What does over/under mean on a player prop?
Short answer: Over/under is a bet on whether a player finishes above or below a number the book sets, such as 24.5 points. Each side has its own price, and the two prices together include the book's margin. A half-point line means the bet cannot push.
The line and the price are two different things
A prop like Over 24.5 points -115 / Under 24.5 points -105 has a line (24.5) and a price on each side (-115 and -105). The line sets the number the player has to beat; the price sets what you win for your stake. The book can move either one when money comes in.
Why most lines end in .5
A half-point line cannot land exactly, so there is no push: every bet wins or loses. Whole-number lines (say, 6 rebounds) can push, and the stake is returned.
Reading the prices
Negative American odds show what you stake to win 100; positive odds show what you win on a 100 stake. Turn each into an implied probability (steps: convert American odds) and the two sides add up to more than 100%. The extra is the book's margin (the vig on DraftKings props).
Same line, different books
Two books can post the same 24.5 with different prices, or different lines entirely. Comparing them side by side is how you find the better price; the props page shows DraftKings next to Pinnacle for every line tonight.
Common prop markets
Points, rebounds, assists and made threes are the most-bet NBA props, followed by combinations such as points plus rebounds plus assists. In the NFL the main ones are passing, rushing and receiving yards, receptions, and touchdowns. Each market has its own line and its own pair of prices, and books price the less popular ones with wider margins.
What happens if the player doesn't play
Most US books void a player prop if the player does not take the court or field, and return the stake. Rules differ when a player starts and then leaves injured: many books grade the bet on whatever he recorded. Check the house rules for your book before you bet, especially on players listed as questionable on the injury report.
Over or under: is one side better?
Neither side is better by default. Prices are set so that the book profits whichever side wins, and recreational money tends to favour overs, which some books lean their prices against. Whether that creates an edge is an empirical question; OpenSlate's research on it, with the sample and dates stated, is in over or under on player props.
Related questions
- How do sportsbooks set player prop lines?
- What are alternate lines?
- How do I calculate a no-vig price?
Market data and education only. OpenSlate does not publish free picks and does not tell you what to bet.
More: Removing the vig: how to turn two prices into a fair probability · Why Pinnacle is the reference price · Closing line value, explained · Why parlays cost more than the same bets straight · Why player prop lines move · Is DraftKings or Pinnacle sharper on NBA player props? · How do I calculate a no-vig price? · What is a +EV player prop? · Why do DraftKings and Pinnacle prop lines differ? · What is a Trap Over? · Are NBA rebound unders profitable? · How do I compare sportsbook prop odds for free? · What does closing line value tell me? · How often do prop lines move before tip-off? · What is the vig on DraftKings player props? · How do injury reports move NBA prop lines? · What is a market-maker sportsbook? · Is it better to bet the over or the under on player props? · Can you make money betting player props? · Can you bet at Pinnacle from the US? · What free tools help with player prop betting? · Does betting DraftKings when it disagrees with Pinnacle work? · How do sportsbooks set player prop lines? · What is a sharp bettor? · How do I convert American odds to implied probability? · What is a steam move in sports betting? · What are alternate lines on player props?
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