Tag: Parlay

How one bettor turned $15 into $81,000 with the help of Landry Shamet, who couldn’t care less about sports betting

Looking into how one bettor earned more than $81k on a 4-leg parlay.

We’ve all pieced together parlays that have a tremendous payout but relatively no chance to hit. That’s likely what this one bettor did on Thursday night when he was able to bring in more than $81,000 on a $15 NBA bet.

The ticket consisted of four different NBA players (Blake Griffin, Landry Shamet, Justin Holiday, and Daniel Theis) that would need to tally at least 15 points on the evening. Not a single one of the four players average more than 10.0 points per game on the season.

Holiday, the highest-scoring of the quartet (10.0), made his way to 15 points by the opening minutes of the fourth quarter in Indiana’s win over Detroit. His total (17) was the least surprising of all — Holiday had scored 15 points or more in three of the prior seven games.

Next up was Blake Griffin, who statistically was the least likely of the four players to score 15 points. Why? Well, Griffin had been completely out of Steve Nash’s rotation recently until COVID hit the Nets hard and brought Griffin back into the mix. A late three-pointer with 1:13 left simultaneously put a dagger in the visiting Philadelphia 76ers while keeping the bettor alive.

The Theis prop was drama-free. He would only need three and a half quarters to make his way to 15 points for just the third time all season. The ticketholder had to wait patiently into the night to see if Landry Shamet would be the final piece to his $81k payout. For a while, it didn’t look promising.

I can only imagine the stress the bettor felt as Shamet sat on 10 points with just under five minutes of garbage time remaining. Alas, Landry connected on two three-pointers down the stretch of the blowout. And while Shamet doesn’t care about everyone’s parlays, he’s making at least one man a bit wealthier.

[mm-video type=video id=01fq4cdc6w1mczzdfpqq playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fq4cdc6w1mczzdfpqq/01fq4cdc6w1mczzdfpqq-be4ffa6fa9c9e004457bf49529b300a2.jpg]

[listicle id=1346585]

Sports Betting 101: Parlay rewards, risks and how to place your bets

The ultimate test of reading the odds

So you’ve cashed a few single tickets in a row, you’re reading the betting lines well and you want to test yourself. It’s time to start setting up some parlays. The bet itself is straightforward: select multiple games and/or player outcomes, and if you guess all of them right, you could turn a single digit wager into a massive payday. It’s also one of the trickiest ways to cash a bet. 

The important thing to remember here is that parlays don’t limit you to wagering on just one sport. While single-sport parlays are more common, you can spread your bets out across as many games, leagues and sports as you’d like. Here’s a look at how to place your bets, win big and avoid disaster.

How A Parlay Works

Parlays allow you to combine multiple bets for bigger payouts. Say you’re certain the Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys are going to cover their respective spreads this week. Rather than betting each game individually, a parlay will combine those three outcomes at significantly higher odds.

If the Bears, Bucs and Cowboys are all -115 favorites (bet $115 to win $100), the parlay odds jump to +553 (bet $100 to win $553). Payouts are calculated by multiplying selected odds with each other, hence why you need at least two wagers to create the bet. 

In order to earn that payday, however, each leg of the parlay must hit. If any of the outcomes you selected fail to occur, the bet is dead. It’s an all-or-nothing scenario.

Here’s where it gets fun: bettors can mix and match outcomes. Let’s say you’re certain the Cowboys are going to cover but you don’t know if the Bucs will do the same. You could add the Cowboys spread and the Bucs moneyline or over/under to complete your parlay. Bettors can also combine player props to make a parlay, meaning you can pick the Cowboys to cover their spread and Tom Brady to throw for a touchdown to create your ticket. The possibilities are endless. 

More Risk, More Reward

The more bets you add to your parlay, the higher the odds and the bigger the payout. Want to place a 16-team parlay on the NFL each week? You may be able to turn a $5 bet into a few thousand dollars depending on the odds. 

You could also place a two-leg parlay for more money with a bit less risk.

The key is picking your spots and outcomes wisely. That +2000 moneyline for the Jacksonville Jaguars may help your overall parlay odds soar, but it could also tank the entire bet. 

It’s up to you to decide and create the best overall wager. If you’re actually seeing the lines well, a parlay will prove it. Even if not, you don’t have to risk much for a worthwhile win.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

[mm-video type=video id=01fgpsmg8e77bjw1fewr playlist_id=none player_id=01evcfkb10bw5a3nky image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fgpsmg8e77bjw1fewr/01fgpsmg8e77bjw1fewr-912babe23fd70d639dea31a2a0d6291a.jpg]

[listicle id=1146631]

Betting 101: How to bet on the NFL for beginners

Looking at the various sports betting options centered around the NFL, with betting advice, tips and definitions of key terms.

The NFL is the most popular league in America. And while watching the games are fun enough, one way to get more out of games is having a personal investment in the outcome. That is where betting comes in. Wagering on a game adds excitement and intrigue — while increasing the emotional interest because of the money involved. It is similar to fantasy football, except with the rooting interest being in the outcome, not players’ stats.

NFL betting: Ways to bet

Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list of sports betting odds and lines.

  • Futures betting: Wagering on an outcome beyond a single game result. The most common futures bets are Super Bowl champion, followed by conference/division champion, making the playoffs and regular-season win totals.
  • Single-game betting: Wagering on the outcome of a single game. It can be the straight outcome — which team wins outright. It can be against a point spread — whether a team wins or loses by a set number of points. Or it can be whether the combined point total goes Over or Under a predetermined number.
  • Prop bets: Wagering on individual occurrences or individual player acts or performances, such as whether a player will score two touchdowns in a game or who scores the first TD of the game.
  • Live betting: Bets made after a game starts. As the game goes on, the point spread and Over/Under total will change, as will odds of each team to win outright. If a team favored before the game falls behind early, they may become the underdog.

NFL betting: Key betting terms to know

  • Moneyline: This is betting for the outright winner of a game. The line is posted with a positive or negative number. A positive numbered line will profit more than the initial wager. Example: A line of +160 means that a $100 bet would profit $160. A negative number line profits less than the initial wager. Example: A line of -150 means one would have to bet $150 to profit $100 (getting $250 total — their original bet and the profit).
  • Point spread: This is essentially a handicap for one team. A team with a negative spread number must win by more than that amount. If the line is Cardinals -3.5, they must win by 4 points or more to win the bet. A positive spread (ex: Bengals +3.5) means one can win the bet if that team loses by less than that amount. Betting the Bengals +3.5 means the bet wins if they lose by 3 points or less, or if they win outright.
  • Over/Under: This is also referred to as the total. It is the line for the combined total points scored by the two teams. Often the lines are weighted. An Over/Under line of 45 (-120, +100) means one must bet 1.2-to-1 on the Over, while it’s an even-money bet (1-to-1) on the Under.
  • Push: This is when the point spread or point total is matched exactly. If the line has a half point, this can’t happen. If the line finishes in a push, all money is refunded. If the line was Cardinals -3 and they win by exactly 3 points, the bettor gets his money back.
  • Parlay: A combination of two or more bets in which all bets must win in order for the parlay to win; if any one bet loses the entire parlay loses. The benefit is a successful parlay pays more. Moneylines, point spreads and Over/Unders can be parlayed. Sportsbooks differ in payouts, but the average payoffs are:
PARLAY PAYOUT
2-teamer 2.6 to 1
3-teamer 6 to 1
4-teamer 11 to 1
5-teamer 22 to 1
6-teamer 40 to 1
7-teamer 80 to 1
8-teamer 150 to 1

While they pay more than a straight bet, many consider these sucker bets. The sportsbooks make a lot of money on bettors’ losing parlay bets. Any bet that results in a push does not end the parlay; it is treated as if the game never happened. So a 4-team parlay with a push becomes a 3-team parlay and assumes 3-team odds.

NFL betting: How do odds work?

Odds are usually given in two styles. One is as a positive or negative number. The other is a ratio.

The positive and negative numbers were explained above, but what about ratios?

One might see 8/1 odds. This is the same as +800. A winning bet profits eight times the original bet. Odds with a smaller number on top (or first) are the same as a negative number. 2/5 odds mean every $5 wagered will profit $2 if the bet wins. The smaller the ratio is the more likely the expected outcome.

Get some sports betting action by placing a bet with BetMGM today. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @senorjessroot on Twitter, and follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1390]

UFC on ESPN+ 26: Paul Felder vs. Dan Hooker odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing Paul Felder vs. Dan Hooker odds, picks and betting lines for UFC on ESPN+ 26

Paul Felder and Dan Hooker square off in a light heavyweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN+ 26 – also called UFC Fight Night 168 – at the Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand Saturday. The card kicks off at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

Felder (17-4-0) will travel into hostile territory to take on the kiwi Hooker. The 34-year-old American, nicknamed ‘The Irish Dragon’, enters this bout with victories in five of the past six fights. That includes a split-decision win over Edson Barboza at UFC 242 on the Khabib-Poirier card. Felder lost just once in six fights since Sept. 24, 2016.

Hooker (20-8-0) will have the New Zealand crowd behind him, while also holding the reach and a slight height advantage. In addition, he has a 4.73 Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute advantage to 3.55 for Felder. He is slightly more accurate in landing those strikes at 44.15-43.02 percent. Toss in the fact that Hooker has a slight advantage in takedown accuracy, takedown average and submission average, and there is a lot to like about the Kiwi.

Want to bet on Fight Night 168? New customer offer: Risk free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Paul Felder vs. Dan Hooker betting odds

Per BetMGM, Hooker (-167) is being backed by the people, and for good reason. He holds the advantages in all of the key statistics, and he’ll be fighting at home in front of a pro-Hooker crowd.

Take HOOKER (-167) to win on the 2-way line, and go with NO (-154) on the ‘Will the fight go the full five rounds?’ prop. I’ll be looking to pair Hooker with ZHANG WEILI (-176) on the UFC 248 card. If you have patience, and can wait to cash your ticket until March 7, Weili is going to blast Joanna Jedrzejczyk and is nice a toss-in for the parlay. We’ll preview that fight in early March.

New to sports betting? A $10 2-fighter parlay on Hooker (-162) and Weili (-176) would turn a profit of $15.07.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=2559]

UFC on ESPN+ 25: Corey Anderson vs. Jan Blachowicz odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing Corey Anderson vs. Jan Blachowicz odds, picks and betting lines for UFC on ESPN+ 25

Corey Anderson and Jan Blachowicz square off in a light heavyweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN+ 25 – also called UFC Fight Night 167 – at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, N.M. Saturday evening.

Anderson (14-4-0) will be facing Blachowicz for the second time in his career, and he is hopeful the result is the same as it was back at UFC 191 on Sept. 5, 2015 when Anderson came away with a unanimous decision victory in three rounds. He heads into this one with a head of steam, winning four in a row, including a brisk 2:07 KO/TKO against one of my favorite named UFC fighters, Johnny Walker, who was blue after his loss. Since his last loss to Ovince Saint Preux at UFC 217, the 30-year-old Anderson has rolled up wins over Patrick Cummins, Glover Teixeira, Ilir Latifi and Walker, putting him in position to get a championship shot if he isn’t derailed in this one.

Blachowicz (25-8-0) has waited nearly five years for another crack at Anderson, and he’ll get it in sandy New Mexico. The Berkut WCA Fight Team fighter is 36 years old, and it’s now or never if he wants a shot at the strap in his class. His UFC career got off to a hot start with a win over Latifi back on Oct. 4, 2014, but he proceeded to lose four of his next five bouts, including to Anderson. After a setback to Cummins at UFC 210, it’s been mostly smooth sailing, winning six of the past seven, including a split-decision win over Jacare Souza last time out in a five-round main event victory on Nov. 16. That bout proved he still has the goods to compete with anyone in this class.

Want to bet on Fight Night 167? New customer offer: Risk free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Corey Anderson vs. Jan Blachowicz betting odds

Per BetMGM, Anderson (-228) is a rather moderate favorite over Blachowicz (+165) in this rematch. Anderson holds a slight height and reach advantage over Blachowicz, both by one inch, but his real advantage is in striking and takedown ability. Anderson has 4.45 significant strikes landed per minute to just 3.44 SIG STR LPM for Blachowicz, while the latter does hold a slight advantage in Significant Strike Accuracy percentage at 49.05-46.37. However, Anderson is also much better at getting people to the ground, posting a 4.98 takedown average to just 1.18 for the Pole.

Roll with Anderson (-228) to win on the 2-way line, and perhaps pair it with another fight or two in a parlay for less risk. Some suggestions for a parlay might be Ray Borg (-154) over Rogerio Bontorin (+115), and if you’re a little more risky, pair Anderson with slight underdog Lando Vannata (-106) against Yancy Medeiros (-125), or put Anderson, Borg and Vannata in a nice three-fighter parlay for an even better payday. I plan on playing this ticket during my stay at the MGM Grand in Vegas this weekend.

New to sports betting? A $10 3-fighter parlay on Anderson (-228), Borg (-154) and Vannata (-106) would have a potential payout (inc stake) of $46.33 at +363.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=2559]