Now that sports betting in Massachusetts is legal, NFL betting fans can get in on the action by placing prop bets on NFL games.
If you want to jump into the NFL player prop market, here’s how to bet on NFL props at online sportsbooks and betting apps in Massachusetts.
NFL player prop search tool – Find the best odds
What are NFL player props?
NFL player props have to do with a specific aspect of a game, as opposed to the game as whole.
US sportsbooks give users seemingly endless options to consider when it comes to betting NFL player props. The most common include:
- Total passing yards for quarterbacks
- Total rushing yards for running backs
- Total receiving yards for receivers/tight ends
Other popular NFL prop bets include field goal props, head-to-head props, and anytime touchdown scorer bets. Some sportsbooks even offer first and last touchdown scorer props.
Overall, Massachusetts sportsbooks have dozens of different options to consider every week of the season. The menu gets even deeper for the playoffs and Super Bowl.
Betting NFL player props in Massachusetts
Betting NFL props is a simple process that can be done online. To get started, you need to find a sportsbook, sign up, and download the app. Don’t forget to claim any Massachusetts sportsbook promos that may be available.
Once you open an account and make your first deposit, you are ready to begin placing bets. From there, check out individual games that interest you to see what prop bets are available.
Top online sportsbooks for NFL prop betting
Now that Massachusetts has launched mobile betting, finding NFL prop bets is even easier. At full capacity, there could be as many as 15 mobile betting apps live in the Bay State.
When examining NFL player props, you’ll want to find a sportsbook that offers an array of wagers, reasonable odds, and a straightforward layout that is easy to follow and navigate.
Let’s take a look at some online sportsbooks in Massachusetts that feature the best NFL player props.
🏈 DraftKings Sportsbook
DraftKings is one of the most popular options, and for a good reason. Its sportsbook has no shortage of prop bets for offensive players. It also features more options for defensive players than many major competitors.
The layout of the DraftKings Sportsbook app is also very easy to use. After you select a game, several clickable tabs display more in-depth selections just below. You’ll even find an entire section dedicated to player parlays. The tabs on DraftKings that have player prop options include TD scorers, passing props, rushing/receiving props, and defensive/special teams props.
Review: DraftKings Massachusetts
🏈 FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel also has no shortage of options regarding NFL player props on the offensive side. It has fewer defensive and special teams choices compared with DraftKings but helps make up for it in design.
All of the props have clear labels and feature drop-down menus listing available odds. On the FanDuel Sportsbook app, prop bet options include TD scorer props, passing props, receiving props, rushing props, and defensive props.
Review: FanDuel Massachusetts
🏈 BetMGM Sportsbook
BetMGM has a much different design from the competition. Still, there are plenty of NFL player prop options. To see what’s available, select an individual game and then player props for options. From there, passing, receiving and rushing choices will be available on top, then other options below.
You’ll see a wide selection of over/under bets and yes/no bets. The BetMGM Sportsbook app also has a tab for player touchdowns and occasionally a player specials tab for big games.
Review: BetMGM Massachusetts Sportsbook
🏈 Caesars Sportsbook
Caesars is home to a good selection of popular prop odds. You’ll find all of the options under the TD scorer and player props tabs. The platform is smooth and all of the options are easy to find by simply scrolling down. The Caesars Sportsbook app has competitive odds to make up for a lack of options at times.
Review: Caesars Massachusetts
Offensive vs. defensive props
On the offensive side, fantasy football can be an invaluable resource if you are familiar with that. You look at a lot of the same factors including injuries, matchups, season averages, and recent production trends. When you’re familiar with the game and matchups ahead, you’ll feel more confident in your bet.
The same works for defense, just in reverse. Teams with a bad offensive line or quarterback will allow a lot more sacks or interceptions. Betting on a player facing those teams is more likely to yield positive results.
Betting on a struggling player to torment a specific team is a popular option, too. They may be opposite sides of the ball, but you want to look for advantages in a player’s favor for both sides.
Offensive player props
Most passing touchdowns, attempts and interceptions- Most passing yards, rushing yards and receiving yards
- Player rushing plus receiving yards
- Over/under on total yards
- Longest rush and reception
- Total receptions
Any accumulation of yards and attempts will fall under this category.
TD scorers
- Anytime TD scorer
- First TD scorer
- Last TD scorer
- Two or more
- Three or more
- Both halves
- First TD for a specific team
These are for the player who crosses the goal line, so quarterbacks throwing touchdowns will not count toward this as a TD scorer.
Special teams & kicker props
For special teams, most of the action that is easy to find is with the kickers. They get options for points, field goals and extra points.
Deciding whether to favor the over or under usually relies on the offenses and defenses on the field. A projected shootout is usually a good option for the over on kicker points. If a team is bad in the red zone, the over on field goals may be a more likely bet to come through. Study both teams’ tendencies and projections to give yourself an idea for kicker props.
Most of the time, there won’t be options for return TDs. One way around this, though, is finding a return specialist in the anytime TD scorer options, especially facing a poor coverage unit. Due to not being a traditional scorer, they’ll usually have favorable odds.
Punters rarely get options, but if they’re available, being familiar with the offense vs. defense matchup in the game can help you determine the best options. Defense and special team props include the following:
- Tackles plus assists
- Player to record a sack or over/under on sacks
- Player to record an interception
- Kicker over/under points
- Kicker field goals
- Extra points made
Season-long NFL player props
Along with betting on a player’s single-game performance, you can bet on seasonal performance as well. Futures bets on NFL awards include the following:
- MVP
- Offensive/Defensive Player of the Year
- Offensive/Defensive Rookie of the Year
- Player passing yards, touchdowns, or interceptions
- Player rushing yards or touchdowns
- Coach of the Year
NFL player prop bets to stay away from
While there are a ton of options, some aren’t worthwhile on their own. Here are some NFL odds that usually don’t offer a good value:
- Rushing attempts 10+: Leading running backs often have this option, and the odds are usually -1000 at least.
- 25+ rushing yards: Same problem as the rushing attempts above.
- 200+ passing yards: Like the two above, odds start at around -1000 for most quarterbacks.
- Five or more receptions: Elite receivers can exceed -1000, while the top four in a game will usually be worse than -110
NFL Draft prop bets
Even when the NFL season is over, NFL betting is popular. Most sportsbooks let you bet on the NFL Draft. Popular NFL Draft bet types include first overall pick, player to go in the top 10, player to go in the first round, player to go to a specific team, and what position a team will select with a specific pick.
Sportsbooks often offer special promos when the NFL draft is near as well.
Sportsbook rules for NFL player props
The NFL makes stat corrections after games, so player props are subject to those as well. Overtime counts toward player props unless otherwise stated. If a player is inactive, your bet will be canceled.
See here for a full rundown of football betting rules at major sportsbooks.