What Is One Game Parlay? One Game Parlays Explained

Like all other parlays, one game parlays combine multiple bets into a single wager. What is unique about one game parlays or same game parlays, however, as the term implies, is that every pick must be on the same game.

Massive One Game Parlay Wins Examples

Whether you play the lottery, slot games, bet on sports, or engage in any other form of gambling, you have probably entertained dreams of one day winning such a staggering payout that it would be life-changing. While the odds are greatly stacked against it, massive wins from sports betting are not only possible, but from time to time, they have happened. So, it is not unreasonable to ask yourself if I can snag a win like that, too.

The only way to secure mega-size payouts on straight bets is to wager enormous amounts, but a same game parlay presents a completely different scenario. Even a simple 2-leg parlay pays more than betting the same amount on each leg separately, but as you keep adding more bets, the potential payout increases dramatically.

There is a drawback, however. The more legs you add to the parlay, the harder it becomes to win. There is no payout for getting 9 out of 10 picks right or any number short of all of your picks. Every leg must win or the whole parlay goes down.

That said, documented records exist where players have defied the odds with one game parlays that have produced mind-boggling payouts. Here are two examples.

Carl Spears, CO of RotoGrinders, won a life-changing payout of $266,566 on a $1,000 6-leg parlay on an NFL game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Las Vegas Raiders. The parlay included each of the following player props:

• DeSean Jackson scores an anytime touchdown
• Ezekiel Elliot has over 19.5 receiving yards.
• Josh Jacobs has over 19.5 receiving yards.
• Michael Gallup has over 100 receiving yards (alternate line).
• Tony Pollard has over 16,5 receiving yards
• Ezekiel Elliot has an anytime touchdown.

Another punter who bet $100 on a 12-leg parlay involving an NBA game between the Chicago Bulls and the Charlotte Hornets won more than $21,000.  All 12 selections were “over” bets. It helped that a whopping 252 points were scored by the two teams combined.

Steps to Bet One Game Parlays

As with any other form of online sports betting, you can only place one game parlay bets at sportsbooks where you are a registered account holder. However, not every sportsbook offers these wagers, and even among those that do, the option might not be available for the specific sport, game, and bet types you have in mind. For example, Caesars Sportsbook currently only allows OGPs on NFL, NBA, and MLB games. In addition, only pregame bets are allowed, not in-play or live bets.

Therefore, If you want to try your hand at betting a one game parlay, first make sure that the sportsbook you wish to use can accept your action. However, your best bet would probably be to stick with one of the above-mentioned major sportsbooks. If you are not already signed up with the sportsbook of your choice, we can help. Simply use our convenient link to join. You will also access a special welcome offer for first-time users.

Then, as soon as you are ready to bet a one game parlay, here are the steps you need to follow:

• Log into your sports betting account.
• Go to the sport or league that interests you and then select the game you wish to bet on.
• If the game displays a one game parlay tab, click on it or on one of the two teams to open up the list of eligible moneyline, point spread, and prop bets.
• Build your parlay, one leg at a time. Each time you add a new leg to the bet slip, you will see the updated odds and payout.
• Review the information on your bet slip and make sure every entry is correct. This is your last opportunity to make any changes. Once you click the “Submit” button, your bet is final.
• Submit the bet slip.

As an alternative to building your own one game parlays, some sportsbooks such as FanDuel and DraftKings also offer preselected one game parlays. These save you the time and effort involved in studying a tremendous number of options and then trying to narrow them down to a manageable number of good ones. However, the preselected parlays frequently include longshot outcomes with not much chance of winning, so you might fare better making the selections yourself.

How One Game Parlays Work In-Depth

All parlays, by definition, consist of combined bets on two or more outcomes or legs. Also, regardless of whether it is a parlay encompassing the outcomes of different games or a parlay covering different outcomes of one game, the only way to win your bet is for every segment of the parlay to win. Each time you add another leg to a parlay, you get better odds on your bet and the potential payout goes up accordingly. But at the same time, winning becomes increasingly difficult, as there is no consolation prize (i.e., a smaller payout) for a nearly perfect parlay. In other words, if you create a 10-leg parlay, being wrong on only one leg is no better than being wrong on all of them. Either way (and for any result in between), the whole bet is a loser. All parlays, including one game parlays, are an all-or-nothing proposition.

The only exception is one game parlay insurance, which some sportsbooks offer occasionally as a special promotion. It offers some measure of protection if just one leg goes down.

One important difference between one game parlays and other parlays is that the components of a single game parlay are to a certain extent correlated or interdependent. This is generally not the case with multigame parlays. Typically, the outcome of one game has no bearing on the outcome of another, For example, whether the Eagles win, cover the point spread, or score over the total in an early Sunday NFL game has no effect on the probability that the Raiders will do likewise in a game played later that day.

One exception might be very late in the season when teams are scrambling for the last playoff spot. If a given team’s victory on the last day of the regular season causes another team playing later that day to be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, the eliminated team will have little to play for and will probably rest its starters. The same would apply to teams that have already locked up a certain playoff seed with no chance of improving.

On the other hand, correlated parlay components in one game parlays are the rule rather than the exception. When a given leg of the parlay wins or loses, it increases or decreases, respectively, the likelihood of another leg of the parlay winning or losing.

For example, in a same game parlay involving the Kansas City Chiefs, one leg of the parlay might be for the total on Kansas City to go over the designated number. Another leg might be for Patrick Mahomes’ passing yards also to go over the total. If the Chiefs score a lot of points, Mahomes’ impressive passing stats would probably be a big contributing factor, and vice versa. However, the correlation is far from perfect. Mahomes could be injured during the game, but the backup quarterback and other players could pick up the slack. Or he might be having an off day and/or the team’s rushing yards or interceptions thrown by the other team might result in more Kansas City points than usual.

The lack of a perfect correlation between the different legs of a parlay explains why, regardless of whether the different legs are carefully thought out and researched or haphazardly thrown together, these bets lose a large percentage of the time. The potential payout is greater than if you bet each leg separately, but so is the risk with a more likely outcome that your picks are only partially correct.

For example, if you make two separate bets risking $110 to win $100, the maximum amount you can win is $200, and the maximum amount you can lose is $220. But if you have one winner and one loser, you only lose the $10 vig. Or if you bet on three teams, risking $110 on each one, the maximum amount you can win is $300, but if you pick two out of three correctly, you still win $90. That is not the case with a parlay. The amount you win is greater than if you bet on each leg separately. However, every leg of the parlay must win or the whole parlay goes down. Whether every pick is wrong or just one, you lose your entire bet.

One Game Parlay Odds & Payouts

One game parlay odds are primarily based on the following factors:

• The number of selections or legs
• The odds for each leg

The sportsbook adjusts the odds as you add each pick to the bet slip. Some sportsbooks such as FanDuel show the odds for each individual side, total, and prop, while others do not and only show the odds for the entire parlay. However, in either case, you do not get the true odds. The sportsbook might charge a premium and lower the payout compared to what it should be.

For example, consider the simplest possible one game parlay consisting of two legs. For illustration purposes, let’s say that leg A is for the Philadelphia 76ers to cover the point spread and leg B is for the team total to go over. Assuming that both the point spread and over/under lines include a half-point, so a push is impossible, as shown below, your bet would have four possible outcomes, only one of which would be a winner:

1. The 76ers cover and the total goes over (the parlay wins)
2. The 76ers cover and the total goes under (the parlay loses)
3. The 76ers do not cover and the total goes over (the parlay loses)
4. The 76ers do not cover and the total goes under (the parlay loses)

Further assuming that each of the four outcomes has the same 1 in 4 chance of occurring, a winning parlay should give you odds of 3 to 1. But because you are typically only paid at odds of 2.6 to 1, instead of winning $300 on a $100 bet, you only win $260.

Similarly, the true odds on a 3-leg parlay are 7 to 1, but instead, you are typically paid at odds of only 6 to 1. The more legs your same game parlay includes, the greater the discrepancy between the odds you are getting and the true probability, or in other words, the heftier the vig.

Typical One Game Parlay Payouts vs. the True Odds

Offering less favorable odds is not the only ploy sportsbooks use to increase their edge on one game parlay bets. Sometimes they also adjust the line from what straight bettors get to a slightly more unfavorable number. A line movement of even a single point is often all it takes to turn a winning bet into a losing bet.

Do One Game Parlays Ever Hit?

One game parlays do hit. However, the odds are stacked against you, and the more legs you add, the greater the likelihood that your bet will not go as planned and one or more predictions that need to fall into place will not hold up. It is tough to win a parlay with only 3 or 4 legs, and once you go beyond that number, wins become even more elusive, and once you reach double digits, the odds become astronomical for a reason.

As tempting as it might be to shoot for the moon and hope for a life-changing payday, the likelihood of succeeding is exceedingly slim. That is not to say that a big parlay win is impossible. As we noted earlier, there have been rare instances where massive payouts on seemingly impossible-to-win one game parlays have occurred. However, anyone who makes bets of this nature with regularity is throwing away money.

Tips for Betting One Game Parlays

The bottom line is that one game parlays are not as advantageous as sportsbooks would have you believe. Particularly, if you are new to sports betting and both your bankroll and familiarity with different teams and players are limited, over-dependence on these wagers, thinking they are a quick path to easy street can be a recipe for disaster.

However, If you are still tempted to give one game parlays a try, it is very understandable. Bettors love them because they are not only great fun to put together; they make watching the game more exciting. Another plus is that you do not have to keep flipping channels to know what is happening in other games taking place at the same time because you are completely engrossed in rooting for multiple aspects of a particular game to go your way.  Besides, how can you not be tempted by the prospect of a big payout?

If you would like to improve your one game parlay winning percentage, this article can help. We will start with five general tips for betting one game parlays and then proceed with specific examples for NFL and NBA games to further clarify what you should and should not do to maximize your chances of winning.

1. Limit each parlay to no more than 3-4 legs. These simple parlays are hard enough to win. The more additional legs you include, the more likely it becomes that some factors that you did not consider cause one or more outcomes you are depending on not to go as planned.
2. Include only highly correlated outcomes. For example, if you envision a high-scoring game that the favorite will win outright, it would also make sense for the total number of points scored by that team and the team’s leading scorer to go over the designated number. The correlation is far from perfect, but you have a much better chance of hitting your parlay than if you randomly string together a bunch of picks with little thought. Disclaimer: Keep in mind that some bets cannot be combined in OGPs, based on the sportsbook, due to high correlation. Odds might be also lowered depending on the correlation.
3. As with any other form of sports betting, the best way to gain an edge in same game parlay bets is to do your homework. Research the applicable teams and players thoroughly and pay particular attention to team strengths and weaknesses, how they have fared against each other, recent form (improving or regressing), playoff contention, home vs. away records, schedules, and injuries.
4. The above is a lot of information to gather and remember, so if you do not have the time or inclination, another alternative is to play one of the OGPs the sportsbook has already assembled. But you need to be careful. Most of these ready-made parlays not only have many legs but include player props for both teams. Do not be pulled in by the high payoffs. These overly-complicated parlays have a very low success rate.
5. Be alert to odds that look off. In the absence of a logical reason, take advantage of these bad numbers when building your parlay.

NFL Same Game Parlays

When betting a one game parlay in the NFL, your best bet is to combine 3 or 4 related outcomes. For example, if the team you think will win the game has a high-powered offense, consider combining a moneyline or point spread selection with a team total prop to go over. Then add a couple of player props such as quarterback passing yards and the number of touchdowns by the top wide receiver also to go over. Conversely, if you anticipate a tight defensive struggle, bet the under on these props.

Here is a winning example for a game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers: DraftKings Sportsbook offered +162 odds for Tampa Bay to do all of the following, which they did.

• Win the game outright
• Score over 20.5 points
• Score over 2.5 touchdowns

NBA Same Game Parlays

More than 16,000 customers at FanDuel Sportsbook found the lofty +3,607 odds on the following prominently featured 6-leg NBA parlay involving a game between the Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns too enticing to resist:

• Kevin Durant: Over 31.5 points
• Nikola Jokic: Over 32.5 points
• Kevin Durant: Over 6.5 rebounds
• Nikola Jokic: Over 5.5 rebounds
• Kevin Durant: Over 5.5 assists
• Nikola Jokic: Over 10.5 assists

Did FanDuel have to pay off 16,000 people at the whopping odds this parlay promised? Of course not! Apart from including multiple props for players from both teams to score over the total, anytime a player gets credited for an assist, another player scores the basket, so those two outcomes have a negative correlation. Thus, both Jokic and Durant had over the designated number of assists but neither player scored more than 30 points. FanDuel was the big winner with this parlay.

Now take a look at another parlay for an NBA game between the Utah Jazz and the Portland Trailblazers that DraftKings offered at +385 odds that was a winner.

• Utah Jazz (the home team) to win outright
• Keyonte George to score over 15.5 points
• John Collins to score over 15.5 points

This one game parlay makes sense. Both games that these teams played earlier in the season were won by the home team. In addition, George and Collins, though not the top scorers for the Jazz, are consistent big contributors. The bet needed help from overtime, but no one ever said that picking winning one game parlays is easy.

One Game Parlay Void Legs Rules

If any result is more frustrating than winning every leg of your one game parlay but one, it is having one player prop voided due to a last-minute scratch and picking every other leg correctly. Sportsbooks vary regarding their scoring policy under these circumstances. However, many sportsbooks, including DraftKings, BetMGM, BetRivers, and Caesars then consider the whole parlay void and refund the player’s money. The only bright spot is that you get your money back even if one of your other picks is a loser. However, at FanDuel Sportsbook, if one leg is voided, the parlay is still alive, but the odds are recalculated.

There are many instances where a key player is listed as questionable and a final decision will not be made until game time. It is best not to include any such games in parlays. First, whether or not he plays and his effectiveness if he does play can have a major effect on multiple game outcomes. Second, if he does not play, there is a good chance your entire parlay will be voided.

One Game Parlay Insurance Meaning

One game parlay insurance is a bonus many betting apps offer existing players. Some operators will refund your whole OGP if certain conditions are met. For instance, if it is your first OGP of the week and only one leg is lost, or when you accept a premade OGP you get extra bonus bets to apply on similar events. The listed operators are by far the best in offering one game parlay insurance promos, so get your accounts ready to stay on top of their latest announcements.

One Game Parlay Evolution

Now that same one parlays are all the rage, sportsbooks all across America are actively promoting them. But there was a time when these types of bets were rarely available at all.

Parlays combining multiple games, on the other hand, have been a tremendously popular form of sports betting for many years and long before betting legally at online sportsbooks became an option in this country. However, until recently, making combined bets on the same game was largely unallowed. One notable exception was a parlay combining the moneyline or point spread bet on a particular game with an over/under bet on that game. These wagers were extremely popular with recreational bettors trying to recoup their losses on Sunday NFL games with a parlay combining the side and total on the Monday night game.

Otherwise, bookmakers and sportsbooks were reluctant to accept one game parlays due to the potential edge that knowledgeable sports bettors had. FanDuel was the first major legal online sportsbook to offer them and became a model for other sportsbooks from the perspective of pricing, transparency, and combining different markets. Most major sportsbooks now allow one game parlays on a wide scale. However, they minimize the edge that savvy players might have otherwise by lowering the odds on all payouts and restricting some correlated bets.

Are One Game Parlays Good Bets?

One game parlays can be good bets if they are chosen carefully. However, it is important to be realistic in your expectations and not be lured by the possibility of an astronomical payout that is extremely unlikely. Make sure to use welcome bonuses and OGP insurance promos to minimize the risk, and always conduct proper research before adding various odds into your betslip.