What is a Parlay? A parlay is a bet involving two or more events. The payoff is larger than making separate bets, but the catch is that every team in the parlay must win (or cover) or the bettor loses the entire bet. Some experts believe parlays are for fools. This is true only if that’s your only strategy. I find value in playing “underdog” parlays in addition to single bets combinations of Favorites and Dawgs. Here’s an important fact: Favorites lose often (especially in College Football). If favorites won all of the time, Las Vegas Sportsbooks would go out of business. The public loves playing nonstop favorites. How many times have you turned to Sports Center on Saturday only to find a heavily favored powerhouse has lost to a “cupcake” (remember USC/Oregon State earlier this year)?
The following underdog parlay was wagered on 11/01/08 by one of the “players” at kinetiksports.wordpress.com (a.k.a. The Man Crippler Club):
Arkansas to win (3.1)
North Texas to win (6.6)
Pittsburgh to win (2.6)
Clemson to win (2.4)
Central Michigan to win (2.1)
=====================
Accumulated Odds = 268.11
$1 Bet = $268.11
*All Odds taken from www.intertops.com
As you can see the accumulated odds were 268-to-1. By risking $1, the reward is enormous. The downside is losing $1 if one of the teams does not win. Does this strategy work all of the time? Of course not. However, this strategy can be used as a hedging mechanism that protects the Sports Gambler when that heavily favored powerhouse let’s you down via single bets. Believe me, they will let you down. Remember…..an educated player is a smart player.
Wager at your own risk!
JoVerto (The Ghost of Free Pick Winners)
