A proposition bet, also called a side bet, prop bet, or exotic, is a bet made on an outcome or a proposition. These can be anything from statistics and happenstance in a regular game to personal, one-of-a-kind bets. In the sports world, the most popular time of prop betting revolves around the Super Bowl.
During last years Super Bowl it was estimated that there were almost 4,000 different one-of-a-kind prop bets placed. The prop bets can be of the more conventional with topics including which team will win the coin toss, who will be the Super Bowl MVP, how many total sacks the teams will have combined, and the amount of passing yards by the Quarterback on either team. However, these bets can also be of the very bizarre nature including but not limited to what song will be sung first by the performer at the halftime show, top rated commercial according to USA today, and who will the Super Bowl MVP thank first in his speech. As you can see there is a wide breadth of sports bets that can made involving the Super Bowl, hence why it is always recognized as the king of prop betting.
Prop bets can also be exciting in the entertainment spectrum. Almost all award shows, such as the Screen Actor Guild Awards and Academy Awards, have bets you can place on the winners of every category. For people that do not like Sports, this can be a very exciting way to gamble on topics that have more interest to them.
Prop bets can also be used in common casino games, such as Blackjack, Poker, or Craps. In Blackjack, a prop bet is most popular when putting down a small wager as to predict the two cards to be dealt to you. A lot of these props involve your two cards equaling 20 and what suits they are. These make the game more fun as you can still win money even if you were to lose the hand.
In Poker prop bets can be done in many sorts of ways to entice the player to try to win more money besides trying to win his hand. A popular prop bet for Poker is trying to call which card will come up on the Flop while playing Texas hold ‘em. Poker players tend to make some of the most creative proposition bets against each other. A google search will likely reveal some very outrageous tales but one of my favorites involved a man having to get breast implants and walk around with them for a year.
In Craps, anything in the middle of the table is considered a prop bet. These bets range from the roller coming up with two four’s or rolling snake eyes. Most experienced craps players will tell you there is more money to be made by playing the prop bets at a wise time and cashing in on the higher odds that these bets can offer.
Prop bets can definitely by a fun way for the inexperienced gambler to make a little money on the side. However, it can also be a way for an experienced gambler to use his knowledge in order to break the bank and take home a lot more money off games that he already has straight bets on. A lot of the super bowl prop bets are not lined correctly and the astute gambler that knows the odds and percentages can really exploit the sportsbooks for a lot of money running around town betting hand over fist on the ones that offer the most value. Next time you step up to the window see if any type of prop bet sticks out, you and your wallet wont regret it if you make the right wager.
