Prop bets changed sports gambling. What are they?
Prop bets were back in the news this fall after a shocking NBA gambling scandal, so The Post broke it down: what prop bets are, where they came from, if they're getting more popular and what makes them so corrosive — in all sports, not just the NBA.
Video Transcript
Can you explain to me what prop bets are?
So, prop bets, Short for proposition bets, these are bets not having to do with a sporting outcome.
Event, so nothing to do with the final score, nothing to do with the margin of victory.
They can be for individual players, like NFL Quarterback X is going to throw for this many.
Passing yards in the game on Sunday, or they can be for teams.
Like the Warriors are going to hit this many threes in their game on Thursday.
These aren't specifically new just because of these apps.
Right?
They've existed.
They're just much easier for anyone to see now.
Yeah, so people actually kind of commonly date.
The boom of popularity in the prop bets, or maybe the first prop bet in 1986's Super Bowl.
A bookmaker offered a wager on the Bears' defensive lineman.
Known as "Refrigerator" Perry, saying that he would score a touchdown.
Oh.
Perry was super popular at the time, right?
Yeah.
... And the bet went crazy.
What are the potential problems that these cause?
There's a problem specifically with what's called negative bets.
And that's underperforming.
That is something an athlete can control.
Right.
They can take themselves out of a game if the Bet is you're only gonna play 25 minutes.
They can stop going up for boards if it's, "We're only gonna get nine rebounds today."
And that's kind of the issue because those players, Those players kind of farther down the roster, who aren't making as much.
Are more vulnerable.
The idea is they're more vulnerable to being manipulated by outside actors who are saying, "Hey, I'm gonna bet on this today."
Help me out here, man, and I'll cut you in.
