming out on top.

Understand Bet Types and Find Value

Prop bets come in many shapes and sizes, from player props that focus on individual stats to game props that revolve around specific events within a game.

One of the biggest keys to successful prop betting is understanding these different bet types and identifying where you can find the best value for the bet.

Take Super Bowl Sunday, for example. It’s one of the biggest days of the year for not just traditional bets but prop betting as well. You’ll find hundreds of prop bets available. These range from the first player to score a touchdown to how long the halftime show will last. It gets wild, and with so many options, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. However, by focusing on bet types you understand, seeing through the clutter and looking for favorable odds, you can really increase your chances of winning.

Beyond just sticking with bet types, you know, you’ll also want to find bets that are packed with value. These are bets that the odds incorrectly match what the result will most likely be. Let’s look at Jose Ramirez of the Guardians. The odds of him hitting a homer against the Twins are +650, but you know that he’s going to be up against Pablo Lopez, who leads the Twins in giving up bombs. Do you think those odds should really be at +300? That’s value.

Finding value isn’t just about recognizing favorable odds, though. It’s about comparing the odds you find at various sportsbooks. Sometimes, a bet that seems average at one sportsbook might offer significantly better odds elsewhere. This brings us to the next tip.

Shop Around for the Best Odds

One of the simplest yet most effective ways to boost your profits in prop betting is to shop around for the best odds. Different sportsbooks often offer slightly different odds on the same prop bet, and even a small difference in odds can lead to bigger returns over time.

We understand that we often refer to odds as if there’s only one and nothing else. Like our examples above, however, the reality is that if you go to DraftKings and check the odds of that Jose Ramirez bet and go to BetMGM to check on it as well, you’ll see that they might have slightly different odds.

So, what does this mean? If you’re going to bet on the prop anyway, you might as well place the bet where you’ll get the most money if you win.

To make the most of this strategy, it’s worth signing up for multiple sportsbooks. This way, you can quickly compare odds for the same prop bet across different platforms. Tools and apps can also help streamline this process, saving you time while ensuring you get the best bang for your buck. We offer up a tool that compares traditional bets across various sports, but we’re working to update it to reflect props as well.

By consistently shopping for the best odds, you’re not just betting smarter — you’re squeezing out every bit of value from your bets, which is crucial in the long run.

Analyze Matchups for Hidden Edges

One of the most advanced yet rewarding strategies in prop betting is to analyze specific matchups within a game to uncover hidden edges.

This approach goes beyond the basics of researching stats and staying informed. This is advanced-level analytics. It involves digging into how particular players or teams perform against certain opponents or under specific conditions.

Think about an NBA game where two elite teams are facing off. You want to drop a prop bet on how many rebounds a star player will grab. Instead of just looking at his season average or even the last few games, take it a step further by examining his performance against this specific team in previous games. Does he struggle against their physical frontcourt? Does he thrive because their style of play leads to more missed shots and, therefore, more rebounding opportunities?

Of course, this type of analysis requires not just deep diving into the numbers but a keen eye. These won’t always stand out to you or anyone else, for that matter, but when you see it, you’ll almost be certain for a win. 

This kind of matchup analysis requires a deep understanding of the sport. It’s also one of the most reliable ways to find profitable prop bets. We’re not saying it’s easy, but it’s effective. The more you know about how teams and players interact with each other, the better you’ll be at spotting opportunities that others (i.e., the bookmakers) might miss.

Win Big with Prop Bets

Incorporating these tips into your prop betting strategy can really boost your chances of success, and that’s what we’re all about. We want you to win.

By starting with what you know, staying informed, understanding bet types, shopping around for the best odds, and analyzing matchups for hidden edges, you’ll be better off making your prop bets.

The key is to approach each bet with a mix of research, knowledge, and a bit of intuition, turning what could be a wild gamble into a calculated opportunity. With these strategies, you’re not just betting — you’re setting yourself up to win big.