(Originally from Forth Worth Star-Telegram, now on Red Orbit) Gamblers Bet on Odd Propositions
By Bryon Okada, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas

Jun. 9--With the NBA Finals come proposition wagers -- the gimmicky, sometimes esoteric bets that sports books put up for gamblers when only a few games are being played.

Anyone who wagers on the Super Bowl coin flip is familiar with prop bets. Examples from Game 1 of the NBA Finals: Which team will score 10 points first? 20? 30? Will the teams shoot over or under 41 1/2 combined free throws?

"It's generally anything that is going to draw action," said Matty O'Shea, general manager of content for Las Vegas-based pregame.com, a repository of gambling information. "Anybody can come with a bet, but it's more about trying to gauge the public and finding out what they think people would be interested in betting on."

Will Antoine Walker score more points than Jason Terry?

How many points will Dwyane Wade score?

"When you're a professional sports bettor, you want to look at any possible wager out there," said Jim Kruger, an NBA handicapper and president of vegassportsauthority.com. "These prop bets take more work than most wagers do. For example, we've had a lot of series going seven games."

Prop bets change with each game. Luck is definitely a factor with some bets. One turnover or basket -- or overtime -- can be the difference between winning and losing.

But believe it or not, O'Shea and Kruger say really good gamblers can win these wagers. Just remember, online gambling is illegal.

IN THE KNOW

Prop bets

Who will be the Finals MVP? (Dirk Nowitzki is the runaway favorite. Josh Howard and Jerry Stackhouse are long shots.)

Which team will win and in how many games? (Mavs in six, according to the sports books.)

What will be the Game 1 margin of victory?

How many points will Dwyane Wade score in Game 1? (Most likely 25-29 points; he scored 28.)