NFL Touchdown Prop Bets: Anytime Touchdown & First/Last Touchdown Scorer
NFL TD prop bets and first/last touchdown scorer present a great opportunity for entertainment as well as padding your bankroll this NFL season. Each week of the NFL season presents games with big totals (over/under points scored), mismatches that favor the offense or a specific player/position within an offense, as well as bad defenses taking the field. It’s no wonder NFL touchdown prop bets are the most popular props in sports betting.
That said, much like every other NFL player prop, there’s lots of little details you need to know before betting on touchdown props. Let’s test your knowledge: if you wager on a quarterback to score an anytime touchdown and they complete a touchdown pass, is your prop bet on the quarterback fulfilled?
The answer is no. NFL “anytime touchdown” and first/last touchdown scorer prop bets only count when a player ends up in the endzone with the football in their hands. That player with the ball in their hands is the TD scorer for the purpose of this prop. These are the DraftKings anytime touchdown scorer rules, and are the same at every other sportsbook who offers NFL touchdown prop bets. (Keep in mind, there are specific props for passing touchdowns as well. But they will label those clearly.)
This is a common misconception in NFL touchdown prop bets, but it’s an important detail that can make or break the action – when you see Joe Burrow listed at +350 odds to score a touchdown, please be aware you haven’t found a bad line at the NFL betting apps. It’s time to explore these touchdown prop bets in further detail and break down the specifics of what counts.
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NFL Touchdown Prop Bets Sections:
- NFL Anytime Touchdown Prop Bet
- NFL First/Last Touchdown Scorer Prop Bet
- NFL Passing, Receiving, and Rushing Touchdowns
- NFL Touchdown Prop Bets on Quarterbacks
- Choosing the Right Prop Bet
NFL Touchdown Prop Bets – Anytime TD Scorer
Anytime touchdown prop bets are simple, and they can offer a lot of value. You win the prop bet if a player you wagered on reaches the endzone for a touchdown at any point during the big game.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes signals a touchdown during the NFL Super Bowl LIV game against the San Francisco 49ers on February 2, 2020. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire)
If you bet $100 on Tyreek Hill as an anytime touchdown scorer at -134 odds, and he nabs a receiving touchdown in a game, you’d win $66 and walk away with a total of $166. Not bad for betting on a guy who specializes in running past defenders.
If the game ends up in overtime, your NFL TD prop bet on an anytime scorer is still live!
While some bettors simply risk their money on one player in their NFL touchdown prop bet, many public bettors love putting together an anytime touchdown scorer parlay. Every major sportsbook will allow you to parlay anytime TD scorers, but just remember that each one of those players in the parlay have to cross the goal line for your bet to win. Many feel the anytime TD scorer parlay is a great way to run up the potential payout, as most players have plus-odds to score each week.
If you really like this type (anytime TD scorer) of NFL TD props, I strongly recommend you check out the ESPN Bet app. They are the only major sports betting app who offers both sides (yes & no) of the anytime touchdown scorer. This is great for two reasons: (1) though there is typically a lot of juice involved in this prop, you often get better lines on players to score a touchdown at ESPN Bet because if they shorten it too much, then the “no” will start showing value; and (2) as mentioned, you might find a player showing value to not score a touchdown in their respective game.
NFL First/Last Touchdown Scorer Prop Bet
First and last NFL touchdown scorer prop bets are similar to anytime touchdown wagers, except you’re specifically betting on who scores either the first or last touchdown in any given game.
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These bets are much more unpredictable, as you’re not only worrying about which team will score first/last but also the specific player on that team who will score first/last, so the odds on these wagers are much longer than anytime touchdowns.
If you wagered $100 on Tyreek Hill scoring the first TD of the game at +650 odds, and he crosses the endzone for the first score of the game, you’d be looking at a nice payday of $750 in total.
NFL Touchdown Prop Odds
Odds for these NFL TD prop bets might look something like this:
Player | Odds to Score 1st TD | Odds to Score Any TD |
---|---|---|
Tyreek Hill | +650 | -134 |
Lamar Jackson | +750 | -106 |
Derrick Henry | +350 | -335 |
You can find new betting odds for these prop bets every week. The lines change based on how players perform, their playstyle, upcoming matchups, and their history of scoring these kinds of touchdowns in previous NFL games. We hope to feature these touchdown odds on our NFL props page by midseason.
NFL Passing, Receiving, and Rushing Touchdowns
Let’s define the different kinds of touchdowns in the NFL. There’s a big difference when it comes to anytime and first/last touchdown prop bets.
Passing and Receiving Touchdowns
Passing and receiving touchdowns occur when the quarterback throws a pass to a receiver who catches the ball for a touchdown.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) throws the football in a game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday October 20, 2019. (Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire)
Say Patrick Mahomes throws a pass to Travis Kelce that ends up as a touchdown. Mahomes gets a passing touchdown added to his official stats, while Kelce gets a receiving touchdown.
Passing touchdowns do not count toward anytime or first/last touchdowns prop bets. Don’t get too excited if you place an anytime prop bet on a quarterback and they throw a touchdown.
The receiver can already be in the endzone, or they can catch the ball and run into the endzone for the touchdown. Your prop bet is successful as long as the player you bet has the football in their hands when the touchdown is scored.
Sportsbooks will offer an NFL TD prop for “pass+rush+rec TDs” for many quarterbacks, though. This allows you to bet on quarterbacks more freely, since you can combine their passing and rushing touchdowns. You will also see specific NFL TD props for passing touchdowns. Most quarterbacks will often carry a 1.5 or 2.5 over/under line each game, with the odds on the over and under being quite different depending on the QB. These props will be clearly marked, however, and should not be confused with an anytime touchdown bet.
Rushing Touchdown
This one is a little more straightforward. A rushing touchdown is any play where the runner carries the ball into the endzone without any kind of forward throw.
New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara runs with the football in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on December 31, 2017. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire)
The ball carrier crosses the goal line for a rushing touchdown, and your anytime NFL TD prop bet is graded a winner.
NFL Touchdown Prop Bets on Quarterbacks
There are only two ways to win if you’re betting on a quarterback as an anytime TD scorer or first/last touchdown scorer:
- Quarterback runs the ball into the endzone
- Offense executes a trick play where the quarterback catches the ball for a touchdown
Players like Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Kyler Murray are extremely mobile on their feet, so their odds to score a touchdown are typically much shorter than someone like Jared Goff or Matthew Stafford. Trick plays where the quarterback catches the ball are extremely rare, so it’s better to focus on quarterbacks who like to run the ball.
As mentioned above, though, sportsbooks will offer separate NFL TD prop bets for QBs. These will be called “passing touchdowns,” which are most frequently displayed as an over/under (1.5 or 2.5, most often), or “pass+rush+rec TDs,” which are also typically an over/under bet, but are not exclusively for QBs.
Choosing the Right NFL TD Prop Bet
Research is key when you’re choosing a prop bet. There’s a lot of players on the field you can bet on, and digging into a few key factors might reveal the edge you’re looking for.
You can make a prop bet on just about anything, and they range from fun and unpredictable bets to sharper margins where finding an edge is crucial. Anytime and first/last touchdown prop bets require knowledge, but skilled bettors know how to capitalize on them.
Here are the factors I consider most important when researching an NFL TD prop bet:
- What’s the game’s total (over/under for points scored)? Typically, if this is too low, anything below 40 (or so), I may avoid betting players to score a touchdown in this game. It’s not a total killer, but a good place to start.
- How good is the defense they’re facing? Bad defenses tend to give up touchdowns at a pretty consistent rate. Find those teams and pick on them. But more specifically, check how those defenses give up touchdowns. Are they unable to stop the run, or do they allow a lot of touchdowns through the air? In some cases, it might be both, but some teams will be much worse in one aspect.
- What is this player’s recent usage rates? Is the player receiving a lot of touches/looks, whether they’re carries or targets, in recent games, and specifically in the red zone?
- What’s the spread in the game? If I find a team who is listed as double-digit underdogs, I may shy away from their running back to score a touchdown if they don’t typically catch passes as well. When a team is expected to be playing from behind, they’re more likely to put the ball in the air and play fast on offense.
Following these four factors when researching NFL TD props has led to me finding a lot of great value over the past few years.
Are NFL Touchdown Prop Bets a Good Idea?
Touchdown prop bets are a great idea, as long as you are gambling responsibly and intelligently! (If you do have a gambling problem or struggle with addiction, then the answer to this question becomes “no”.) It’s a prop that provides plenty of entertainment, includes some players that have a high-probability of cashing your bets each week, but each week also has some players with longer odds who will cash.
Anytime touchdown prop bets come with more predictability than first/last TD scorer, but the potential payouts for first/last scorer wagers are a lot higher. It’s up to you to decide what you’re comfortable with, but both bets are very popular. If you do your research, there is value to be had with both!
Once you’ve decided which touchdown prop bets you want to wager on, there are a number of great sportsbook apps to choose from including Caesars Sportsbook, BetMGM, DraftKing Sportsbook, ESPN Bet, Fanatics Sportsbook, and FanDuel Sportsbook. Check out the list below to claim an exclusive promo code from some of the best sportsbooks around.
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These sportsbooks offer great NFL touchdown betting action on both regular season and playoff games. As always, I recommend you do a little line shopping between those aforementioned sportsbooks to ensure you are getting the best odds on every NFL TD prop bet you make.
NFL Touchdown Prop Bets FAQ
What does anytime touchdown scorer mean?
An anytime touchdown scorer is a specific type of NFL touchdown prop, where the player holding the ball in the endzone is deemed the touchdown scorer. Passing touchdowns do not count towards this prop.
What is a receiving touchdown?
A receiving touchdown is a play where the receiver makes a catch that results in a touchdown.
Do passing touchdowns count towards anytime or first/last scorer touchdown prop bets?
No, they don’t. A player must reach the endzone with the football in their hands to qualify for either of these prop bets. There are specific types of NFL TD props for passing touchdowns. Typically, each quarterback has a line of 1.5 or 2.5 and you can bet the over or under on how many TDs they will throw.
What are touchdown prop bets?
Touchdown prop bets refer to any type of touchdown bet such as anytime touchdown scorer, first/last touchdown scorer, multiple touchdown scorer, and more.
Can I bet on specific players to score touchdowns?
Yes, you can. If you think Tyreek Hill will score a touchdown in a game, then you can choose him for your wager.
Can I parlay TD props?
Yes, you can. TD props can be included in same-game parlays or across multiple events at almost every sportsbook.
Your Source for NFL Betting Advice
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