Correlation is the mathematical foundation of any well-built prop parlay. When two legs in a parlay are positively correlated, one outcome makes the other more likely. When they're negatively correlated, one outcome makes the other less likely. Building parlays without understanding which relationship you're working with is how bettors pay extra vig for no structural benefit.

Same-game parlays are one of the most marketed products in sports betting and one of the most misunderstood. The common approach is picking a handful of players you like from the same game and combining them into one ticket for a bigger payout. The disciplined approach is completely different: you decide what kind of game you're betting on first, then build every leg around that single story. The difference between those two methods is the difference between entertainment spending and genuine strategy.

Milestone props are threshold bets: instead of betting Over or Under a line at standard juice, you're betting that a player hits a specific statistical level or higher at a plus-money price. Whether it's 25 or more points, 100 or more rushing yards, or 7 or more receptions, the bet wins if the player reaches that threshold and loses if they fall short. It's a structurally simple bet that gets interesting when you understand how to evaluate whether the odds are pricing the probability accurately.

A prop ladder is a strategy where you bet the same player at multiple increasing statistical thresholds simultaneously, each on a separate ticket at the corresponding alternate line odds. Instead of picking one number, you're staking smaller amounts across several rungs of the same player's outcome distribution. The idea is that if the player has a genuinely big game, you collect on multiple bets. If they have an average game, you win the lower rungs and lose the upper ones.

Standard player props give you one number and ask whether the player goes over or under it. Alternate lines expand that into a menu: the same player at multiple different statistical thresholds, each priced differently to reflect the changing probability. It's the same underlying bet reimagined as a choice of risk and reward, and understanding how books price the range tells you where the value is most likely to appear.

Combo props bundle multiple individual stats into one number, and the most popular version in NBA betting is PRA: points plus rebounds plus assists combined into a single line. Instead of betting whether a player scores 28 points or grabs 9 rebounds, you're betting whether their combined contribution across all three categories clears a threshold. It's a different analytical exercise from single-stat props, and it's popular for genuine structural reasons rather than just because it's convenient.

Anytime scorer props are about as simple as a bet gets. You're picking whether a specific player scores at least once during the game. Yes or no. The player either reaches the end zone, puts the puck in the net, or finds the back of the goal, or they don't. That simplicity is exactly why they're one of the most-bet prop markets across every major sport, and exactly why books have become very good at pricing them.

Strikeout props are the flagship MLB pitcher market and among the most analytically approachable props in any sport. The outcome is driven by measurable, stable inputs on both sides of the matchup: how often does this pitcher miss bats, how often does this lineup make contact, and how long is the starter expected to stay in the game? Get those three inputs right and the projection follows with genuine accuracy.

Shots on goal props are the most model-friendly market in NHL betting. Shot volume is more stable game-to-game than goals, assists, or points, which makes it one of the few hockey prop categories where projection-based analysis produces consistent edges. The key is understanding which players are structurally positioned to generate shot volume and which matchups support or suppress it.