How To Place Props Bets In Arizona

Prop bets are a popular way to get involved with sports betting, especially if you are not comfortable picking winners or you don’t want to wait for futures to pay off. While prop bets are legal in Arizona, there is a restriction to be aware of.  Player prop bets on college games are prohibited, which is a stance other states have taken in an attempt to keep college players from being potentially persuaded to alter their performance to impact the outcome of a game.

So, if you want to bet on how many yards Kyler Murray will throw for in a game, you’re good to go. Looking to bet on the number of rebounds a particular Arizona Wildcat will have? You’re out of luck.

How do you go about placing legal prop bets in Arizona? Read on, and we’ll help you figure that out.

What Are Prop Bets?

Prop bets, or proposition bets, are bets gamblers can make on aspects of the game not tied directly to the game’s outcome. They will often reference a player’s production or a team’s production for a particular quarter/half/game. The following are a few examples of common prop bets:  

• Deandre Ayton total rebounds, over/under 11.5 
• Kyler Murray total touchdowns, over/under 2.5  
• Total strikeouts by Diamondbacks pitchers in a game
• Total shots on goal for an Arizona Coyotes player

While these types of prop bets are the most common, not all of them are necessarily going to relate to whether something happens during play. The Super Bowl is the best example of this. Sportsbooks will often carry a wide selection of prop bets related to things off the field such as the length of the National Anthem, the result of the coin flip, what color Gatorade will be dumped on the winning coach, and more.

What Type Of Prop Bets Are Allowed In Arizona

The following types of prop bets are legal in Arizona: exotic events, Super Bowl, player and game props for professional leagues. 

Restrictions On Arizona Prop Betting

Prop bets on college games are prohibited.

How To Read Prop Bet Odds

The easiest way to explain how to read the odds for prop bets is to review a couple of examples.

Let’s say you want to bet on who the leading scorer will be when the Phoenix Suns play the Golden State Warriors on November 30. The odds will look something like this:

• Steph Curry +200
• Devin Booker +225
• Andrew Wiggins +500 
• Jordan Poole +550
• Deandre Ayton +750
• Chris Paul +800

With this example, you’re simply wagering on who you think will have the most points at the end of the game. If you were to bet $10 on Chris Paul, and he ended up with the most points, your total payout would be $90 ($10 wager plus $80 in winnings).

Many prop bets will come in the form of an over/under:

• Kyler Murray over 255.5 passing yards -110
• Kyler Murray under 255.5 passing yards -110

In this case, you will choose whether you think Kyler Murray will throw for more or less than 255.5 yards. Either way, it will take a wager of $110 to win $100. 

Which Sports Are The Best For Prop Bets?

There are different ways in which you can answer this question. Sports like football, baseball, basketball, and hockey where plentiful performance-related data is recorded would be the best. The more information you have at your disposal, the easier it is to make an educated decision on how to bet. 

But does that mean you should bet on whether James Conner will score a touchdown even if you have never watched a football game in your entire life? Of course not. Having the data at your disposal is one thing, but understanding it and knowing how to interpret it is another.

That is why some would say the best sport for prop bets is the one in which you are most knowledgeable. If you are a lifelong football fan, you will understand the different factors at play when it comes to whether a specific player will score in any given game. 

Data-rich sports are the best for prop bets, but only betting on sports you have sufficient knowledge and understanding of is the best approach.

Tips For A Successful Prop Betting Strategy

Prop betting is a lot of fun, and if you approach it with the right strategy— it can also be profitable. But, just like every other form of betting, it helps to go into it with a well thought out strategy. As for what strategy you should use, there are a few rules that are universal no matter which sport you are betting on:

Monitor the lines for the game: Lines move for a reason. That could just mean the public is betting heavily one way, and the sportsbook is adjusting accordingly. But it could also mean that something changed for one or both teams that could impact how the game is played and whether certain players will hit their target totals.

• Do your homework: this can not be emphasized enough. Prop betting success is heavily impacted by knowledge—how much you know about the game, each team, the coaches, the players, matchups, etc. Now, you can study the teams and players so much that it drives you nuts. Do however much you feel you need to to make an informed decision.
• Do not settle for bad odds: Yes, you are more likely to win if you take a prop bet with -500 odds, but there is still a genuine chance you will lose your bet. Is it worth risking $500 just to win $100? Or would you rather put $100 down on something with +100 odds? Your chances of winning are not as good, but you do not have to risk $500 for the same payout.
• Line shop: This goes along with the above tip, but if you are going to take the risk and put money down, you might as well win as much as you can and go with the sportsbook that gives you the best odds.
• Respect the hot hand: Let’s say Devin Booker has been on a tear scoring 35+ in his last five games. It may be worth it to take a chance on his scoring total for the next game and go for a higher total with longer odds.
• Consider all options: It is understandable if you feel like you want to bet on Kyler Murray throwing more than 2.5 touchdown passes. But if the Cardinals are playing one of the top-pass defenses in the league, it may not be the best bet (depending on the odds). Rather than go with that bet, look for one with a higher likelihood of winning.
• Pay attention to the game: This may seem obvious, but this is one of the biggest edges you can get when it comes to sports betting. Many sportsbooks offer live player props and the over/under will adjust as the game progresses. Let’s say before a game starts, DeAndre Hopkins’ reception total is 5.5. At the start of the third quarter, however, he only has 1 catch. His line will no doubt be lower than what it was before the game started. Now let’s say you’ve been paying attention to the game and Kyler Murray has targeted Hopkins 7 times and they’re trailing. We can expect the Cardinals to throw more often and that Murray will eventually complete some of those passes to Hopkins. Taking the over on the now lower reception total would be a smart move.

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