Probably the most familiar type of wager in sports betting is the straight or side bet. The term straight is a good way to describe itwinning is determined by one basic factor and the payoff is clearly stated. If a bettor puts money on a team and they win or beat the spread, if a spread is involved, the person placing the wager collects on that one bet.
In your trips to your favorite online sportsbook, you may have noticed that you could opt to play a parlay. It may have intrigued you, but you were unsure of exactly what it entailed and what risk factors were involved.
Note that some bettors wont go near the parlay, due to the risk factors inherent in this type of wager. With a parlay, which in England is known as an accumulator, you make a series of bets all of which you must win in order to collect. If you lose any of the wagers, you lose the entire bet.
If this sounds risky, it is. One incorrect wager means youve lost the entire bet. What attracts bettors to the parlay is the payoff. The standard Vegas two-bet parlay pays 2.6 to 1. Put down $100 and if your parlay comes in you realize $260. A parlay with three wagers pays 6 to 1, which translates into a...