Spreads, moneylines and over/unders get a lot of action when it comes to NBA betting. However, NBA player props have a much wider range of options and can be a fun alternative.

If you play fantasy basketball, you’re likely already in tune with player stats on a game-by-game basis.

Now that sports betting in Massachusetts is legal, basketball fans in the state can make bets on NBA games.

What are NBA prop bets and how do they work? Where can you bet on NBA props in Massachusetts? See below.

NBA player prop tool: Search to find the best odds

Where to find NBA player props online

Finding NBA prop bets with online betting apps is a breeze. Now that online betting is legal in Massachusetts, expect as many as 15 betting apps to choose from.

For NBA player props, you’ll want to find a sportsbook that offers an array of bets, reasonable odds, and a straightforward layout that is easy to follow and navigate.

Here are the top sportsbooks that feature a solid selection of the best NBA player props:

DraftKings Sportsbook

One of the best sportsbooks on the market is Massachusetts-based DraftKings. What makes the DraftKings MA Sportsbook app stand out is the assortment of player prop options, with hundreds of specific offensive and defensive prop bets.

While DraftKings offers all the standard live prop bets such as over/unders on points, rebounds, assists and number of 3-pointers, it stands out with an offering of even more specific statistical bets and combos. Some additional bets you can find include the props on player statistics such as steals, blocks, turnovers, and even odds on double-doubles and triple-doubles.

With all the different props, you can make hundreds of combination bets (i.e., assists plus point, steals plus blocks), leaving no shortage of prop betting options. Player props are also easy to find on DraftKings. You’ll see them at the top of the screen just to the right of the “Game Lines” tab.

FanDuel Sportsbook

FanDuel is another highly reputable sportsbook with excellent NBA player prop betting options. While it doesn’t have quite as many props as DraftKings, it does have some other outstanding features.

One enjoyable aspect is its same-game parlays. These can be a fun way to select a couple of your favorite player props within a game and build your own parlay.

FanDuel Sportsbook Massachusetts also offers alternate lines that allow you to manipulate the over/under of a given player prop to either be more in your favor or offer a larger potential payout. For instance, you might be able to set the line for total points by a player at any number, with odds that change depending on your pick.

With no shortage of parlays and flexible lines, FanDuel allows you to get creative with player prop bets.

BetMGM Sportsbook

BetMGM is another excellent option for NBA player props, with some similar offerings to FanDuel and DraftKings. The interface is easy to navigate, but finding the props is less obvious. You need to click the “all wagers” tab for a given matchup, and the tab for player props will then appear on the top right.

A great feature of BetMGM Online Sportsbook in Massachusetts is that it is easy to design a player prop combo bet for a specific athlete. The book doesn’t have quite as many props as DraftKings, but it does have all the major statistics like points, assists and rebounds with some fun combo options including points plus assists, points plus rebounds, assists plus rebounds, and steals plus blocks.

Caesars Sportsbook

Caesars Sportsbook Massachusetts is yet another major industry player and trusted name with some solid betting options. Although it does not have quite as extensive an array of NBA player props as some of its competitors, it offers solid odds on many props.

One nice aspect of Caesars is the potential for boosted odds, which, along with more traditional game line and parlay bets, allows you to get more favorable odds on specific player props. Boosted odds will appear prominently in the menu tab.

Some fun player prop boosts include point totals for an individual player as well as parlays for several players. Not only is this function easy and intuitive, but it also allows you to make some fun and creative bets at more favorable odds.

What are NBA player props?

NBA player props are a fun way to get in on the action. These types of bets have to do with a specific aspect of a game, as opposed to the game as a whole. For example, instead of betting on the Celtics to win a specific game, you could bet on Jayson Tatum to score over 29.5 points on the game. Or, you could bet on Jaylen Brown to have over 5.5 assists.

There are seemingly endless options to consider when it comes to betting NBA player props, but the most common include player points, assists, and rebounds. But it doesn’t end there. Other popular NBA props include steals, blocks, double-double odds, and triple-double odds.

Some sportsbooks offer what are known as “player combos” in the prop market. These bets combine a player’s points, rebounds, and assists into one bet.

For example, instead of betting on Tatum to score over 29.5 points, you could bet on him to have over 38.5 points, rebounds, and assists. That way, if he only scores 25 points, but grabs 11 rebounds and dishes out 4 assists, you would win your player combo bet.

Season-long NBA player props

Depending on the sportsbook, you’ll likely find these bets under the futures tab since many cross over into that realm. Here are some of the potential betting options — again, depending on the sportsbook:

• Regular season MVP
• Rookie of the Year
• Most Improved Player
• Defensive Player of the Year
• Sixth Man of the Year
• Coach of the Year
• Points leader
• Assists leader
• Rebounds leader

The odds on these bets will change throughout the course of the season and warrant close monitoring. If you like an individual player to win a specific award or carry a statistical category, then it is worth checking in frequently to see where the odds are at.

NBA player props to avoid

With such a wide variety of betting options, some bets are inevitably less predictable than others. One increasingly popular bet is wagering on which player will score the first basket in the game, where you can bet on any player to score the first points of the night.

While this can be a fun bet to place a small wager on, it is generally unpredictable and unlikely to be reliable on a night-to-night basis. It is best to avoid this unless you put a few dollars down for fun.

Barring a particularly favorable matchup, betting on individual steals and blocks on a nightly basis is also a tough bet to hit, given the sporadic nature of these statistics. Unless a player specializes in these stats or an opponent is particularly mistake-prone, you are probably better off leaving these bets alone.

NBA Finals & offseason player props

The NBA Finals provide a slew of player prop bets for individual games and series totals.

Crossover betting is popular during the Super Bowl and possible during the NBA Finals. Crossovers allow you to bet on standard statistical over/unders with a fun twist by combining totals with other sports. For example, over/under 3.5 Marcus Smart free throws plus Aaron Judge hits.

When it comes to NBA props, bets are not confined to the regular season. Depending on where you are, for instance, you might be able to bet on the NBA draft.

It is worth noting that not every sportsbook will offer all or sometimes any of these odds, and they may be up only for a limited amount of time.

NBA Draft props

The NBA Draft is the biggest event of the offseason. Therefore, it makes sense that you might find some bets on it. Note, however, that not all states allow you to bet on the NBA draft, even states where sports betting is legal.

Here are some of the most popular draft day bets in states where you can place them:

• First overall pick.
• Player to be selected in the top five (yes or no).
• Player to go in the top 10 (yes or no).
• Player to go in the first round.
• Exact draft position for a specific player.
• The precise order of the draft (top three, top five).
• Conference with the most drafted players.
• School with the most drafted players.

When considering sportsbooks with the best draft day promotions, consider some with bonus bets or heavily boosted odds from books like FanDuel and DraftKings. When you sign up, these books frequently allow you a chance to turn bets of anywhere from $1 to $5 into over $100.

Sportsbook rules for player props

Every sportsbook has its own rules concerning player props. For instance, for an NBA player prop to be valid on FanDuel, a player must take the court at some point during the game.

Some books may allow payouts/refunds for postgame stat adjustments or injuries, whereas some do not. It’s also important to consider if a prop bet is for regulation only or if overtime counts as well.

While there are many ways to bet on NBA players online, sportsbooks can have different rules, so it is worth reading the fine print. Check the full rundown of rules for NBA betting at online sportsbooks.

Betting NBA player props in Massachusetts

Betting NBA 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 online sports betting bonuses 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.

One compelling aspect of prop betting is that you can make them at any time before or during a game/season. With odds and betting options that continue to update once a game starts, you can continue betting on prop lines and odds that change depending on what’s happening on the court.