I'm sure we've all been in a situation before where we stare at the list of games and think to ourselves -- if only I could hit a nice 10-team parlay. Now, depending on the odds of the games you selected, or the amount of money actually wagered on the parlay, this bet won't necessarily make you rich, but it could offer up a very nice four- or five-digit return. The problem with hitting a parlay that size is that it's damn near impossible to do. Most experienced bettors refrain from ever making parlay bets. Thankfully, for sportsbooks, parlays will always be a staple of the betting game since there is always the potential of that one big payout every square bettor chases.
In case you are new to the industry, a parlay is a type of bet that involves two or more teams. In order for a parlay bet to be successful, each team involved must win, or cover the spread - depending on how you bet them. A parlay can also be called an accumulator or a combo bet. Parlays are the most popular bet amongst amateur bettors since it has the potential for the biggest payout.
Different Types of Parlays
Parlay Payout Example: Let's take a look at an example with a parlay that includes three bets. You plan on making a $50 wager. The first game you want to include in the parlay is Game 1 with a moneyline odd of -135, the second game is Game 2 with a moneyline odd of +155, and the third game is Game 3 with a moneyline odd of -220. This is the factor that, when used for each leg of a parlay, gives the Pay Table payout. For a 2-team parlay at default odds, the factor is a square root. For a 3-team parlay, it is a cube root, for a 4-team parlay, it is the 4th root of the payout. The return on a 2-team Pay Table parlay at 2.6 to 1 is 3.6 for one, as the payout.
A parlay can have a combination of moneyline bets , point spread wagers and even include the 'over/under' option. Some sportsbooks allow bettors to include different kinds of prop bets, half-time wagers, different sports and sometimes even futures bets .
Depending on the type or parlay you make, the payout could be minimal or significant. A lot of things go into determining the odds, but the main thing you need to know is that not all sportsbooks offer up the same odds.
Generally speaking, a two-team point spread parlay will pay about 2.5/1, while a three-team parlay pays 6/1, a four-team parlay pays 10/1 and a five-team parlay pays 20-1. Obviously, the more teams you decide to put in your parlay, the higher the odds go.
If you decided to go the parlay route with your money, you must be completely educated on the rules. Do you know what happens if one of the games in your parlay is canceled or pushes on the total or point spread? If you're reading this, I'm assuming you don't, so let me give you a better understanding.
What Happens to My Bet If My Parlay Has a Canceled Game?
Whether you are playing a point spread parlay on football Sunday, or a moneyline parlay on Tuesday's baseball card, the answer to this question remains the same; 'it depends'.
It all depends on which sportsbook you are using and what their rules are for parlays. Most sportsbooks do not punish bettors for having a canceled game on their parlay ticket. The ticket will go on as if that canceled game never existed.
For example, if you put together a five-team parlay and the fourth game on your ticket between the New York Mets and Washington Nationals gets canceled due to rain, your parlay is still live, but it just reduces to a four-team parlay and the payout is adjusted accordingly.
What Happens to My Bet if My Parlay Has a Push On it?
This is where it gets a little bit dicey, but as I said above the answer still depends on which sportsbook you use. Most sportsbooks try to avoid setting full-point point spreads such as -3 or -7 in order to be able to declare a winning and losing side. If by the off chance you can get a whole number and that game happens to fall right on that number, most sportsbooks just void that leg of the parlay and reduce the payout to the next number - which is the same procedure as above. A five-team parlay would then turn into a four-team parlay and the odds would adjust.
However, it should be noted that some sportsbooks treat pushes as losses. That means that just because you got a great number of -3 instead of -3.5, you are still needing to win by four in order to avoid losing your parlay. These parlays increase the difficulty of the wager and should be avoided at all costs.
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Using the Parlay Calculator for How Much Does a Number of Teams Pay
Our free parlay calculator above will help you figure out the payouts you should be receiving once you enter the odds on each one of your bets. Using the parlay calculator is extremely easy.
All you have to do is type in the money lines for each one of your wagers (most spread bets will be -110) and then enter the amount you want to bet on the parlay. Once you hit Calculate the payout field will populate with how much you are going to win if every leg of your parlay hits.
Generally speaking, a two-team point spread parlay will pay about 2.5/1, while a three-team parlay pays 6/1, a four-team parlay pays 10/1 and a five-team parlay pays 20-1. Obviously, the more teams you decide to put in your parlay, the higher the odds go.
If you decided to go the parlay route with your money, you must be completely educated on the rules. Do you know what happens if one of the games in your parlay is canceled or pushes on the total or point spread? If you're reading this, I'm assuming you don't, so let me give you a better understanding.
What Happens to My Bet If My Parlay Has a Canceled Game?
Whether you are playing a point spread parlay on football Sunday, or a moneyline parlay on Tuesday's baseball card, the answer to this question remains the same; 'it depends'.
It all depends on which sportsbook you are using and what their rules are for parlays. Most sportsbooks do not punish bettors for having a canceled game on their parlay ticket. The ticket will go on as if that canceled game never existed.
For example, if you put together a five-team parlay and the fourth game on your ticket between the New York Mets and Washington Nationals gets canceled due to rain, your parlay is still live, but it just reduces to a four-team parlay and the payout is adjusted accordingly.
What Happens to My Bet if My Parlay Has a Push On it?
This is where it gets a little bit dicey, but as I said above the answer still depends on which sportsbook you use. Most sportsbooks try to avoid setting full-point point spreads such as -3 or -7 in order to be able to declare a winning and losing side. If by the off chance you can get a whole number and that game happens to fall right on that number, most sportsbooks just void that leg of the parlay and reduce the payout to the next number - which is the same procedure as above. A five-team parlay would then turn into a four-team parlay and the odds would adjust.
However, it should be noted that some sportsbooks treat pushes as losses. That means that just because you got a great number of -3 instead of -3.5, you are still needing to win by four in order to avoid losing your parlay. These parlays increase the difficulty of the wager and should be avoided at all costs.
Doc's Sports is offering $60 worth of member's picks absolutely free - no obligation, no sales people - you don't even have to enter credit card information. You can use this $60 credit any way you please for any handicapper and any sport on Doc's Sports list of expert sports handicappers. Get $60 worth of premium members' picks free .
Using the Parlay Calculator for How Much Does a Number of Teams Pay
Our free parlay calculator above will help you figure out the payouts you should be receiving once you enter the odds on each one of your bets. Using the parlay calculator is extremely easy.
All you have to do is type in the money lines for each one of your wagers (most spread bets will be -110) and then enter the amount you want to bet on the parlay. Once you hit Calculate the payout field will populate with how much you are going to win if every leg of your parlay hits.
For example. Let's say you want to be a $100 4-team parlay on the Packers -7 -110, Patriots -8 -110, Steelers +3 -120, and the Lions +3 -115. In Team #1 I enter -110, Team #2 -110, Team #3 -120 and Team #4 -115. Leave the rest at 0. Then in the wager amount enter 100.
Once you hit calculate the payout should display 1149.21. This means that your $100 4-team parlay on those teams should earn you $1,149.21 when it hits!
Parlay Payouts & House Edge Depending on Number of Games
| # of Teams | Actual Odds | Las Vegas Payout | Online Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3/1 | 2.6/1 | 13/5 |
| 3 | 7/1 | 6/1 | 6/1 |
| 4 | 15/1 | 10/1 | 12.28/1 |
| 5 | 31/1 | 20/1 | 24.35/1 |
| 6 | 63/1 | 40/1 | 47.41/1 |
| 7 | 127/1 | 75/1 | 91.42/1 |
| 8 | 255/1 | 150/1 | 175.44/1 |
| 9 | 511/1 | 300/1 | 335.85/1 |
| 10 | 1027/1 | 700/1 | 642.08/1 |
What is a Parlay?
5 Team Parlay Payout Calculator
A parlay is a single bet that links together multiple events for a higher payout. The more teams that you tie together the higher your payout is going to be, but the risk also grows since if just one of your legs loses, the bet is a loser. It doesn't matter what happens in the other games.
5 Game Parlay Payout Ratio
If one leg of your parlay ties, pushes, is cancelled due to postponement, cancellation, rescheduling, then the wager reverts to the next lowest number. For example a 3-team parlay with a push gets graded as a 2-team parlay with the other two legs.
