The key to being a successful sports bettor is getting the most bang for your buck. Finding actual odds that have value is one way to do this but what if the odds for the game you want to bet just aren’t great? Is there a way to boost the true odds or are you out of luck?
A same game parlay (SGP) allows you to boost the odds by stringing multiple bets together to increase your potential payout.
To create a winning same game parlay strategy, you’ll want to navigate the sporting space with expertise in game narratives, favorite players, and correlated odds.
What Is a Same Game Parlay?
A same game parlay in sports betting is a variation on the traditional parlay bet. In a traditional parlay, you combine multiple bets. Think of it as a betting bundle. So, looking at an NFL same game parlay as an example, if you like the Bills, Chiefs, and Cardinals to win this week, you can combine them into a parlay for a potentially huge payout.
So, what’s the catch? Let’s say that the Bills and the Chiefs do win, but the Cardinals end up losing. Even though ⅔ of your bet hit, the entire parlay would lose in this scenario. The only way to collect on a parlay is if all the legs win. Anything short of that means a lost bet.
That’s where a same game parlay strategy differs. In this case, your betting bundle is on the same game, rather than three different games played by different teams.
Since each game only has one winner, you’ll need to combine bets such as:
- Moneyline bet
- Point spread
- Totals
- Prop bets
You can combine any number of bets. The more bets you combine, the higher your payout is likely to be. Of course, the more bets you combine, the less likely it is that your same game parlay picks will be a winner.
Same Game Parlay Dos and Don’ts
Now that you understand what a same game parlay is, let’s talk strategy. There are a few basic dos and don’ts that can help you craft more single game parlay winners:
- Create a narrative – A same game parlay allows you to really dig into one single game, so be sure to do that. Don’t just choose bets at random. Instead, think about how the game will play out. Do you think Joe Burrow is unstoppable this week? A parlay that combines a Bengals win with a high point total and an over for Burrow’s rushing yards fits your narrative and may prove profitable.
- Don't bet against yourself – Let’s look at the NBA. Say you decide to do an NBA same game parlay, and you’re betting on the Celtics to beat the Knicks and the point total to go over, but you also have a player prop on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to finish with under 10 points each. Who is scoring for the Celtics? Your bets conflict with each other, meaning your parlay is unlikely to win.
- Look into the favorites – It’s tempting to avoid betting on favorites because the payouts are generally pretty small. But the whole point of a same game parlay is to boost those potential payouts. That means you can start looking at favorites and still end up making some money.
- Try some flyers – While you shouldn’t go crazy adding legs to your bet slip, it can be fun to sprinkle some money on a crazy wager. In 2021, someone won $103,041.28 from a $250 stake on an 11-leg same game parlay. We wouldn’t recommend this as a cornerstone of your betting strategy, but there’s nothing wrong with having some fun.
Imago Images / Zuma Wire
Same Game Parlay Correlated Odds
When crafting your same game parlay strategy, you may want to check different books. Unlike a traditional parlay, a same game parlay doesn’t just multiply individual bet odds to come up with parlay odds. This is because of a concept called correlated odds.
Correlated odds recognize that all the bets in a same game parlay are correlated. For instance, if Patrick Mahomes throws two touchdowns, the over is more likely to hit, and the Chiefs are more likely to win. These bets are related. Because of that, sportsbooks will adjust their odds to give you less of a boost for your same game parlay than you might expect.
Different books will calculate correlated odds differently, so don’t be afraid to shop around to try and find the best odds for your preferred parlay.
Craft a Winning SGP With Tipico
To create a fruitful same game parlay, look to Tipico. Our online sportsbook offers competitive
odds for all bets, from same game parlays to live betting, across a variety of sports. Bet the NFL, NBA, MLB, and more at Tipico.
Sources:
Tipico. Types of Sports Bets: A Guide. https://www.tipico.com/us/blog/types-of-sports-bets
CBS Sports. Bettor wins over $103,000 on $250, same game 11-leg parlay in Celtics-76ers matchup. https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/bettor-wins-over-103000-on-250-same-game-11-leg-parlay-in-celtics-76ers-matchup/
School of Bets. What is the Same Game Parlay? https://schoolofbets.com/what-is-the-same-game-parlay/
GamblingSites.com. Tips and Advice for Betting on Same Game Parlays. https://www.gamblingsites.com/blog/same-game-parlays-betting-tips/
