Quick answer: A three-pointer is any made field goal taken from behind the three-point line, which sits 23 feet 9 inches from the rim at the top of the arc and 22 feet at the corners. The stat counts the made shot, not the attempt. Three-pointers made (3PM) is a player prop offered every night across the NBA slate, with totals ranging from 1.5 to 6.5 depending on the player.
The Geometry of the Line
The corner three is the shortest three-pointer at exactly 22 feet. The top-of-the-arc three is the longest at 23 feet 9 inches. Players who specialize in the corners (Bruce Brown, P.J. Tucker types) tend to convert at higher percentages because the shot is a foot and a half closer than the rest of the arc. The line itself moved in 1994 to 22 feet uniformly, then back to its current shape in 1997. Anything before 1979 was a two.
3PM Props in the Wild
The book posts a number, you bet over or under. Klay Thompson over 4.5 made threes is a classic. Curry has cleared 7 made threes in a single game more than 25 times, including his 13-made-three explosion against the Heat in 2018. Volume is the dominant factor in 3PM prop accuracy. A shooter who jacks up 11 attempts a game has a much higher floor than one who takes 6, even if the percentage is lower. Sharp bettors track usage and shot-share over the previous 10 games, not season averages.
The Sharp Angle on Threes
Three-point variance is enormous game to game. Even Curry has nights where he shoots 1-for-7 from deep. The edge isn’t picking who’ll have a hot night, it’s picking matchups where defensive scheme creates volume. Teams that allow heavy drive-and-kick (Wizards, Hornets historically) inflate three-point attempts. Teams with elite rim protection that switch hard (Celtics, Heat) suppress them. PropsBot.AI’s NBA model has graded 188,097 NBA props with a 77.1% Win Rate on the High Hit Rate Signal, and matchup-aware three-point modeling is one of the contributors.
Records You’ll See Quoted
Steph Curry holds the all-time made threes record at 3,747 and counting. Ray Allen sits second. Single-season record is also Curry, 402 made in 2015-16 (a number that genuinely felt like cheating at the time). Single-game record is 14 by Klay Thompson. Career three-point percentage leader is Steve Kerr at 45.4%, retired.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the NBA add the three-point line?
1979. The line was uniform at 22 feet in 1994-95, then changed to its current shape in 1997 (22 feet at the corners, 23-9 elsewhere).
What is a three-point prop bet?
A wager on whether a specific player makes more or fewer than the posted number of three-pointers in a game. Steph Curry over 4.5 made threes at -125 is a typical line.
Why are corner threes more valuable?
They’re the shortest three-point shot at 22 feet, which produces a higher conversion rate. Most teams design offenses to generate corner threes for that reason.
How many threes does an NBA team take per game?
Around 35 attempts league-wide in recent seasons, up from about 15 a game in the early 2000s. The volume increase is the biggest single change to NBA strategy in the last 20 years.
Can a player be credited with a three if their foot is on the line?
No. The shooter’s feet must be entirely behind the line at release for the shot to count as a three. A foot on the line makes it a two.
Part of the PropsBot.AI Sports Betting Glossary. Updated 2026-05-04.
