NBA Prop Bets: All You Need to Know

An NBA prop bet is a special type of bet that lets you predict things like how many points a particular player will score during a game, how many games a team will win during regular season, and so much more. With these bets, you’re well-beyond trying to predict a match’s score or outcome, you’ll often find yourself seeing green from a player prop bet even if their team lost the game.

This all sounds a bit vague so let’s look at different NBA prop bets and how they work using some real-world examples

NBA player prop bets focus on specific player performance, so you could be betting on anything from how many points they’ll score, to how many three-pointers they’ll get. Here’s how they work:

Imagine that the Celtics are playing the Bulls and you want to bet on Jayson Tatum, something like “I bet Jayson Tatum will score more than X points tonight,” or some other stat like assists, rebounds, or three-pointers.

For our example, let’s assume that the sportsbook offers a prop bet on Tatum scoring over 28.5 points. The odds for that might be -110, meaning you’d have to bet $110 to win $100. If you think Tatum’s going to have a big night and drop at least 29 points, you’d take the “over.”

So if you bet $110 and Tatum ends the game with 32 points, you’ve pretty much won! You get your $210 in total (your original $110 + $100 in profit). It doesn’t even matter if the Celtics win, if Tatum came through, you’re getting money.

NBA Team Prop Bets

These are similar to player prop bets, but you’re betting on the team’s performance this time. Could be anything from total team points scored, which team will score first, or how many three-pointers a team will make.

Let’s stay with our Celtics and Bulls made-up match for this example. Let’s say the sportsbook offers a prop bet on the Celtics hitting over 12.5 three-pointers in the game.

The odds for that might be +150, meaning if you bet $100 and the Celtics knock down 13 or more threes, you’d win $150 in profit. So, you’d get back your $100 bet, plus $150, for a total of $250.

Remember, we’re not really interested in whether or not the Celtics win the game, we just want them to get to 13 or more threes. Just imagine how exciting it is every time they set up a 3-pointer play during the game!

Game prop bets cover things that happen at any point during the game, like which team will score the first basket or which quarter will have the highest total score. Again, this is a very broad statement so let’s look at an example.

Let’s say you’re looking at a prop bet for the total combined points in the first half. The sportsbook sets the line at over/under 110.5 points for both teams in the first two quarters. If you think it’s going to be a high-scoring half, you take the over. Odds for this bet could be -120, meaning you bet $120 to win $100.

So, you throw down $120, and by halftime, the score is Celtics 60, Bulls 55—a total of 115 points. That’s over 110.5, and your bet hits and it’s time to collect the green. For this bet and odds, you’d get $220 bucks (the $120 you put in, and $100 in profit).

You don’t even have to finish watching the game before you collect the profit too. Knowing how to predict these high-scoring halves is something we talk about on our NBA Betting Strategy piece, so make sure to check that out later.

As the name implies, these prop bets focus on events that will take place over the season, such as who’s gonna win the MVP award or how many games a team will win in the regular season.

The sportsbook might set the over/under line at 49.5 wins for the season. Now, if you’re feeling good about the Celtics and think they’ll hit 50 wins or more, you take the over. Which is reasonable, they had an incredible season and they’ve preserved their young, talented roster.
The odds for this could be +110, meaning if you bet $100, you’d win $110 in profit if the Celtics get to 50 wins or more. So, you’d walk away with $210 total ($100 bet + $110 profit).

Now, if the Celtics crush it, let’s say they finish with 52 wins, your bet hits, and you cash out big time. The fun part is that season-long prop bets keep you glued to the scoreboards from start to finish. Every game they win inches you towards that big payment at the end!

If you want to make money with NBA prop bets, you need to have an NBA betting strategy set in place. We shared all our tips, tricks and secrets on how you can start making smart NBA bets with data and superior insights behind them.

We go over stuff such as:

Understanding Travel Schedules

On our guide we take a look at how a team’s traveling schedule directly impacts their performance, which is perfect for NBA player prop bets and Team prop bets. You could be looking at stats that tell you a team is on a hot streak, but with enough traveling you could be looking at a big loss next (there’s money in knowing this too!).

Researching Player Performance

We take a look at key statistics like recent games, average points per game, assists, rebounds, and other relevant stats that tell you when a player is about to have a big night. On our guide we also go over some advanced analytics if you got the stomach for it.

Monitoring Injury Reports and Rest Days

Knowing how to track these injury reports in a matter of seconds is crucial, especially if you’re about to lay a fat bet on a player that has traditionally earned you a lot of money. Making sure they’re healthy and rested for their team is a big one, and we also cover that.

You know that Tyson quote: “everyone’s got a plan until they get punched in the face”? well, this is especially true for bankroll management. Everyone swears they’ll be disciplined about their money until they start going through a bit of a losing streak, and I was guilty of that during my first year, and it was completely avoidable.

Basically, learn how to divide your bankroll into small units and never bet more than you can afford to lose. Don’t chase losses either on “sure things” because there’s no such thing in a game as volatile and momentum-based as basketball.

I go over more of this on our Betting on Basketball article, so give that a read.

Don’t (Just) Bet on Your Favorite Team or Players

If you can see your favorite player as a human being capable of making mistakes, that’s great. If you’re too biased about how good they actually are and how they perform against big teams, then don’t bet on them. I’m not even kidding, your bias will make you ignore all the data out there, and that’s how you lose money.

Learn to Read Sports Odds

We actually wrote a whole guide on this, because it’s so easy to misread odds. It’s a lot of numbers and moving parts, especially when you take on NBA Parlay bets. Be sure you’re 100% clear on what the odds are and how line movement works.

What is an NBA prop bet?

An NBA prop bet is a wager placed on specific events or outcomes within a game, such as a player’s total points or assists, rather than the final outcome of the game itself.

How do prop bet odds work?

Odds for prop bets work the same as traditional bets. They indicate the potential payout for a wager. For example, if a player is given +150 odds to score 25 points, a $100 bet would win you $150.

What is the most popular type of NBA prop bet?

The most popular NBA prop bets usually focus on player performances, such as points, assists, or rebounds. These allow bettors to focus on individual player outcomes rather than the game as a whole.

Can you combine multiple NBA prop bets in a parlay?

Yes, many sportsbooks allow you to combine multiple prop bets into a single parlay, increasing the potential payout. However, the more legs in the parlay, the higher the risk.

How do injuries affect NBA prop bets?

Injuries can drastically change the outcome of prop bets. If a key player is injured or playing limited minutes, it’s important to adjust your bets accordingly.