Winning Parlay Betting Strategy

No matter how many professional punters you ask, every one of them will tell you that the only acceptable way of controlling your game and bankroll is to bet on singles. The more matches you add to your betslip, the more you rely on luck instead of intuition. However, contrary to the strict professional approach, parlays remain an extremely popular way of betting for the vast majority of punters, from rookies to seasoned pros.

The reason is quite simple: They may have lower chances of coming through but allow you to win far larger payouts. The fact that you have the possibility of significantly multiplying your initial stake vastly outweighs the small winning percentage. What seems even more appealing is that you can potentially win big without having to risk a lot of money. On this page, we will explain step-by-step how to for a winning parlay betting strategy. 

How to Create the Best Parlay Strategy

The first thing you have to do to enhance your parlay betting strategy is to understand the different types of wagers available to most online bookmakers. There are two types of Accumulator bets:

Straight parlay: The simplest combination bet but also the riskiest one, as all matches included on your parlay must be winning ones to get a profit. The risk is always high, and losing such a bet is the most usual outcome. It’s not easy to win a fourfold or fivefold straight parlay, even if you back favourites on theoretically safe choices.

The best parlay strategy when picking straights is to minimize the number of matches on your betslip. Instead of building a sixfold or sevenfold, you should split them into two or three straight parlays, for example, two doubles and a treble, where you should also allocate your stake accordingly.

When you bet on straight parlays, picking low odds is 9 out of 10 times not profitable. Five 1.50 odds choices amount to only 7.59 total odds. Your theoretical winning chances stand at 0.4%, which possibility-wise are far lower than your projected winnings. In terms of value for money, this is not a good deal.

Multiple parlays: You can back a multiple football parlay, a baseball system, or a basketball combo bet, but one common rule: You claim some money even if one or more of your choices don’t come through. This seems fair, as it may be hard to find three or four winning games on a single match day.

The only drawback is that your profit will be lower compared to a straight parlay, as your stake is split by the number of bets. When you place a Yankee bet, you are wagering on 11 possible combinations (6 doubles, 4 triples & 1 quadruple). So, if your Yankee bet is worth €55, this means that each combination is multiplied by €5 and not your entire stake.

How to Win a Parlay Bet?

Many punters who favour accas are fond of sharing stories of times they could have won a small fortune but for a missed match on a sixfold acca bet. That’s why there are alternative ways of gaining profit without having to risk too much. Apart from the “fixed” betting systems, online bookmakers allow you to build your own pattern of football accumulators and even win despite losing one or two selections.

For example, when you select five matches, it’s not obligatory to bet only on a straight bet containing all five selections or choose a Canadian system containing 26 different bets, from doubles to fivefold. You can choose a third way, to bet only on trebles made by these five matches (10 bets) and the fivefold (1 bet). 

Or the doubles (10 bets) or the fourfolds (5 bets). The best tactic is to calculate the average odds carefully. If you follow this rule, you simply have to note how many parlays you need to win to at least protect your bankroll. This is very important when it comes to keeping your composure, especially on losing nights. To save some time, feel free to use our Accumulator Calculator. 

Tips for a Successful Parlay Betting System

Knowing the different alternatives out there or using betting systems to minimize your chances of losing is not enough. You have to face the harsh reality of betting on parlays, which is none other than they don't come through very often. Besides being careful with your bankroll, we have gathered some extra pieces of info that you should follow:

Realise you'll Lose Most of your Bets

When you systematically bet on parlays, you have to develop a defence mechanism that helps you cope with losing. It requires true grit, especially on that late Sunday accas when you lose them due to a last-minute goal. Every bettor will tell you a story of that would-have-made-a-fortune accumulator that came crashing down at the last moment. Such a blow will not only test your faith in your skills but might also kill your bankroll if you happen to lose your discipline.

In any case, you have to be decisive and persist in your tactics. When it comes to placing a bet online on parlays, the worst mistake you can make is to switch your betting style after the first lost acca. What you should remember is that you can earn a nice profit after a few won bets, some of which might come consecutively. That’s why you must always set your sights on the long run.

Let’s assume that you plan on building three parlays a week for 40 weeks this season. If the average parlay odds stand at 10.00, you need to win 13 of your total 120 parlays to earn a marginal profit. That’s a winning percentage of 10,8% in the entire season. Of course, winning such a number of parlays is far from easy, but it’s feasible, provided that you remain disciplined and make calculated choices.

Keep Calm and Check the Odds

The single best tactic when it comes to acca betting is to calculate the average odds carefully. If you follow this rule, you simply have to note how many parlays you need to win to at least protect your bankroll. This is very important when it comes to keeping your composure, especially on losing nights. This, in turn, leads to a logical conclusion: Try and build similar total odds parlays.

The reason why we're so preoccupied with psychology is that whether you agree or not, parlay betting requires that you keep a calm, winning mentality. The most common mistakes you may run into following a bad run include hurried choices, risky bets & increasing your stake in order to chase losses. This is why patience pays off. If you realize that you only need to win once every six or ten bets, you can overcome the feeling of a lost bet much quicker and focus on your next acca.

Cashing out Parlays

This kind of wagering becomes more and more popular, especially if you include your selections that may start at different times. When four selections of your fivefold bet have been won and the last match starts in about half an hour, the following temptation is logically high: Will you use the cash-out service and take the trimmed winnings or let your bet run its course until the end? This isn’t an easy decision and can depend on many factors. If you ultimately do it, don’t blame yourself or feel guilty if the last selection comes through, as the opposite could have happened just as easily. After all, building a betting cash out betting is no easy task. 

Taking Advantage of Promotions

A growing number of online bookmakers offer an extra motive to place parlay bets. Enhanced odds are the most common promo, as the bookie increases the total potential winnings. Usually, the increased percentage is between 20% and 30% of the initial payout. Of course, the percentage gets bigger as you add more matches to your bet.  This seems like a profitable deal for players. On the other hand, the ACCA Insurance Offers protect you in case you miss out on your parlay for one selection. Sportsbooks keep adding new promos constantly, so make sure to get on top of things and exploit as many as you can. 

Try these Bookies for Your Parlay Betting Strategy