Same-Game Parlays Are the Hot New Betting Trend

Trends tend to come and go in the sports betting world. Considering the sheer size of the betting public, along with the culture’s massive growth over the past decade, this is to be expected. For example, daily fantasy sports saw a massive wave of popularity years ago, putting DraftKings and FanDuel on the map. While DFS is absolutely still popular, a lot of more casual sports fans might have seen it as a trend rather than a popular betting style. Well, a brand new trend has taken the sports betting world by storm. Let’s take a look at the massive rise of same-game parlays.

Same-Game Parlays Gaining Steam

If you’ve opened up a betting app in the past few months, you’ve undoubtedly seen some kind of promotion for same-game parlays. Also known as single-game parlays or one-game parlays (we’ll get into the nomenclature later), a same-game parlay is essentially a parlay with different legs that only applies to one event. And this style of betting is getting very popular.

Of all the users that have placed a bet on the NFL through FanDuel this season, half have placed a same-game parlay. On the other hand, 40% of BetRivers users have wagered on a same-game parlay this year. Interestingly enough, in looking at all of current NFL bets on BetRivers, 20% have been same-game parlays.

A Short History of Same-Game Parlays

Same-game parlays haven’t been around very long, so don’t be surprised if many bettors haven’t even placed one. FanDuel originally rolled out same-game parlays in 2019, and the platform likely didn’t expect the wave of popularity that would follow. Since its introduction, same-game parlays have become commonplace on other sports betting apps, albeit sometimes under different names. Why is this? Well, this is where legality comes into play.

FanDuel is currently working with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to review the term “single-game parlay.” Because of all the sportsbooks wanting to get in on the action, FanDuel would most likely want to keep control of its original creation. Needless to say, everyone wants in on same-game parlays, mostly because of the popularity (and profitability) of standard parlays for sportsbooks. In fact, parlays are statistically more likely to win money for the books. According to a study from the University of Nevada Las Vegas that utilized decades worth of data, sportsbooks in the area tend to win around 24% more often on parlays as opposed to standard bets.

The Proof is in the Promos

Want to really know how popular same-game parlays have gotten? Just look at the promos. At the time of this writing, DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and PointsBet are all offering some type of promo related to single-game parlays. The promos tend to be anything from same-game parlays to odds boosts on the outcome. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the number of single-game parlay promos outnumbers those of standard parlays across available sportsbooks. It’ll be interesting to see over the next few years if the popularity of same-game parlays persists, or even grows.