Same Game Parlays (SGP) are trendy in sports betting lately, and it’s easy to see why.
With an SGP, you can parlay multiple bets in the same game and win if they all hit. Part of the reason this is enticing — besides the enjoyable viewing experience — is that certain bets can work in tandem.
For instance, if Zach LaVine goes over his scoring total, the Bulls are more likely to win by a lot. Therefore, if you want to bet on the Bulls with an SGP, LaVine’s success should correlate with Chicago’s success.
Parlays must have at least two legs, and there is no maximum amount of legs. Though obviously, the more bets you need to win, the more unlikely the parlay is to cash.
And with that in mind, bettors should be aware that parlays are a massive revenue driver for sportsbooks. In September in Illinois, for example, sportsbooks profited $44.6 million.
A whopping $24.7 million of that came from parlays despite the fact that they weren’t the most popular bet type.
FanDuel Sportsbook in Illinois has featured SGPs for the longest amount of time, but other sportsbooks are starting to hop on board.
Here’s a crash course in SGP betting in the Land of Lincoln.
Which Illinois sportsbooks offer Same Game Parlays?
Let’s take a look at which IL sportsbooks offer SGPs.
FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel has long touted its SGP feature, and here is an example of what it looks like on the app:
And here is an example of what a parlay could look like:
To access the SGP feature, click on a game betting window. From there, you’ll see an SGP menu, and you can click on it to access the full list of betting options.
FanDuel also frequently offers free SGPs. For instance, the revenue leader in Illinois offers $10 back on SGPs for NBA TNT Tuesdays, win or lose. So if your parlay loses, you will get back $10 in site credit.
Get $150
It is worth noting that SGPs are not available for every game you’ll see on the app, and that it’s an art, not a science. For example, you usually can’t place one on a college basketball game unless it’s a marquee affair. But for most NBA and NFL games, you’ll see the SGP menu.
DraftKings Sportsbook
DraftKings added a Same Game Parlay feature in August and hasn’t looked back since.
This is what it looks like on the DraftKings app in Illinois:
Scroll down, and you’ll see plenty of betting options ranging from individual point totals to alternate spreads.
DraftKings is also offering a free $20 bet to anyone who places a $10 or higher NBA SGP three days in a row. If you do so seven days in a row, you’ll receive a $100 bonus bet.
PointsBet Sportsbook
PointsBet in Illinois also recently added an SGP feature. Here’s what it looks like if you want to bet on the Bears vs. Ravens game:
At the moment, PointsBet does not have any specific SGP promos listed.
Other sportsbooks
BetRivers and Caesars by William Hill do not have an SGP feature at this time. Barstool also offers the feature on its app and it is called ‘Parlay+.‘
Same Game Parlays especially popular at FanDuel
SGPs are most popular at FanDuel, and it makes sense that other sportsbooks would want to start offering them.
DraftKings consistently leads Illinois in sports betting handle each month, but FanDuel consistently cleans up in terms of revenue.
Here are the September splits by book:
| Licensee | Online Brand | Total Handle | Online Handle | Retail Handle | Total Revenue | State Tax | Local Tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casino Queen | DraftKings | $236,474,771 | $232,081,734 | $4,393,037 | $8,041,746 | $1,018,083 | $68,995 |
| Fairmount Park | FanDuel | $156,179,929 | $154,998,413 | $1,181,516 | $18,026,558 | $2,505,462 | $187,674 |
| Rivers Des Plaines | BetRivers | $98,510,939 | $87,333,812 | $11,177,127 | $9,269,902 | $1,250,782 | $119,468 |
| Hollywood Aurora | Barstool | $46,561,860 | $45,271,338 | $1,290,522 | $4,233,376 | $570,691 | $31,314 |
| Hawthorne | PointsBet | $43,992,633 | $41,956,658 | $2,035,975 | $3,581,935 | $482,414 | $42,820 |
| Grand Victoria | Caesars | $9,417,493 | $8,256,939 | $1,160,554 | $595,393 | $60,638 | $1,585 |
| Argosy | N/A | $3,348,730 | $0 | $3,348,730 | $412,858 | $58,017 | $0 |
| Hollywood Joliet | N/A | $1,339,510 | $0 | $1,339,510 | $257,992 | $24,657 | $0 |
| Par-A-Dice | FanDuel | $629,829 | $0 | $629,829 | $159,804 | $27,974 | $53 |
| Total | $596,455,694 | $569,898,894 | $26,556,800 | $44,579,564 | $5,998,718 | $451,909 |
This is not an outlier, as revenue reports from previous months have looked similar. SGPs are a fun way to bet on and consume sports, but if you’re looking to win consistently, it’s going to be hard to sustain an edge over the long haul.
