What is a parlay bet?
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A parlay bet (also called an accumulator or acca in the UK) combines multiple individual bets into a single wager where all selections must win for the bet to pay out. The odds of each selection multiply together, creating much higher potential returns than any single bet — but a single loss eliminates the entire parlay.
How parlay odds work
If you combine three bets at 2.0 odds each, the parlay pays at 2.0 × 2.0 × 2.0 = 8.0. A £10 parlay wins £80 (£70 profit) versus £10 profit on each individual leg bet separately. The potential return grows quickly with each added selection. The catch is that all selections must win — one loss and the entire stake is lost.
Parlay vs single bets
From an expected value standpoint, parlays are worse than placing the same bets separately because each leg carries the bookmaker’s margin and that margin compounds. But they offer leverage — small stakes can produce large payouts. Parlays are popular for sports betting but the format isn’t typically used in casino table games (where each hand or spin is already self-contained).
Ben Barber got into the gambling industry through the poker rooms of London in the early 2000s. After building up a solid grounding in casino, sports betting and poker, he made the move to Malta where he spent close to a decade writing for some of the biggest affiliate networks in the region. A few years ago he relocated to Bali, which shifted his focus toward website strategy and affiliate marketing. The casino side never really left, though. He still writes reviews, how-to guides and in-depth pieces on everything from slots and live dealer tables to crypto casinos and sweepstakes sites. His approach is fact-first: help players understand how online gambling actually works before they deposit a cent.