How much does a parlay pay?
Here's the chart for a $10 bet with every leg at the standard −110 — plus the two columns sportsbooks never print: your true chance if the legs are genuine coin flips, and the share of the fair payout the book keeps at each size.
| Legs | $10 pays (total) | Profit | True chance* | Fair payout* | Book keeps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | $36.45 | $26.45 | 1 in 4 | $40.00 | 8.88% |
| 3 | $69.58 | $59.58 | 1 in 8 | $80.00 | 13.03% |
| 4 | $132.83 | $122.83 | 1 in 16 | $160.00 | 16.98% |
| 5 | $253.59 | $243.59 | 1 in 32 | $320.00 | 20.75% |
| 6 | $484.13 | $474.13 | 1 in 64 | $640.00 | 24.36% |
| 7 | $924.24 | $914.24 | 1 in 128 | $1,280.00 | 27.79% |
| 8 | $1,764.46 | $1,754.46 | 1 in 256 | $2,560.00 | 31.08% |
| 9 | $3,368.52 | $3,358.52 | 1 in 512 | $5,120.00 | 34.21% |
| 10 | $6,430.82 | $6,420.82 | 1 in 1,024 | $10,240.00 | 37.20% |
*Assumes every −110/−110 market is a true coin flip, which is what that pricing implies once the margin is stripped. Payouts computed from exact decimal odds (−110 = 1.909091 per leg) and shown to the cent; books may round slips slightly differently. Betting a different stake scales everything: a $25 six-legger pays 48.4127 × $25 = $1,210.32.
How to read this chart
Two things jump out. The payouts grow fast — that's why parlays are fun. And the "book keeps" column grows right alongside them, because the margin inside each leg's price compounds every time you add one. At 2 legs the book keeps 8.88% of the fair payout. At 10 legs it keeps 37.20%. The longer the ticket, the bigger the share the book keeps — which is exactly why books promote 10-leg parlays and not 2-leg ones.
None of this makes parlays "wrong." A $10 shot at $6,430.82 is a perfectly fine piece of entertainment — as long as you know it's a 1-in-1,024 shot being paid like a 1-in-644 one. Knowing the number is the whole point.
What each leg count pays
Every leg at −110 on a $10 bet. Each figure is the total return with the stake included; the chance treats every leg as a true coin flip.
What does a 2 leg parlay pay?
$36.45 total on $10, a $26.45 profit, about +264 in American odds. The real chance is 1 in 4, so a fair payout would be $40.00; the book keeps 8.88% of that.
What does a 3 leg parlay pay?
$69.58 total on $10, a $59.58 profit, about +596 in American odds. The real chance is 1 in 8, so a fair payout would be $80.00; the book keeps 13.03% of that.
What does a 4 leg parlay pay?
$132.83 total on $10, a $122.83 profit, about +1,228 in American odds. The real chance is 1 in 16, so a fair payout would be $160.00; the book keeps 16.98% of that.
What does a 5 leg parlay pay?
$253.59 total on $10, a $243.59 profit, about +2,436 in American odds. The real chance is 1 in 32, so a fair payout would be $320.00; the book keeps 20.75% of that.
What does a 6 leg parlay pay?
$484.13 total on $10, a $474.13 profit, about +4,741 in American odds. The real chance is 1 in 64, so a fair payout would be $640.00; the book keeps 24.36% of that.
What does a 7 leg parlay pay?
$924.24 total on $10, a $914.24 profit, about +9,142 in American odds. The real chance is 1 in 128, so a fair payout would be $1,280.00; the book keeps 27.79% of that.
What does a 8 leg parlay pay?
$1,764.46 total on $10, a $1,754.46 profit, about +17,545 in American odds. The real chance is 1 in 256, so a fair payout would be $2,560.00; the book keeps 31.08% of that.
What does a 9 leg parlay pay?
$3,368.52 total on $10, a $3,358.52 profit, about +33,585 in American odds. The real chance is 1 in 512, so a fair payout would be $5,120.00; the book keeps 34.21% of that.
What does a 10 leg parlay pay?
$6,430.82 total on $10, a $6,420.82 profit, about +64,208 in American odds. The real chance is 1 in 1,024, so a fair payout would be $10,240.00; the book keeps 37.20% of that.
Legs at different odds
Most real tickets aren't all −110. The math stays the same: convert each leg to decimal odds and multiply. A −110 leg multiplies your money by 1.909091, a +150 leg by 2.50, a −200 leg by 1.50. Three legs at −110, +150 and −200 on $10: 1.909091 × 2.50 × 1.50 = 7.159091 × $10 = $71.59. Our parlay calculator does this for any ticket, and the Fair Price Checker strips the margin out if you have both sides of each market.
Same legs, different books, different money
The same parlay can pay very different amounts depending on the book, because every book sets its own price on every leg. We've seen the same four legs pay $15,170 at one book and $23,599 at another — an $8,429 gap on a $10 bet. Comparing payouts before you bet is one of the only free wins in this game.
See it on a real ticket.
The machine builds parlays from live sportsbook lines and prints the real odds — and every book's payout — on every ticket. Free, no sign-up.
Pull the lever →FAQ
How much does a $10 parlay pay?
At standard −110 odds per leg: 2 legs pay $36.45, 3 legs $69.58, 4 legs $132.83, 5 legs $253.59, 6 legs $484.13, 7 legs $924.24, 8 legs $1,764.46, 9 legs $3,368.52 and 10 legs $6,430.82 total return. Different leg odds change the numbers — multiply each leg's decimal odds together, then by your stake.
How much does a 4-team parlay pay?
At −110 per leg, a 4-team parlay returns 13.283314 times your stake — $132.83 on $10, roughly +1228 in American odds. If all four legs are genuine coin flips, the fair payout would be $160.00, so the book keeps 16.98% of the fair payout.
What are the odds of hitting a 10-leg parlay?
If every leg is a true 50/50, exactly 1 in 1,024. The book pays $6,430.82 on $10 at −110 legs, while the fair payout on a 1-in-1,024 shot is $10,240 — the book keeps 37.20%.
Do all sportsbooks pay the same on a parlay?
No. The same legs can pay very different amounts at different books because each book prices each leg with its own margin. Comparing payouts across books before betting is one of the few free wins in parlay betting.