What is a parlay?
Updated · 2 min read
A parlay (an accumulator, or acca, in the UK) combines several selections into one bet. The odds multiply, so the payout grows fast, but every leg has to win.
How the odds multiply
Three legs at 1.80, 2.00 and 1.50 make a parlay at 1.80 × 2.00 × 1.50 = 5.40. A 10 stake returns 54 if all three win, and nothing if any one loses.
If a leg is void (a postponed match, for example) it usually counts as odds of 1.00 and the parlay continues on the remaining legs.
Why parlays are harder than they look
Each leg carries the bookmaker’s margin, and in a parlay the margins multiply too. With about 5% margin per leg, a three-leg parlay carries roughly 14% and a six-leg parlay roughly 25%. That is why long accumulators pay big but win rarely.
- Keep parlays short while you learn: two or three legs.
- Avoid related legs (for example a team to win and the same team to score first): bookmakers price combinations like that differently.
- Compare the parlay price with backing each leg as a single, and check what you are really paying for.
System bets: Trixie, Patent, Yankee and more
A system bet is a set of smaller parlays (and sometimes singles) on the same selections, so you can still get a return if one or two legs lose. Each line costs one stake.
| System | Selections | Bets | Made of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trixie | 3 | 4 | 3 doubles, 1 treble |
| Patent | 3 | 7 | 3 singles, 3 doubles, 1 treble |
| Yankee | 4 | 11 | 6 doubles, 4 trebles, 1 fourfold |
| Lucky 15 | 4 | 15 | 4 singles + a Yankee |
| Canadian | 5 | 26 | every double, treble, fourfold and fivefold |
| Lucky 31 | 5 | 31 | 5 singles + a Canadian |
| Heinz | 6 | 57 | every combination of 2 or more |
CADNEX supports singles, parlays and all of these system bets, plus "2 from 3", "2 from 4" and "3 from 4".
Common questions
Is a parlay the same as an accumulator?
Yes. "Parlay" is the US term; "accumulator" or "acca" is used in the UK and elsewhere.
What happens if one leg of a parlay loses?
The whole parlay loses. System bets exist to soften this by splitting the stake across several smaller combinations.
Can I cash out a parlay?
Often, yes. Cash out offers a price for your bet before it finishes. CADNEX offers full and partial cash out while prices are available.