Parlay calculator
You have to win more than half your bets just to break even. Every parlay leg makes it worse.
How the math works
A standard bet is priced at -110: you risk $110 to win $100, so you need to win 52.4% of your bets to break even.
The calculator assumes every leg is a 50/50 bet priced at -110, and payouts include your stake. In New Jersey in September 2024, parlays were 32.2% of the money bet but 72.5% of sportsbook revenue (Birches Health).
Quick check before you bet
Five quick questions. If any answer gives you pause, wait until tomorrow.
Set your limits
Limits are easier to keep when you set them before the game. They're saved on this device only.
Myths and facts
"I know sports, so I have an edge."
Knowing the teams doesn't beat the cut. You still need to win 52.4% of your bets just to break even.
"Parlays are the best value."
They're the best value for the sportsbook. In Illinois in 2023, fewer than 1 in 5 parlays won.
"Bonus bets are free money."
A winning bonus bet usually pays the winnings but not the stake, and offers push people toward worse bets.
"I'm due for a win."
Each game is its own event. A losing streak doesn't make the next bet any more likely to win.
"Everyone my age bets."
Most young adults don't. 31% of 18 to 29 year olds bet on sports in the past year.
"I could stop anytime."
The only way to know is to try. A 30-day break will show you.
How sportsbooks hook you
Big games
Worried about a friend?
Say what you noticed and offer one small next step. How to help someone with a gambling problem walks you through it.
Sources: Birches Health (Illinois); Economic and Social Research Institute; FanDuel: bonus bets; Pew Research Center, 2025.