NFL Parlays

NFL parlays are interesting because they are so divisive. There are many who love parlays and bet on them every week, while there's another camp that insists that betting parlays is, and always is, a sucker bet. Both make good points, however, neither is absolutely right. In most cases parlays are not your smartest bet, but there are situations where they can be used properly. For a more detailed explanation about what I'm talking about, see my article on how parlays can be profitable.

Here we are going to take a look at a traditional parlay card for a typical sportsbook. NFL parlay cards can vary from book to book, but the example I'm using below is fairly typical. Remember, for a parlay to win, all teams must win.

NFL Parlay Card Odds

2 Team Parlay: 13 to 5 (bet $100 to win $260)
3 Team Parlay: 6 to 1 (bet $100 to win $600)
4 Team Parlay: 10 to 1 (bet $100 to win $1,000)
5 Team Parlay: 20 to 1 (bet $100 to win $2,000)
6 Team Parlay: 40 to 1 (bet $100 to win $4,000)
7 Team Parlay: 75 to 1 (bet $100 to win $7,500)
8 Team Parlay: 100 to 1 (bet $100 to win $10,000)
9 Team Parlay: 150 to 1 (bet $100 to win $15,000)
10 Team Parlay: 300 to 1 (bet $100 to win $30,000)
11 Team Parlay: 450 to 1 (bet $100 to win $45,000)
12 Team Parlay: 600 to 1 (bet $100 to win $60,000)
13 Team Parlay: 750 to 1 (bet $100 to win $75,000)
14 Team Parlay: 900 to 1 (bet $100 to win $90,000)
15 Team Parlay: 1,500 to 1 (bet $100 to win $150,000)

Be sure to check with your NFL sportsbook to see what odds they offer as some are better than others. Parlays can be a lot of fun, but remember that they pay so well for a reason: they rarely win! You're much better off sticking with single bets on your NFL picks. Think about having a 5 team parlay for $100 and going 4-1. With the parlay you lose $100, where betting $20 on each game you would come out ahead. The same would apply if you ended up going 1-4, you still lose, but you minimize those losses by spreading your bets out instead of banking on all 5 or nothing.