NFL Team Prop Bets

NFL team props are trending right now, giving you a chance to bet on team performances. Due to its luck-based nature rather than a strategic wager, it resonates well with casual bettors. 

This guide is a quick training camp for NFL team prop betting in California. You’ll find it all here from understanding the odds to learning about the different variations of NFL team props and pointers on how to improve your win rate. 

What Are NFL Team Props? 

Let’s take a step back and review how these bets work. Prop, or proposition bets, are exotic wagers on specific events within the game, ranging from various statistical components to off-the-wall occurrences. 

California sports betting isn’t legal yet. In the meantime, you can brush up on your betting lingo and try out new ways to bet at social sportsbooks like Fliff, which are legal in California. 

We’ll give you a few examples of prop bets to demonstrate just how versatile this market is:

• Length of the national anthem at the Super Bowl 
• Color of the Gatorade poured on the winning coach of the Super Bowl 
• Number of touchdowns scored by a specific player expressed in an Over/Under format
• Game specials (for example, Nick Bosa to record a sack and the 49ers’ victory)

Team props are one of three categories of props (player and game props). It focuses on just one side and its performance and can include statistical achievements or specific aspects of the game unrelated to the outcome but tied to one of the teams.

NFL props are mainly Over/Under bets where the sportsbook sets a certain stat total, and the bettor selects whether that total will be exceeded or fall short. Here are a few examples:

• SF 49ers, Team total points: Over 21.5 (-110)/Under 21.5 (-110)
• Los Angeles Rams, Total touchdowns: Over 2.5 (-105)/Under 2.5 (-135) 
• Los Angeles Chargers, Team total points — 1st Half: Over 12.5 (-105)/Under 12.5 (-115) 
• Los Angeles Chargers, Total TD yardage: Over 48.5 (-110)/Under 48.5 (-110) 

Some sportsbooks offer yes/no situations for team props: 

• LA Rams, 1st to score/win the game: Yes (+160)/No (-205) 
• SF 49ers, To win with both halves: Yes (+295)/No (-425)

You may also come across some miscellaneous team props and longshots like: 

• SF 49ers, To win with a shutout: Yes (+2800) 
• SF 49ers, Total number of points scored: Even (-110)/Odd (-110) 

One last point to note is that all of these markets are standalone events and don’t have anything to do with the game’s final outcome or other factors. 

How to Calculate NFL Team Prop Winnings

The profit you collect from a winning NFL team prop bet depends on two things: 

• Amount of money you put down on the wager (stake)
• Odds assigned to that bet

Underdog teams have positive (+) odds, meaning that a $100 wager on them would return more than $100 in winnings. A negative (-) number means the team is the favorite, so a bet would yield a smaller payout than your stake. 

Here are a few examples of how this works in practice.  

In a hypothetical game, the 49ers have +250 odds to win both halves against the Chiefs, and you bet $100 on them. If the 49ers run at halftime and ultimately beat the Chiefs, you’d earn $250 profit and get your $100 stake back. Consequently, the sportsbook would pay you $350.

When the odds are positive, the number shows how much you’d win for a $100 wager.

Let’s now consider the second scenario, when the odds are negative. 

Say the LA Rams are priced at -110 for the total TD bet against the Saints, and the line is at -2.5, indicating they must score three or more TDs in order to cash out. You feel pretty confident about the Rams’ offense, and you predict they’ll score at least three, so you place a $100 bet on Over. 

And just like that, the Rams scored three TDs, and you’ve won the bet. But this time, the payout is less than you wagered: $91. If you had bet $110, it would’ve been $100. This is how you calculate payouts when the odds are negative — the number tells you how much you have to wager to win $100.

Any discussion of odds should include the vig, also called the “juice.” This is a fee the sportsbook charges for each bet to ensure a profit regardless of the outcome and reduce exposure. It’s the equivalent of a house edge, ranging from 5% to 10%, depending on the sportsbook and the bet. 

Best Sportsbooks for NFL Team Prop Bets 

Bettors’ perception of what constitutes the best sportsbook depends on their preferences. Some choose a sportsbook based on how big its welcome bonus is, while others look at other aspects. When selecting the best book for NFL team props specifically, you should consider two factors:

• Quality of odds 
• Market variety 

The first criterion goes hand in hand with line shopping, a method for comparing odds at different sportsbooks. The odds for the same outcome can vary greatly, leading to varying payouts for the same bet. 

Consider betting on the LA Rams to score more than 12.5 in the 1st half, for instance. 

One sportsbook may have odds at -110, while another has -115. At the first sportsbook, a $1,000 bet on the Rams would result in a payout of $900.91, but if you rolled with the second sportsbook, you would win $870.04 for the same bet. Those $30.87 are the profit you could’ve made for just a little bit of legwork.

It’s not just about finding the best sports betting odds in California for your NFL team prop bet. Make sure the sportsbook you choose has a deep bench of NFL team prop options. A site with a limited selection might not have your game, and that’s a losing proposition in itself. 

Fliff Sportsbook offers competitive odds for NFL team prop bets regularly and has a varied betting program, so there’s a good place to start.

Variations of NFL Team Props

The variety of prop bets is unparalleled by any other type of wager. Within the NFL team props category alone, you can find a slew of different options. 

Here are a few NFL team props that draw tons of betting action, plus a few alternatives to consider if you want to try out something different: 

• Over/Under odds: Sportsbooks offer Over/Under odds for NFL teams for various time periods, including halftimes, full-time, and even quarters. You can bet many points, yards, or other statistics a team will achieve during specific stretches of the game.
• Scoring and offense props: You can bet on all sorts of scoring and offensive outcomes, such as total field goal yardage, total punts, total points bands, winning with a shutout, scoring in both halves, and more. 
• Season-long team props: Betting on NFL team props isn’t just limited to individual games. You can also bet on a team’s performance throughout the entire season, such as the total number of wins, division championships, playoff appearances, and more. This type of betting provides a fun way to stay engaged during the NFL season and potentially cash in big.
• Game props: Game props focus on both teams rather than just one. You’ll find options such as the first team to score, the first team to turn the ball over, the total number of fumbles in the game, and more. 
• Player props: Player props involve bets on player statistics and milestones during a game. You can bet on total yards, touchdowns, interceptions, and more. They offer a different way to get involved in the game by focusing solely on individual player performances. 

Best Strategy for NFL Team Prop Bets in California

In-depth research is the cornerstone of any successful betting strategy. Even though it’s satisfying to nail a couple of long shots on gut instinct, it’s not sustainable. 

As a bettor, make sure you do your homework and learn about team stats, trends, recent performance, and key player matchups. This way, you’ll have a better idea of which team will deliver on game day. If you’re betting on “skill-based” NFL team props such as “total TD scored by team X,” check the team’s recent scoring average. 

In general, it’s better to avoid random props, such as coin tosses, since they’re just guesswork and have a low hit rate. 

Finally, consider arbitrage betting when betting on NFL team props. This technique revolves around finding pricing disparities and loopholes between sportsbooks. One book might offer +102 odds for the Rams to have Over 48.5 total TD yards, while another may provide +105 odds for Under of the same bet. 

It’s possible to bet on both sides and earn a profit regardless of the outcome. The payout won’t be huge, but deadbolt locks only occur sometimes, so you should take what you can get. It’s possible to uncover some profitable arbitrage opportunities by taking advantage of California sports betting bonuses that include a no-juice or odds boost.

NFL Team Props for Los Angeles Rams 

You’ll have numerous ways to back the Rams next time they take the field, from betting on how many touchdowns they’ll score to predicting whether they’ll win both halves.

Many sportsbooks feature same-game parlays, which allow bettors to take multiple props on one game. As an example, you might be betting on the Rams to score more than 12.5 points and more than 2.5 touchdowns in the first half.  By adding props, you can jack up the potential payout, although the difficulty of hitting will increase. 

How to Place an NFL Team Props Bet on an Online Sportsbook App

Before you start lining up your NFL team prop picks, you’ll need to sign up for an account at a sportsbook. Typically, you’ll have to provide personal details (the last four digits of your SSN are mandatory at all sportsbooks) and additional login details to register. 

From there, deposit and claim any intro promo the sportsbook offers for new customers. 

Afterward, turn your geolocation tracker on (location services for mobile or a geolocation plug-in for desktop users) and go to the sports lobby. 

Once you select the NFL, you’ll be redirected to a page that lists all upcoming football games. When you find the game you want to bet on, click on it and select “More Wagers.” 

After the betting menu expands, look for a section labeled “Props” or “Team Props.” Choose the bet you want to make, enter your wager amount, and hit “Place Bet” on the slip. 

NFL Team Props FAQs