Leg
One individual selection inside a parlay, teaser, or other multi-bet.
A leg is one of the individual bets that make up a parlay, teaser, round robin, or any other bet that combines several selections. A 3-team parlay has three legs. Each leg is its own pick, such as a spread, moneyline, total, or player prop.
How Legs Affect a Parlay
In a standard parlay, every leg has to win for the bet to cash. The odds of each leg multiply together, which is why the payout climbs so quickly as you add legs. It is also why the win probability drops just as quickly. If each leg is a true coin flip, two legs win together 25% of the time. Five legs win together about 3% of the time.
When a Leg Pushes or Is Voided
If one leg pushes or is voided (for example, a player is ruled out of a prop), most sportsbooks remove that leg and grade the rest of the bet as if it never existed. A 4-leg parlay with one push becomes a 3-leg parlay, and the payout drops to match. Teasers are the main exception: some books grade a pushed teaser leg as a loss, so check the house rules.
Leg vs. Selection
You will see "leg," "selection," and "pick" used to mean the same thing. In UK betting, the same idea shows up in names like double (two legs), treble (three legs), and fourfold (four legs).
Key Takeaways
- A leg is a single selection inside a parlay, teaser, or other multi-bet.
- In a standard parlay, every leg must win for the bet to pay.
- Each extra leg raises the payout and lowers the chance of winning.
- A pushed or voided leg is usually removed and the bet is regraded with fewer legs.
Examples
- A 3-leg parlay: Chiefs -3, Lakers moneyline, and the over 8.5 in Yankees vs. Red Sox.
- One leg of your 4-leg parlay pushes. The book regrades it as a 3-leg parlay at lower odds.
Related Terms
Test Your Knowledge
1 / 5Do you know what Parlay means?
A single bet that links two or more individual wagers for a higher payout. All legs must win.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many legs can a parlay have?
Most US sportsbooks allow somewhere between 12 and 25 legs on a standard parlay. Limits vary by book and by sport.
What happens if one leg of a parlay is canceled?
The canceled leg is usually removed, and the parlay is paid on the remaining legs at the correspondingly lower odds.