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Importance of Line Shopping For Football Prop Bets

Since the legalization of online sports betting in 2018, over 40 sportsbooks have flooded the market across over 20 states in the USA (and counting). As a result of this influx, a bettor has a variety of odds to choose from like never before. In order to maximize the value out of every bet, it’s imperative they line shop.

What Is Prop Betting?

A prop bet, (short for proposition) is a bet that has nothing to do with the final result of a game or match (win/loss/tie). Rather, it’s centered on stats an individual team or player records throughout a game (e.g. Tom Brady over/under 2.5 touchdowns, Jonathan Taylor over/under 275 rushing yards, team to score most touchdowns). The wide array of prop bets can create value gaps in odds across different sportsbooks that are worth taking advantage of.

What is line shopping, and its significance with NFL Prop Bets?

Line shopping involves comparing odds for a particular bet (e.g. Leonard Fournette to score a touchdown) and seeing that line laid out across all available sportsbooks. To show the chasm across different sportsbook lines for this bet, see the image above

As you can see, the most profitable odds for Leonard Fournette to score a touchdown against the Ravens are at -105 with BetMGM. The least profitable are with Caesars at -135. If you were to lay down $100 on BetMGM for this wager, your return (assuming Fournette scores a touchdown) would yield a payout of $195.24. With Caesar’s, the same bet would return $174.07 (for more information about betting odds, see our article here).

This payout difference of $21.17 (or more importantly, 21% ROI) is a stark contrast if one is interested in betting for any period of time. This simple line shopping tool is one of many, takes little time, and is free to access at ftnbets.com/propshop. Simply select a desired team or player, and the best odds will be displayed across all available platforms in your region for a desired wager type.

Breaking even in this industry can be a challenge in and of itself, so it should be in the best interest of all bettors to get the most value of every bet they place, ensuring they have the best possible chances of profit.