Proposition betting is the kind of betting which is not exactly done on the outcome of the game but is done on various aspects within the game. Bets are placed on aspects such as who scores the maximum number of dunks, who is going to score the first goal of the match, who is going to sit out with injury and all such small things. Proposition bets are very popular among bettors since it can get you some good money by betting on the obvious. The odds in favor of the bettor are high when one of the best players in the circuit plays in a game. If you bet on him being the highest scorer, which is very likely to be true, you stand a chance to win. However, since there are so many options available, it all depends on which aspect a bettor chooses to bet on. In a nutshell, proposition bet is placed on a single specific occurrence in the game and not on its general outcome.
The interesting history of prop bets
The nature of prop bets makes them suitable for all kinds of sports. Essentially, you can bet on anything in the game as long as the booker offers the possibility. The person who is said to be responsible for popularizing the betting method is Sonny Reizner. He began betting on such petty things in the baseball venue Fenway Park in Massachusetts and made himself a good deal of money in the 1930s. The craze then spread to Las Vegas casinos and when sports betting became the next big thing in the gambling world, proposition bets came into the basketball circuit in a big way. NCAA tournaments see a lot of proposition bets being placed on players and other happenings of the game.
Proposition bets then spread to various other avenues. A very interesting case was of David Threlfall. In 1960, he bet 10 British sterling pounds wagering that before the 1st of January 1970, there would be a human visitor to the moon. In July, 1969, Apollo 11 became the first spacecraft to land on moon and Threlfall had a windfall of 10000 sterling pounds against his 10.
In the following years, the culture of proposition bets picked up all over the world. In the present day, it is one of the most popular kinds of bets placed in all basketball games. Some of the common aspects on which bookmakers allow are the team that scores first in the match, number of dunks, number of three pointers, the player to score first and number of fouls, to name a few.
Are there strategies for propositions bets?
Odds while placing the bets vary from one game to another depending on the team and the book makers. So, if the question is about strategies for proposition bets, then yes, there are a few things that you can try. Firstly, rather than evaluating the team as a whole, you need to evaluate the performance of each player because proposition bets are placed on individual players as well. Secondly, check the house edge. Usually, it is high for these bets, although some online bookmakers shift the house edge in your favor. So, it is very important to check the house edge along with the lines before betting.
Although seemingly simple at the outset, proposition bets require a lot of thought and analysis. In other words, it is not so much about the application of strategies as it is about deep rooted analysis of teams and their players. If you are a regular follower of college basketball and are aware of the teams and their strengths, you should not have a problem placing proposition bets.
