What exactly is college basketball parlay betting?
If you log into any sportsbook today, you’ll find several betting options, and you can choose any of them that you like. However, more often than not, making just one bet is not enough. Sometimes, there are multiple college basketball games going on, and even the odds for one selection aren’t so high. In such cases, it doesn’t mean you start making different wagers on separate slips; rather, you can combine multiple selections into one slip.
It is essentially multiple selections combined into a single wager. Anything from two selections (or legs) and above counts as parlay betting. However, the condition is that all legs must be a win, or the whole bet counts as a loss. In other words, a single loss could void the ticket.
When people start learning how to bet on college basketball, they eventually learn what parlays are, but the rule that all legs must win puts them off. In fact, it is not uncommon for them to ask questions, wanting to know why people do it. As for that, the answer is that you get longer odds, and putting all legs into one selection means you can use the same bankroll you’d have used on just one bet.
Types of college basketball parlays
We’ll categorize parlays broadly into three different types, which are:
Traditional parlay
This is the regular parlay as we’ve explained it. However, we call it traditional because your legs are across different games. So, we know that several college basketball games may be going on at once. With a traditional parlay, you basically have stakes in two or more games.
That is not to say that, for you to place parlays, the matches have to be happening at the same time. We only cited that for a practical case study. With your parlays, you may have selections in games that are not even on the same day. One could be today, and the other, tomorrow or the day after. There is no rule that mandates that they have to be going on at the same time.
Same game parlay
With the same game parlay, it is possible to be in multiple markets for that game at the same time. This is very common with college basketball live betting where punters are watching the game, and they feel the need to back multiple selections as they watch it. But it isn’t restricted to live betting alone.
The long and short of it is that having multiple legs under the same game isn’t something illegal. So, if you’re thinking of it, go ahead.
Round robin
Round robin is a strategy in college basketball parlay bets where you break your selections into smaller combos rather than making it a single slip. The reason for this is so that one miss does not tank your whole bet.
To better buttress our point, we’ll use an example where you intend to back three different college basketball teams, say A, B, and C. Normally, you can create a ticket with a straight selection of A, B, and C to win. However, that means if B loses, the whole ticket is void.
So, if you were to do a round robin, instead of one parlay, you can make it three, with:
So, you have three tickets, each with two teams. That way, you have three possible outcomes:
- All 3 teams
win: All three parlays win, giving you a win-win scenario.
- Exactly 2 teams win: One parlay wins, while the other two lose. This would be the case if it were only one team that goes against your prediction. In that case, you still have one ticket that contains two winning teams.
- Only 1 or 0 teams win: In this case, all parlays lose.
By now, you should understand how it works and the benefit of combining everything into one single parlay. With round robin, one outcome going against you still gives you a chance.
You can do it with even 4 or more teams, and it can be 2- or 3-team round-robins, depending on how many splits you can comfortably break it into. Once you understand the underlying concept, you can be flexible with it.
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What can you put in a parlay?
All along, we’ve been talking about “selections or legs” for parlays, but what exactly can these picks be? Here are the major ones that are common with those who regularly stake on college basketball:
- Spreads: What spread betting does is handicap the two teams by giving one a virtual advantage or disadvantage. So, it is no longer a situation of one team winning alone but rather having you win by at least a certain number of points. And it isn’t about losing alone; the loss has to exceed a specific margin. So, spread is useful when you think a team will win or lose by a certain margin, rather than just picking the winner. With it, you get better odds.
- Moneyline: A simple bet that answers the question, “who will win?” It doesn’t care about the number of points they use to win, but just that they win. The specifics regarding the payout depend on the odds. If the odds are positive, like +150, it means a $100 bet will pay $150. If the odds are -150, it means a $150 stake will yield a $100 payout.
- Totals: Placing totals bets means you are only concerned with the combined score of both teams, as opposed to who wins the game. How it works is that the sportsbook offers different points, and you select over/under for any of them. So, if you pick “over,” for example, at the end of the game, the addition of both teams’ points must be over that number. If it is “under,” the addition of their points must be under that number for it to be a win. Most importantly, it doesn’t care about who wins.
- Halves: College basketball has two halves, and what this option implies is that you’re betting on just one half. It could be the first or second, but the wager doesn’t extend beyond your selected half. So, you can place spreads, moneyline, or totals on just the first or second half alone. This option usually comes in handy for in-play bettors who are watching the game live and prefer to partition their stakes.
- Player props: Anyone who has placed college basketball prop bets can attest to how different and exciting it is. With it, you can be on what a player will do rather than the team. So, you’ll see options like points, rebounds, assists, 3-pointers made, steals, blocks, turnovers, combination stats, and several others. So, if you’re familiar with a specific player and know their strengths, props are the best way to back them.
How legs change the odds and risk
When people hear about parlays for the first time, they are tempted to add as many selections as possible. After all, the more the legs, the more the odds, and the more the potential payout. However, more selections also increase the risk, since there is a higher chance that one pick will void the ticket. To give a better representation, based on a standard of -110 legs, here is an estimation of the chances of winning as you increase your legs:
| Legs | Approximate combined odds | Approximate chance all legs win |
| 2 | +264 | 27% |
| 3 | +596 | 14% |
| 4 | +1,228 | 7.5% |
| 5 | +2,436 | 4% |
Note that all numbers are approximations, but the accuracy isn’t the main point. We aim to show you a visual representation of how increasing your legs affects the chances. This is not to say that you restrict yourself to just two picks per parlay. It is just to tell you that you shouldn’t blindly increase your legs in the name of adding to the odds.
Pros and cons of college parlay betting
As experienced players, this is what we have to say about it:
Pros and Cons
- One stake covers several selections
- Build parlays around one game
- Increased odds with multiple selections
- One missed leg makes the whole bet lose
College basketball parlay betting strategy
We often find even the most experienced players looking for one college basketball parlay betting strategy or the other, so we came up with some pointers. They are not certainties as betting is a game of probabilities, but with these, you are better off than the uninformed:
🤔 Keep selections sensible
Because the odds increase drastically as you pile up the legs, it is very attractive to add that “one more.” Well, like we broke it down in the table earlier, that “one more” could also be the one that loses, so if you’re adding it, make sure it is worth it.
The best way to look at it is that all your picks should make sense enough that if it weren’t a parlay, you are confident enough to place a single bet on it. If it doesn’t satisfy that, then don’t add it to your parlay.
🔗 Understand correlation in single-game parlays
When playing single-game parlays, your picks have to correlate positively in a way that they actually complement each other.
Take an example of you placing an under on totals, as well as player props on both teams’ stars to score over a certain point total. What you’re doing there is pairing negatively correlated wagers. Playing that under total means you’re predicting a low-scoring game. But at the same time, you’re backing stars to score well. That means if the former works out, the latter doesn’t, and vice versa. So, at the end of the day, you can’t bring out a winning bet from that.
Compare that to one where you have a selection where a team’s star scores over 25 points and, at the same time, backing the team to win. Those are positively correlated. The higher the player’s score, the higher the chances of the team winning. When you understand such correlations, you can “pad” your parlay to get better odds.
🏀 Markets and teams you actually follow
There will always be a temptation to add games from teams that you don’t even watch or markets you’re not familiar with, just to tip those odds a bit higher. It would be in your best interest not to do that. It may work at first, but it is not sustainable in the long run. So, don’t make it a habit.
📈 Consider futures parlays
Some of the best college basketball futures bets are parlays with multiple selections. For instance, in the NCAAB, you can make predictions of player props in the long run and combine them into a parlay. And that doesn’t mean you can’t continue with your short-term bets on the side.
Best sportsbooks for college basketball parlays
One way to enjoy parlay bets is to use bookmakers that offer the option as much as possible. To save you the trouble of the long search, we’ve narrowed down five of the best college basketball sportsbooks that you can’t go wrong with:
FanDuel – Compact design for in-play parlays
FanDuel Pros & Cons
- Seamless integration of sportsbook and casino
- Diverse casino game selection
- Frequent promotions for both platforms
- User-friendly and responsive interface
- High playthrough requirements on bonuses
FanDuel is one of the easier bookmakers to use on busy college basketball days thanks to the mobile app. The app lets you switch between games without leaving the home screen, so you can track metrics easily. You will also find a Same Game Parlay (SGP) tab that allows you to access the popular markets like spreads, totals, and player props in the same place.
So, when it comes to facilitating parlays, FanDuels does it well. As a new player, you also stand a chance to get up to $1,000 in bet reset tokens if you bet $5 for 5 days. We also enjoyed the deep niche props that the bookmaker has for games but the balance of speed and clarity makes it stand out the most.
DraftKings Pros & Cons
- Extensive daily fantasy integration
- Frequent promotions and bonus offers
- Highly competitive betting odds
- Wide variety of casino games
- High rollover requirements on bonuses
DraftKings is a big name in the sports market and for the right reasons. They give you one of the most extensive college basketball menus in UK sportsbooks. As a first-timer, you also get a shot at the $1,000 deposit bonus, plus SGP, as well as good odds on spreads, totals, and quality player props.
We also noticed that DraftKings runs frequent parlay odds promotions during the NCAAB season, so that’s an added advantage. If you are a fan of in-play, the bookmaker allows you to stream selected games to follow it live. The app is really feature-rich, so as a first-timer, it may take a while to find your footing.
BetMGM – Best all-rounder
BetMGM Pros & Cons
- Wide variety of betting options
- User-friendly mobile app interface
- Generous promotions for new users
- Extensive selection of casino games
- Limited availability in some states
BetMGM’s sports betting interface really favors parlays, offering quality markets and a simple SGP layout. You’ll find it quite organized, and the search bar always comes in handy for us. We can recall a few occasions when we used it to find specific games on busier days.
If you’re looking for a brand that does everything just right, then BetMGM is a great pick. They also offer welcome bonuses that vary by location. It could be the best $10 to get a $150 offer, or having up to $1,500 returned to you in bonus bets. The bookmaker is good at just about everything you can think of.
Borgata – Simple and intuitive interface for new players
Borgata Pros & Cons
- Wide variety of casino games
- Integrated MGM Rewards loyalty program
- User-friendly app and website
- Trusted brand with strong reputation
- Limited availability in some states
Borgata is actually a sister brand of BetMGM, so if you are a fan of BetMGM, chances are you’ll ease into Borgata easily. The setup here is clear and simple, with a mobile app that is intuitive for those new to parlays. We also noted that in-plays run very smoothly, with live streaming available for selected events.
However, the catch here is that it may not have as much depth as competitors. The market selection is modest, but if you’re in its coverage area, you’ll enjoy it. And the 100% deposit match, which gives you up to $1,000, is also one to look out for as a new player.
Fanatics – Best for mobile-only players
Fanatics Pros & Cons
- Seamless integration with Fanatics ecosystem
- Innovative rewards tied to merchandise
- User-friendly and intuitive platform
- Competitive betting markets and odds
- Limited availability in some states
Some may argue that Fanatics is the least name in this set, but we beg to differ. This brand has worked hard, and it facilitates parlays more than you imagine. Each game has its dedicated SGP tab as well as a “quick SGP” preset that allows you to sort by odds and make tweaks afterward. We also love the FanCash reward system, which gives you cash back on parlays, and as a new player, you stand a chance to get up to $1,000 in FanCash.
It is worth mentioning that Fanatics is mobile-only, with no full support for desktop betting at the time of our review. Plus, the SGP depth could be better, but it is a work in progress.
College basketball parlays add depth to your NCAAB betting
If you’re betting on the NCAAB, parlays are one option worth understanding. It just makes so much sense if you want to enjoy the depth that the market brings to the table. And a part that no one highlights enough is how it helps you to enjoy watching the game even more. Somehow, you’ll find that you are more invested in watching it live and seeing your parlays follow your predictions in real-time.
As for the brands that offer this option most, we’ve highlighted them, and you can sign up directly using our on-page banners.
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FAQs about college basketball parlay betting
🔄 What is the difference between a same game parlay and a traditional parlay?
A same-game parlay is one in which all the options are from markets within a single game. But a traditional parlay usually involves bets across multiple games.
🏀 How many legs should a college basketball parlay have?
The minimum number of legs that qualify as a parlay is two. So, a minimum of two and as high as you can reasonably go.
🏆 Which sportsbook is best for college basketball parlays?
Every sportsbook has its strengths, but if you’re looking for the top ones, you can’t go wrong with FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Borgata, and Fanatics.
