What Is Parlay Betting?
Parlay betting (sometimes called an accumulator) is a type of wager where you combine multiple individual bets into one ticket.
- If all your picks win, the parlay pays out at much higher odds.
- If just one pick loses, the entire bet is lost.
That’s why parlays are popular — high risk, high reward.
👉 Example: You bet on 3 games — Lakers to win, Chiefs to cover the spread, and Arsenal to win. If all three win, your payout is much bigger than betting them separately.
How Does a Parlay Work?
Parlays multiply the odds of each selection together.
- 2 picks → odds combined
- 3 picks → all three multiplied
- And so on
The more legs (picks) you add, the higher the potential payout — but also the lower the probability of winning.
What Is a Push in a Parlay Bet?
A push means one of your bets ties or cancels out (for example, a spread bet lands exactly on the number).
- In most sportsbooks, the push is simply removed from the parlay.
- Example: You bet a 3-leg parlay and one game ends in a push → the parlay becomes a 2-leg parlay, with adjusted odds.
Should You Bet Parlays?
Parlays are exciting but usually -EV (negative expected value) because the edge compounds with each added leg.
- Fun for entertainment
- Risky if you’re chasing profits
If you’re serious about long-term betting, tools like BetRocket help you identify +EV (value) bets, run backtesting in the EV+ Lab, and track how parlays (or singles) would perform historically.
Final Thoughts
Parlays can turn small stakes into big wins, but they’re not a reliable strategy. For sustainable betting:
- Stick to value betting
- Manage your bankroll
- Use parlays as entertainment, not your main strategy
Want to see which bets actually have positive EV? Try BetRocket — your tool for smarter sports betting.