NFL Parlay Betting Guide
NFL parlays are the most popular bet type in pro football betting markets after straight wagers on sides and totals.
Football parlay bets give you an opportunity to win more money than if you just placed the same bets individually.
Here, we will explain how NFL parlay betting works, show you where to place your wagers, and share pro tips and strategies to increase your chances of winning.
All About NFL Parlay Bets
Best NFL Parlay Betting Sites In 2024
What Is A Parlay Bet in NFL?
An NFL parlay bet, also known as a multi-bet, allows you to wager on different NFL football games and outcomes at the same time.
With football parlays, you can combine sides, totals, and moneylines in one bet. The wagers don’t need to be in chronological order (although they usually are), and they all must win for the parlay to be graded as a winner.
With parlays, you can potentially win way more money than by placing the same bets individually at the expense of giving a higher edge to the sportsbooks.
NFL Football Parlay Bet Example
Let’s say you want to bet $300 on three NFL teams in the first week of the season; $100 on each team. Here is what it would look like:
| Team | Odds | Bet Amount | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rams | +125 | $100 | $225 |
| Cowboys | -110 | $100 | $210 |
| Chiefs | +110 | $100 | $210 |
If all your individual bets win, your final payout would be a total of $645.
But you could get a total payout of $2,100 with the same $300 investment on a parlay since most offshore sportsbooks offer around +600 odds for 3-team parlays.
So, what’s the catch with parlays?
All your picks have to be right. If only one of your bet legs goes wrong, your whole bet will be graded as a loser.
How To Bet NFL Parlays Online
Betting football parlays online is extremely easy.
First, make sure you understand how parlays work and the potential payouts you could get if you win a wager.
If you still have some doubts, read the previous section again, or check our parlay betting guide.
Once you are ready, follow these steps to get started in a matter of minutes:
Choose Your NFL Sportsbook
This is the first and most important step. We recommend sticking to one of our trusted offshore sportsbooks for a secure and legit experience.
Once you have picked the sportsbook, go ahead and open a sports betting account.Deposit And Claim Bonuses
Once you have an account, you’ll be able to make your first deposit.
The most common way is to deposit with credit cards, but cryptos are also an option to take into account as they come with no fees, and deposits can be made quickly.
Make sure to take advantage of NFL betting bonuses when you deposit for the first time. Bonuses and promos can help increase your potential winnings.Select The NFL Games To Parlay
Browse through the NFL Football section of your sportsbook and find two or more football games of your interest.
Click on the odds you like to add those wagers to your bet slip.Select The Parlay Option
Once you have all the games you want on your bet slip, it’s time to turn the individual wagers into a parlay.
In most online sportsbooks, you will have a button with the “Parlay” option. Click on it to make a multi-bet.Confirm And Place Your Bet
Check all the data on your bet slip and make sure the amount to wager and the potential payout are what you expected.
When you are ready, confirm and place your bet. Now sit back, relax and have fun watching the games!
best Sites For Online NFL Parlay Betting
Ready to bet NFL football parlay bets? Using a trusted sports betting site is the most important step. Here are our top recommendations:
| Rank | NFL Sportsbooks | Deposit Bonus | Highlights | Get Started |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Bovada |
Deposit Bonus 50% Up To $250 |
Highlights
|
Bet Now |
| 2 |
BetUS |
Deposit Bonus 100% Up To $2,500 |
Highlights
|
Bet Now |
| 3 |
Betonline |
Deposit Bonus 50% Up To $250 |
Highlights
|
Bet Now |
Check Our Review Of The Best NFL Betting Sites
NFL Parlay Betting Odds Per Site
Most betting sites pay +264 on two-team parlays; however, check out the chart below before making a deposit if you think you’ll be betting a lot of parlays.
If you want more information, we have an article reviewing the best parlay betting sites for football and any other sport.
What Are The Best NFL parlay Bets?
The best NFL parlay bets are those where you combine a maximum of 3 games or selections.
Too many football gamblers ignore the NFL parlays rules and decide to take a shot at the whole slate, often placing 8-10 team parlays. They’re playing right into the hands of the oddsmakers.
Parlays can be profitable (although, most times, it’s still usually better to place straight wagers), but they are certainly not profitable when there are more than three teams or selections.
The sportsbooks adjust their odds rapidly to deal with the increased risk of each payout. This is why we recommend limiting your parlays to 2-3 selections.
Why Limit Your Selections
With two teams, the offshore betting odds are +264 at most sportsbooks. The true odds of this parlay are +300. With three teams, the offshore odds are +600, but the true odds are +700.
The bookies have an advantage here, but it’s a much slimmer one than the one they receive as the number of teams or selections increases.
If you are looking to bet on more than three games, you might be better off placing straight wagers on sides, totals, and NFL moneylines as individual bets.
NFL parlays of more than 2-3 teams are a quick way to lose your bankroll. The payouts may seem enticing with these bets, but the sportsbook’s advantage is far more significant than any 2-3 team parlay.
NFL Parlay Betting Strategy (Pro Tips)
Now you might be wondering, what is the best way to bet NFL parlays?
We’ll dive deeper into the strategy behind NFL parlay betting and share some expert tips.
These strategies should be used by bettors who have prior experience in online betting. If you are new, feel free to go ahead and try but do it with caution.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that even though parlays offer higher potential payouts, it’s your responsibility to make the right choices and use them in your favor.
Parlay Tip #1UsE NFL Parlays To Clear Bonuses
When you sign up for an NFL betting site, you will almost certainly receive a deposit bonus.
If you’re smart, you will maximize this bonus, as there is no downside to freeplay funds, and these can be helpful when building a bankroll early on.
However, it’s important to remember that freeplay bonuses do not work the same way as cash or cash bonuses.
Freeplay bonuses will only return the amount won, not the staked amount.
How Do FreePlay Bonuses Work?
Normally, when betting $110 to win $100 on a side or total, if you win your bet, you would receive the $110 back and see your account grow to $100. That’s not the case when it comes to free play bonuses.
If you win a bet with free play, you will receive the amount won, but the free play will not appear back in your account.
Using the same scenario and betting amounts – you would not see $210 returned to your account but would only see the $100 amount from your winning wager.
Since free plays don’t work the same way as cash, it makes sense to bet the money several times (which we can do wagering parlays) to maximize their upside and clear bonuses quicker. Enter betting 2-3 game parlays.
You should be able to find edges on NFL games if you bet at the right sportsbooks.
Betting these games on straight wagers and also wagering them in freeplay parlays is an excellent strategy to clear bonuses faster and grow your bankroll.
Parlay Tip #2Clearing rollovers With NFL Parlays
Parlay bets are an excellent way to clear a bonus rollover.
As discussed above, free play bonuses don’t work the same way as cash. Free plays will only return the win and not the staked amount.
Parlay bets give players the chance to utilize the same free play more than once. As they are the only types of bet that continuously place the stake and win onto the next selection.
3-Team Parlays: The Best For Clearing Rollovers
The 3-team parlays are the best for accomplishing this goal. These bets may not have a positive expectation under any other scenario but are extremely valuable for free play bonuses.
Bettors will be able to apply the free play stake to three different bets, which maximize their chances of winning.
Further, the 3-team parlays not only give you the best odds, but most free-play wagers have limits on the amount that players can win.
They are capped at several thousands of dollars, which means betting on larger parlays makes little sense since your winnings will be capped.
Parlay Tip #3Circumventing Betting Limits
Another reason to bet NFL parlays is because you’ve bet the sportsbook’s maximum allowed on a straight wager and wish to get more money down on a side that you believe is a profitable bet.
Pairing this bet with another wager that you also believe to be profitable is an excellent way to get more money down on +EV wagers.
For instance, let’s say your sportsbook has a $5,000 maximum win amount on NFL sides, but you really like the Browns at +7. You have already bet your maximum to win $5,000, but still, you wish to bet more on the game.
You can then parlay the Browns +7 with another side or total and get down $1,000 or more on a 2-team parlay, even at sportsbooks with extremely low betting limits.
parlay Tip #4Disguising Your Betting Profile
Getting accounts limited is another reason to throw in some parlays or other exotic bets that are -EV or possibly break even.
It’s important for bettors to understand that every account has a profile. Managers will look at your account and label you as a recreational player, a sharp bettor, or something in between.
Parlays, generally, are poor wagers. It almost always makes more sense to bet sides, NFL totals, and moneylines as straight wagers.
How Placing Parlay Bets Can Help?
Parlays may throw management off your back, at least for a while, if you are a profitable bettor.
If you’ve won money long enough betting sports, there is no doubt you’ve had your betting limits reduced to near nothing and, in some cases, having your action completely cut off.
When risk management looks at your account and sees nearly 100% straight wagers and few parlays or other exotic bets, they’re likely going to think you have a clue when it comes to betting sports. Especially if you’re winning and getting good numbers.
Throwing parlays into this, even if you’re placing the same wagers, can allow you to keep your betting limits higher and prolong the use of your account.
This is particularly true for sportsbooks that are aggressive with cutting betting limits on any player they suspect is sharp.
Parlay Tip #5 Using Fixed Odds In NFL Parlays To Your Advantage
At many sportsbooks, fixed football parlay odds only apply to selections that are -110. Bettors can add another selection that isn’t -110 into their parlay and force a fair calculation.
For instance, if you bet a three-team parlay with two selections at -110 but another at -120, you’re going to end up with a potentially higher payout with the true odds.
This is particularly notable for football betting markets. Many sportsbooks won’t come off certain numbers and will adjust their moneyline odds on the attached point spread far beyond -110.
It’s important to be sure how your sportsbook is calculating their parlays before trying to use this to your advantage.
NFL Parlay Betting FAQ
What Does Parlay Mean In Sports Betting?
Bettors can select from sports betting sides, totals, and moneylines and then add these selections into parlay wagers. You can even parlay props and futures at some NFL betting sites. All selections must win for the wager to be graded as a winner.
How Do NFL Parlays Work?
A parlay is a single betting market that allows bettors to combine multiple wagers or legs for an increased payout. However, all bets need to win for the parlay to be graded as a winner.
How Many Teams Can You Parlay?
It depends on the sportsbook, but we’ve seen online sportsbooks offer parlays of up to 15 teams or selections.
What Does A 3 Team Parlay Pay?
The standard payout for a 3-team parlay is +600 or 6/1, which means that by betting $100, your earnings would be $600 if the bet is graded as a winner.
Are Parlays Bad Bets?
Parlays are not bad bets, but you should never bet on parlays that are higher than two or three teams. Parlays are most useful when clearing bonuses that come in the form of freeplay.
