The traditional way of betting on who is going to win is slowly fading, replaced with stringing multiple bets into a unified wager, otherwise known as a parlay, for potentially sky-high winnings.
There are only two conditions for a bet to be considered a parlay wager – it must include at least two selections, and all selected games (usually called “legs”) must win for the parlay to win.
Parlay bets come in many types, and same game parlays (sometimes called “SGP”) are among the trendiest options. Whether you’re new to sports betting or this wagering type never got on your radar, I’m here to break down how it works, dissect its most common types, and give you a few beginner-friendly tips to get you started.
What are Same Game Parlays?
SGPs are as simple as they sound – these are parlay bets made of multiple outcomes from a single match.
Other parlay types, such as Round Robins or Teasers, allow you to include selections from several games, sometimes even from other sports categories, and this is where single game parlays are different – you have to choose one match and build a parlay solely from the options it provides.
Same Game Parlay Rules
A same game parlay is one wager containing multiple selections (at least two). Unlike Round Robins, you won’t have to make multiple smaller bets – just choose the outcomes and place a bet you want.
Another unique thing about single game parlays is that they have to be “allowed”. Not all events support betting on multiple outcomes, so you’ll have to check your preferred sportsbook’s terms to learn how to recognize matches that do.
For example, some online sportsbooks will include a little “SGP” stamp next to matches where same game parlays are available. At any rate, if you choose ineligible same game parlay markets, you should see an error in the bet slip.
Another important rule for same game parlays is that this type of wager is either completely unusable for certain bonuses or the only option for promotions like “SGPx boosts” or “same game parlay boosts”.
SGP Types
There are only two sub-categories of same game parlays – uncorrelated and correlated parlays.
Uncorrelated parlays, or same game parlays with independent outcomes, typically have slightly lower payouts than correlated SGPs.
Correlated Parlays
The selections in correlated same game parlays depend on each other, or in other words, a single outcome may affect some or all of them.
Let me give you a simple example of a correlated same game parlay:
- Team A wins by +11.5 points
- Team A final score over 115.5 points
- MVP from Team A scores over 55.5 points
In this example, Team A needs to win by a big advantage, achieve an above-average final score, and have a single player score most of the points. Oddsmakers look at these conditions and believe that if one fails, the others are unlikely to happen.
Even though a team could potentially win by a huge margin, the parlay would lose if the final score is below 115.5 or if the chosen player fails to score 55.5 points.
Uncorrelated Parlays
When the outcomes from a single match aren’t tied to each other, we call them uncorrelated same game parlays. To illustrate how they work, let me give you another simple example:
- Team A wins (no other conditions)
- The total score of team A is even
- The match goes to overtime
In this example, the only condition team A has to fulfill is to simply win, regardless of how many points they achieve. The total score only has to be an even number (e.g. 96, 98, or 100), which can happen even if team A loses.
Finally, the match needs to go to overtime, which is a rare occurrence (roughly 6% of regular season NBA games do), but it isn’t influenced by the previous two conditions.
Same Game Parlay Tips
Betting on same game parlays can be intimidating, even to more seasoned gamblers. To help you make informed decisions, I’ve compiled a few tips that got me into this form of betting, so let’s start from the top.
- Choose a sport you’re most familiar with
The entire concept of same game parlays revolves around being confident that extremely specific conditions will occur. To me, it was the easiest to start with NBA SGPs because I have followed this sport ever since I was a child.
- Combine “surefire” single wagers into a same game parlay for a boosted payout
More experienced bettors can predict who will score how many points and when, but you don’t have to. The best way for beginners to jump into same game parlays is to combine two events with the most favorable odds into a unified wager – you’ll get more (or spend less) money than by placing two independent wagers.
- Look for sportsbooks with SGP bonuses
Some online sports betting sites offer special promotions for parlay betting. If SGPs are eligible, you can either get more money for winning or even protect your bet with parlay insurance to cover your wagers against losses. Make sure you find the right book with my guide to the best parlay betting sites.
- Use a Calculator
Manually working out the return on your SGP is time-consuming and not necessary. The BettingTools team has a free parlay calculator that you can use to work out the return on your bet in no time.
