Sports Betting Strategy: Parlay Betting
Parlay betting allows sports bettors to combine the betting odds for different outcomes or games and create a larger payout – but all legs of the parlay wager must win for your bet to cash out.
What is a parlay bet?
A parlay bet can include two or more bets on different outcomes, whether they occur in the same game, same day or same week, month or even year if you’re patient enough. Your parlay can include all different types of bets – moneylines, point spreads, totals and even props and specials. You usually won’t be able to bet on conflicting outcomes – rightfully so, as you would lose your parlay because all legs of your bet have to win.
Many sports bettors will bet on a few games in a single night for optimal parlay betting. You don’t have to wait days to find out if your bet cashes, and you can place one each night there are a few games on the sports schedule. During the peak fall/winter season, you could bet on an NFL moneyline, an NBA total and an NHL point spread all on the same ticket.
NFL Sundays tend to be a huge opportunity for sports bettors to take advantage of primetime parlay betting. Each NFL Sunday has plenty of games to choose from, so you don’t have to bet games for the sake of betting – but you have plenty of options to build a decent parlay each week during this year’s 18-week season.
How to make a parlay bet
We want to build a parlay ticket that we are confident will win, but also has great odds that will indeed turn a profit. If you’re taking the risk, you will want the reward. Let’s look at a simple three-game parlay bet for our example.
After doing your research, you decide you want to bet on these games:
Green Bay Packers point spread set at -5.5 (-110)
Brooklyn Nets moneyline set at +120
Las Vegas Golden Knights vs. Vancouver Canucks total set at 6.5 (-110)
If you bet $15 on all three of these games separately you would win:
Packers = $28.64
Nets = $33.00
Golden Knights vs Canucks total = $28.64
=" $90.28
Now, if you bet $50 on these three games in a parlay wager, you would win $400.89.
Whether you’re a fan of betting on the NFL, MLB or NBA betting, you can cover them all with a parlay bet. What parlays do is combine all three games into one, increasing the odds and you’re then betting on that new, larger number. By betting $5 more and combining the odds, you are winning four times as much as you would have won by betting all of those single games.
Now, imagine if you bet and won on a 10-game parlay!
How to calculate a parlay bet
While there is never a perfect system to calculating a parlay bet due to all sportsbooks having different odds, we’re going to teach you the most basic way to calculate your parlay bet.
Many spreads and totals bets will have -110 odds, which is fairly standard across the board – it’s the moneyline bets that will be the big movers in your parlay. Let’s look at a three-leg moneyline parlay to keep things simple.
Dallas Cowboys -140
Montreal Canadiens +200
Toronto Raptors -110
First, we’re going to determine the multipliers which is essentially the winnings less the stake.
A standard single game wager on -140 would win $240, so you would follow this calculation:
240/140 = 1.71
A $100 wager on +200 odds would result in $300 in winnings, so:
300/100 = 3
And our standard -110 will look like this:
210/110 = 1.90
Now, you need to multiply these to get the odds for this particular parlay:
1.71 x 3 x 1.90 = 9.747
This translates to about +875 in American odds.
While calculating parlay odds can seem a little redundant as the sportsbooks all do this for you with a built-in parlay calculator as you add wagers to your bet slip, it can be a great learning experience if you aren’t overly familiar with true odds and how they can combine together.
How do parlay odds work?
Depending on which odds format you use, the odds will show you how likely it is that your bet might win. In North America, it’s customary to use American odds, so we will use that as our example, but we recommend checking out other odds formats like Decimal and Fractional.
The odds for each game will be pretty clear cut – the negative numbers mean the team is favored, and the positive numbers mean the team is an underdog. The underdog (+) odds will be what drives your bet slip’s value up, but also increases the risk of the wager pretty significantly.
The odds are pooled together, the heavy favorites will level out the big underdogs.
Will a push void the entire bet slip?
A push occurs in sports betting when the result is equal to the line set by the oddsmakers. In the case of a point spread in football being 9 points, and the spread is equal to 9, you would receive a push on your wager. Or if the total number of points scored by both teams equals the oddsmaker’s line, you would also receive a push.
Many sportsbooks offer these types of wagers in half-point increments to eliminate the push. Having an 11.5-point spread would make it impossible for a push. The underdog would need to lose by less than 11, and the favorite would need to win by 12 points.
In the case that your bet slip does have a push, you would not lose your entire parlay bet. Pushes eliminate that specific bet from your slip, so your odds will decrease, and you would win a smaller amount because of the push game being removed from the bet slip.
How do you buy points for a parlay?
If you are betting on spreads or totals, you can buy points to swing the parlay bet more in your favor. Buying points will allow you to move the line more in your favor or to make the bet more profitable for you. You are able to buy up to ten points on most online sports betting sites.
When do you buy points on a parlay? When you believe that the game will result in a push. The push can affect your parlay payout as we mentioned above, and you can easily move the line on that game to benefit your parlay. You usually pay a few cents per point – so it’s better to buy the points than miss out on the benefit of having that outcome on your parlay slip.
What is a Round Robin Parlay bet?
Round robin betting is a more complicated, and intricate version of a parlay bet. Round robin bets are the same as parlays, but instead of betting on three or more individual games, you are creating a parlay with three or more parlays within it.
It’s like a parlay bet made of parlays.
You can still make a profit on round robin betting even if your round robin doesn’t go perfectly. There is a slight margin of error at a reduced payout if one of the legs of your parlay doesn’t win.
If you chose to make a 5-way round robin on ten different outcomes, you would be creating five parlays that will be different combinations of those ten outcomes. This also means you only have to correctly pick half of the combinations to earn some winnings.
This parlay type is extremely risky, and we recommend learning basic parlays before you dive in.
Best Sports Betting Sites for Parlay Betting
Now that we have a grasp on how to bet on parlays, we will want to find the best online sportsbooks for our parlay wagering. Finding a sportsbook that allows you to buy points, create two-game parlays (some only allow three or more), and offer great odds on parlay betting shouldn’t be that hard – especially with more states legalizing and regulation sports betting in the U.S.
We recommend reading sportsbook reviews and determining which criteria is most important to you. We actually have a great selection of reviews, and you can explore our legal betting states tracker for the latest information on your region.
Parlays can be a fun way to turn a bigger profit, and finding a great sportsbook that offers plenty of betting options, as well as offering great odds, will make for an outstanding betting experience.
FAQ
What is a parlay bet?
A parlay bet allows you to combine the odds on two or more sports betting outcomes to create a larger wager that will ultimately pay out more. It allows you to combine several different games, as long as all bets within the parlay win.
How to bet on parlays
Parlay betting is easy – you simply choose the outcomes or the teams you believe will occur and add them to your bet slip. Once you have made all necessary decisions, you can select to add them to a parlay, and choose your stake. Once you place your bet, all your wagers are merged together and create one big wager that is dependent on all bets in the slip being accurate.
What does a parlay mean in betting?
A parlay means you can combine the odds for multiple wagers to create one big bet. You will link all your wagers together, combine the odds and you will only win your wager if all bets are correct.
Can you parlay moneylines?
You can parlay moneyline bets easily! Moneylines are simple wagers to place and are great for parlay betting as games don’t usually end in a tie so you won’t risk having the game result in a push.
Can you parlay props?
You can parlay many different prop bets within a game. If you want to place a few wagers within the game, you can bet on a certain player to score, or which team will win the first quarter, or if it’s a big event like the Super Bowl, how long the National anthem will be sung. You can combine all of these into one prop bet parlay to make them a little more valuable. Many props have limitations on how much you can wager on them, so you can make it worth your while by adding them to a parlay.
Can you parlay over unders?
Yes, over/under wagers or totals are commonly added to bet slips as they are a simple wager to make and allow you to bet on an outcome that has nothing to do with which team will win the game. Many times, a total is set and it’s easy to determine how many points or goals will be scored, so you can make a few reliable totals bets on one parlay slip.
How to win a parlay bet
Winning a parlay bet isn’t necessarily easy, but it can be if you are familiar with the games or teams you are betting on. Adding a bunch of underdogs to a bet slip out of greed likely won’t pay off, but strategically picking a mix of underdogs and favorites will help you load up your bet slip and set you up for a big pay out.
What is a round robin parlay bet?
Round robin parlay bets are an easy way to hedge your bets, making multiple parlay bets at once in different combinations. You will need a minimum of three parlays to create a round robin parlay bet and they will be independent of each other but allow for a slight margin of error, so you don’t come up empty handed if your bets don’t go perfectly.
Does a push on a parlay void the bet?
No, a push on a parlay bet does not void the bet. If one game results in a push, that game will simply be eliminated from your bet slip and your bet slip will be recalculated based on the remaining game’s odds. If you only had a two-game parlay, your bet slip will have dropped the pushed game, and you will only receive winnings based on that one remaining game.
Recommended Betting Sites
- Must be 21+ and physically located in a jurisdiction where Betr Picks operates to participate. Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. All promotions are subject to eligibility requirements. New customers only. Promotion ends 12/31/24. T&C apply. Gaming problem? Call the NCPG at 1-800-522-4700.Co-Founded by Joey Levy & Social Media Influencer Jake Paul100x Club PromotionOffers Low Wagering Requirements Compared to CompetitorsGAMBCOMPromo CodeThe code required to claim this sign-up bonus (if any)Minimum Purchase10iOS AppYesLive StreamingNoBet BuilderCan you create your own personalised bets?YesNFL Player PropsYesCurrently in 24 states, Betr DFS has one of the strongest welcome offers that allows the player to start off on a high note. Although fairly new, Betr is poised to make a big splash with one of the cleanest interfaces in the market.
- Must be 18+ to participate. 19+ if you are a legal resident of Nebraska. Massachusetts bettors must be 21+ and present to place wagers in the state. Gambling problem in Massachusetts? Play it smart from the start! GamesenseMA.com or Call 1-800-327-5050 to speak with a trained specialist free and confidentially 24/7. Full Terms apply
- Must be 18+ to participate. T&Cs Apply.
- Must be 18+ to participate & residents of the United States. Mobile only.
- Must be 18+ to participate. T&Cs Apply. Massachusetts bettors must be 21+ and present to place wagers in the state. Gambling problem in Massachusetts? Play it smart from the start! GamesenseMA.com or Call 1-800-327-5050 to speak with a trained specialist free and confidentially 24/7. Full Terms apply
- Must be 18+/19+ NE, US Residents Only. Must be physically located in AK, AR, CA, DC, FL, GA, IL, KS, KY, MN, NE, NM, NC, ND, OK, OR, RI, SC, SD, TX, UT, VT, or WI.? If you or someone you know has a gaming problem, get help online at www.icrg.org, www.ncpgambling.org, or https://responsibleplay.org, or call 1-800-426-2537 or 1-800-522-4700. T&Cs Apply.
- Players must be 18+ years of age or older (19+ AL/NE, 21+ AZ) and physically located in a jurisdiction in which DraftKings Pick6 operates (AL/AK/AR/AZ/CA/DC/DE/GA/IN/MN/MO/NC/NE/NH/NM/ND/OK/RI/SC/SD/TN/UT/VA/VT/WI/WV).
- Must be at least eighteen (18) years of age or older (21 years of age or older in Massachusetts and Iowa, and 19 years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska) to access and play on ParlayPlay.
- Must be 18+ to participate. T&C Apply. Play Responsibly. New users only. The bonus will be added to your account. Bonus funds must be used for play and are not available for withdrawal. Bonus will expire 14 days from issue and any unused bonus may be removed from your account. Massachusetts bettors must be 21+ and present to place wagers in the state. Gambling problem in Massachusetts? Play it smart from the start! GamesenseMA.com or Call 1-800-327-5050 to speak with a trained specialist free and confidentially 24/7. Full Terms apply
Be first to get our exclusive sports offers!
Join today to stay up to date on your states gambling news and offers.