What Is A Parlay In Sports Betting
Parlay bet is a type of sports bet that includes multiple different picks combined into a single bet. Parlays can include combinations of moneyline, spread, totals and other bets, all combined into one bet. The odds of these bets are multiplied to create the final odds for the parlay. A parlay is a sports bet in which you combine multiple individual bets. You must win the entire combination of bets or you lose. It’s that simple. To choose a parlay wager, you first select at least two.
A parlay, accumulator (or acca), combo bet or multi is a single bet that links together two or more individual wagers and is dependent on all of those wagers winning together. The benefit of the parlay is that there are much higher payoffs than placing each individual bet separately, since the difficulty of hitting all of them is much higher. If any of the bets in the parlay lose, the entire parlay loses. If any of the plays in the parlay ties, or 'pushes', the parlay reverts to a lower number of teams with the odds reducing accordingly.
Odds and payout[edit]
Parlay bets are paid out at odds higher than the typical single game bet, but still below the 'true' odds. For instance, a common 2-team NFL parlay based entirely on the spread generally has a payout of 2.6:1.[citation needed] In reality however, if one assumes that each single game bet is 50/50, the true payout should instead be 3:1 (10% expected value for the house). A house may average 20-30% profit on spread parlays compared to perhaps 4.5% profit on individual sports mix parlay bets.
Aside from 'spread' parlays, another way to parlay is to bet on two or more teams simply winning straight up. In order to calculate the payout of this parlay, one must multiply out the payout for all games. For example, if 3 teams are -385 favorites, a successful parlay on all 3 teams winning would pay out at a ratio of approximately 1/1. This is because (385/485)^3 is approximately 50%.
Examples[edit]
Typical payouts for up to 10 team parlay bet[edit]
Online Sportsbook
The following is an example of a traditional Las Vegas Parlay Card at William Hill Sports Book, which shows the typical payouts for an up to 10 team parlay bet based on -1.10 prices (amount won is assuming $100 is bet)[citation needed]:
| Number | Odds | Amount won | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Team Parlay | 2.6 to 1 | $260 | $360 |
| 3 Team Parlay | 6 to 1 | $600 | $700 |
| 4 Team Parlay | 11 to 1 | $1,100 | $1,200 |
| 5 Team Parlay | 22 to 1 | $2,200 | $2,300 |
| 6 Team Parlay | 45 to 1 | $4,500 | $4,600 |
| 7 Team Parlay | 90 to 1 | $9,000 | $9,100 |
| 8 Team Parlay | 180 to 1 | $18,000 | $18,100 |
| 9 Team Parlay | 360 to 1 | $36,000 | $36,100 |
| 10 Team Parlay | 720 to 1 | $72,000 | $72,100 |
Profitability of parlays in sports betting[edit]
Many gamblers have mixed feelings as to whether or not parlays are a wise play. The best way to analyze if they are profitable in the long term is by calculating the expected value. The formula for expected value is: E[X] = x1p1 + x2p2 + x3p3…xkpk . Since the probability of all possible events will add up to 1 this can also be looked at as the weighted average of the event. The table below represents odds.[citation needed]
Column 1 = number of individual bets in the parlay
Column 2 = correct odds of winning with 50% chance of winning each individual bet
Column 3 = odds payout of parlay at the sportsbook
Column 4 = correct odds of winning parlay with 55% chance of winning each individual bet
| Number of individual bets | Correct odds at 50% | Odds payout at sportsbook | Correct odds of winning parlay at 55% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3 to 1 | 2.6 to 1 | 2.3 to 1 |
| 3 | 7 to 1 | 6 to 1 | 5.0 to 1 |
| 4 | 15 to 1 | 12 to 1 | 9.9 to 1 |
| 5 | 31 to 1 | 24 to 1 | 18.9 to 1 |
| 6 | 63 to 1 | 48 to 1 | 35.1 to 1 |
| 7 | 127 to 1 | 92 to 1 | 64.7 to 1 |
| 8 | 255 to 1 | 176 to 1 | 118.4 to 1 |
| 9 | 511 to 1 | 337 to 1 | 216.1 to 1 |
| 10 | 1,023 to 1 | 645 to 1 | 393.8 to 1 |
| 11 | 2,047 to 1 | 1,233 to 1 | 716.8 to 1 |
The table illustrates that if a 55% chance of winning each individual bet were achievable, parlays would be profitable in the long term. Compare the expected value you receive on an individual bet at a typical price of -110 with a 55% chance of winning: ((100/110+1)*.55)-1 = .05 (exactly 5 cents won for every dollar bet on average), multiplied by 11 = .55, to the expected return on the 11 game parlay ((1234/717.8)-1) = .719 (72 cents won for every dollar bet on average). In this case a parlay has a much higher expected value than individual bets with greatly increased variance in outcomes.
See also[edit]
All reputable sports betting sites offer exciting betting opportunities like parlays one of the most popular and exciting types of wagers. Parlays can result in huge pay outs and are dependent upon the success of multiple events. The best parlay betting sites are listed below.
Parlay Betting Online
Parlays involve wagering on multiple events that are all dependent on each other for the wager to be successful. For example, a parlay might be placed on games that require teams a, b and c each win their games. If just one of those teams loses their game, the entire parlay bet loses.
What Do Parlay Bets Pay
Parlays are exciting because they offer huge payout odds to winners. Every additional event that is added to a parlay reduces the chances that the bet will win, but increases the payout odds. Many online bettors are attracted to parlays because pay outs can be many times the amount originally wagered.
What Exactly Are Parlays? Considered “exotic” in the sports betting world – parlays certainly provide entertainment. Parlays are becoming more and more popular. Parlays offer players to get an opportunity to receive a big payout. It gives the bettor a chance to bet on many games, and putting them all together into one.
Odds and Payouts On Parlay Wagers? Here are the odds that are typical on at most parlay betting sites. These odds are for point spread parlays. Of course moneyline odds will be different.
- 2 teams – 13-5
- 3 teams – 6-1
- 4 teams – 10-1
- 5 teams – 25-1
- 6 teams – 40-1
- 7 teams – 75-1
- 8 teams – 150-1
- 9 teams – 300-1
- 10 teams – 600-1
Moneyline Parlay Odds: When you are putting money down on a parlay with moneyline games, your odds certainly will differ. The favorite teams obviously give you a better chance to win, but pay less.
What do these odds mean? With parlays, each game you place on your “card” MUST win for you to win the parlay. As you can see from the odds, your chances get smaller each time you input a result in. These odds will vary depending on what teams you select. For example, a big favorite in a game would help your odds, but most likely decrease your total payout.
Advice For Betting On Parlays – Parlays are fun to play, but sharps often avoid them. It takes a lot of luck to win a big time parlay. Odds of winning a 10-team parlay are around 1000-1, your odds are around 1000-1. This results in a lot of losing money if you continue to place money on big parlays. Certainly if you win a parlay, your bankroll is going to look good for a while.
It’s probably a better idea to pick straight picks instead of parlays. It’s tough enough to win games straight up, let alone pick a whole group of them together accurate. There is a reason many experts in the sports betting consider parlay’s sucker bets.
Choosing Where to Bet on Parlays Online
The best parlay wagering sites share several common attributes we require for listing at BBS. The best parlay betting sites offer all major sports like basketball, hockey, football and baseball. Convenient banking is an important part of reputable parlay betting sites. Members need to be able to make deposits easily to place parlay bets whenever desired, and cashout winning tickets without hassle. High quality support is vital so that any potential issues can be resolved quickly.