PFF Betting 101: What is a prop bet?

A wide array of prop bets: While game spreads and totals look at the entirety of a matchup and its outcome, prop bets are a wager on a more singularly focused player or event that is independent of the main contest. They come in three forms: player, game and team props.

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We’ve already laid the groundwork on how you can get started with betting on NFL game spreads. So, this time around, let’s talk about one of the most popular forms of betting that you can partake in within the game itself.

This is your guide to understanding prop bets for the 2025 NFL season.

Lines courtesy of BettingPros and DraftKings Sportsbook

What is a Prop Bet?

While game spreads and totals look at the entirety of a matchup and its outcome, prop bets are a wager on a more singularly focused player or event that is independent of the main contest.

Think of it like a side bet that can hit or miss regardless of who wins the game.

There are three main types of prop bets to know: player, game and team.

Let’s take a look at some of the prop lines being offered for the opening matchup of the 2025 NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys versus the Philadelphia Eagles.

Player Props

If you’re familiar with fantasy football, you will feel right at home with player props. It’s one of the most popular betting markets and a staple of the NFL betting landscape.

Player props can come in a couple of forms but are generally wagered through the lens of an over/under, where bettors target a specific player's performance and determine if they will exceed or fall short of those expectations.

Yardage Props

Here, we have a rushing yardage prop for Eagles running back Saquon Barkley:

Oddsmakers have set the line at 94.5 total rushing yards. Selecting the over means Barkley would need to finish with 95 or more rushing yards for the bet to win, while selecting the under means he needs to fail to reach that mark.

Touchdown Props

Another popular form of player props are touchdown bets, where bettors can target whether a specific player will find the endzone.

These offerings can go even deeper, with options such as “first touchdown scorer” and “multiple touchdown scorer,” for increased payouts.

Here, we have various odds for Barkley’s chances of scoring:

“Anytime touchdown” targets whether a player will score a touchdown at any point in the game. Given Barkley’s nose for the endzone and high potential to score as a pivotal piece of the Eagles’ offense, oddsmakers have given the bet much shorter odds (-205), which would net a lower payout.

Bettors should be aware that these markets count only for the player actually scoring the touchdown, and do not include passing touchdowns, which are listed as a separate market.

Game Props

Game props come in many forms, covering a variety of possible events that can occur in an NFL game, with either team being able to accomplish the goal.

These props can include wagers on the margin of victory, whether the game will reach overtime, the first team to score and much more.

Here, we have an example of a game prop that targets which team will be the first to reach 10 points during the game:

And here is another example, targeting whether both teams will score a touchdown and a field goal:

Team Props

Team props work similarly to game props but generally isolate one team’s performance.

These markets can include wagers on an individual team’s total points scored, total touchdowns or yardage, independent of the game’s outcome.

Here, we have the point totals for each team:

Unlike traditional game totals, which include the combined score of both teams, these markets can be used to isolate the points scored by just one team.

Ready to Roll

You’re all set with the foundation to attack the betting markets for the 2025 NFL season.

At the forefront of where NFL data meets NFL betting, PFF empowers winning decisions, so be sure to check out the insights from the team all season long.

Stay tuned for more PFF betting tools soon to be introduced to all PFF+ subscribers. Looking for more betting 101 content? Click here to learn about betting the spread.