Parlays that combine over and under totals are a common way to increase potential returns while keeping individual selections simple. Because the ticket only pays when every totals leg wins under the operator's settlement rules, small differences in push handling, overtime inclusion, or listed-time definitions can change outcomes. This article explains the essential rules, shows the math behind payouts, offers practical risk guidance, and gives worked examples so you can verify results yourself before placing a ticket.

An over-under parlay pays only if every totals leg wins under the sportsbook's house rules.

Most U.S. totals markets include overtime unless the market explicitly says regulation-only, so always check the market description.

To calculate parlay payouts, convert to decimal odds, multiply the decimals, and apply your stake; operators may round final returns.

Quick answer: What an over-under parlay is and why rules matter

Short definition

An over-under parlay is a multi-leg bet that combines totals selections, where the ticket wins only if every leg wins according to the sportsbook's house rules. This is the defining characteristic that separates a parlay from single totals bets and explains why settlement details matter for every leg, including whether overtime counts for a result Sportsbook General Rules.

Why operator rules change outcomes

Because a parlay pays only when all legs win, small differences in how a sportsbook treats pushes, voided legs, listed-time markets, and overtime can materially change whether a ticket wins and how much it pays; operators publish settlement rules so there is a single reference for those edge cases Sportsbook General Rules.

When to read the rulebook

Before placing a parlay, check whether a totals market is listed as regulation time only and confirm push handling, because those two items are the most common reasons a parlay will settle differently than a bettor expects Parlay Definition and Example.

Practical takeaway, briefly: verify overtime inclusion and push rules, limit the number of legs to reduce variance, and confirm simple payout math before you stake a ticket.

Explore FundedPlays Challenges for structured practice

Read the settlement and payout sections below for the specific rules that most often change whether a totals leg wins or pushes.

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over under sportsbook

This short label flags the specific context of the article and is used so you can quickly find the section that discusses operator settlement standards and the math behind parlay payouts. See Funded Plays.

Definition and context: How over-under parlays differ from single totals bets

What a totals selection is

A totals selection asks whether the combined scoring metric in an event will be over or under a posted line, for example whether two teams will combine for more or fewer than a specified number of points or goals. Totals markets are commonly known as over or under lines and form the building blocks of any over-under parlay Parlay Definition and Example.

Why combining legs changes probability and payout

When you combine totals legs into a parlay, the ticket requires every leg to win, so the chance the whole ticket wins is the product of the individual leg probabilities; that multiplicative effect both lowers the probability of success and increases potential payout compared with single bets, which is why parlays are higher variance instruments How to calculate parlay odds.

Industry context: why sportsbooks document settlement rules

Parlays are an important product for many operators because they combine small individual margins into larger tickets that are attractive to users while being governed by clear settlement rules; industry reporting notes parlays remain a notable contributor to sportsbook revenue and helps explain the emphasis on unambiguous house rules State of the States 2025: The AGA Survey of the Commercial Casino Industry. See the Funded Plays blog.

How over under sportsbook parlays work in practice: ticket construction and settlement rules

Constructing a parlay ticket

To build an over-under parlay, you add totals markets from different events to a single ticket. Each selection becomes a leg. When the events finish, the sportsbook evaluates each leg under its settlement rules and then resolves the ticket as a unit, paying only if every required leg is a winning result Sportsbook General Rules.

How sportsbooks treat pushes and voids

If a leg pushes or is voided, the common approach used by major U.S. operators is to remove that leg from the parlay and recalculate the remaining payout rather than voiding the entire ticket, while a single losing leg causes the entire parlay to lose; check your operator's rulebook for the exact handling Sportsbook House Rules. See William Hill house rules.

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Event cancellations and listed-time markets

Events that are cancelled, postponed beyond a listed-time window, or have markets specified as regulation time only will be settled according to the operator's listed-time and cancellation policies; that is why consulting the house rules for listed-time definitions and cutoffs matters before placing a parlay Sportsbook House Rules.

Settlement specifics you must check: overtime, regulation-only markets, and pushes

Which sports and markets exclude overtime

Most totals markets at major U.S. sportsbooks include overtime in the settlement unless the market explicitly states it is regulation time only; soccer matches are a common exception where totals often refer only to 90 minutes plus stoppage, so confirming the market description is essential Sportsbook House Rules. See also Fanatics house rules.

How does an over-under parlay settle and how are payouts calculated?

An over-under parlay requires every totals leg to win under the sportsbook's house rules. Convert American odds to decimal, multiply all winning leg decimals together, then multiply by your stake to get the gross return. Check overtime, push, and cancellation rules since they directly affect settlement.

How overtime inclusion affects totals legs

Because overtime can add points or goals, including overtime for settlement can turn a losing totals result into a winning one or vice versa; that change becomes important in parlays since a single altered leg can flip the entire ticket outcome, so verify the overtime policy before you place a multi-leg ticket Sportsbook House Rules.

Examples of push handling in parlays

Example handling: if one leg of a 3-leg parlay pushes and the operator removes the leg, the ticket reduces to a 2-leg parlay and the payout is recalculated using the remaining legs' odds; this is the usual approach used in modern house rules, but always reconfirm with the operator's documentation Sportsbook General Rules. More on push handling: Everything You Need to Know About Parlay Push.

How to calculate parlay payouts step by step

Converting American odds to decimal

Step 1: convert American odds to decimal form. For positive American odds, decimal = 1 + (American odds/100). For negative American odds, decimal = 1 + (100/absolute value of American odds). Use this conversion so you can multiply leg decimals later How to calculate parlay odds.

Multiplying leg decimals and applying the stake

Step 2: multiply every winning leg's decimal odds together, then multiply that product by your stake to get the gross return. This multiplicative structure is why parlays compound payout potential and why small changes in one leg matter to the final return How to calculate parlay odds.

Quick decimal-odds parlay return calculator

Enter decimal odds for each leg

Rounding and operator payout rounding policies

Step 3: be aware that sportsbooks round final returns according to house policy, so the theoretical math may differ from the displayed ticket payout by small rounding differences; check the operator rules if precise cents matter to you Sportsbook General Rules.

Worked example setup

We will show a worked 2-leg example using two -110 totals, a 3-leg example with a push, and a cancellation scenario so you can reproduce the arithmetic and settlement logic yourself. The next section walks through the exact calculations step by step How to calculate parlay odds.

Risk and bankroll management for over-under parlays

How adding legs increases variance

Close up full frame digital scoreboard and smartphone showing decimal odds and step by step decimal conversion math for parlay payouts over under sportsbook

Each additional leg multiplies the ticket's underlying probability of success, so the more legs you add the lower the chance of winning and the higher the variance, which makes parlays materially different in risk profile from single bets Parlay Definition and Example.

Common risk-management approaches

Common practical approaches include using fewer legs, choosing simple totals you understand, sizing stakes conservatively relative to your bankroll, and avoiding correlated legs that create hidden risk; these habits help control variance while still allowing for the larger payouts parlays can generate How to calculate parlay odds.

When parlays make sense and when they do not

Parlays can make sense when you have high conviction in a small number of independent totals and want to leverage payout potential responsibly. They are less appropriate when conviction is marginal or when legs are numerous and correlated, because the multiplicative probability decline means expected outcomes can be worse than placing a few single bets over time State of the States 2025: The AGA Survey of the Commercial Casino Industry.

Common mistakes and troubleshooting when your parlay does not settle as expected

Not checking overtime or regulation-only notes

A frequent mistake is assuming overtime counts for every sport; because some markets are regulation-only, failing to verify the market description can lead to surprises in settlement, so always read the listed-time note before placing a ticket Sportsbook House Rules.

Misunderstanding pushes and voids

Another common error is misreading how pushes are handled. If a leg pushes, many operators remove that leg and recalculate the parlay rather than voiding the ticket; that recalculation is the likely reason you may see a different payout than you expected, and the operator's house rules will confirm the exact behavior Sportsbook General Rules.

Failing to verify listed-time markets and cancellations

If a game is cancelled or moved outside the listed-time window, settlement depends on the operator's cancellation policy. If a settlement looks wrong, review the rulebook and then contact support with the ticket details so the operator can explain the applied rule Sportsbook House Rules.

Practical examples and scenarios: 2-leg, 3-leg, push, and voided-leg walkthroughs

Worked 2-leg example using two -110 totals

Example 1, setup: two totals each listed at American -110. Convert -110 to decimal: decimal = 1 + (100/110) = 1.909090..., usually rounded to 1.91 for practical calculation. If you stake 100 units, the gross return when both legs win is 100 times 1.91 times 1.91. Doing the multiplication: 1.91 times 1.91 equals 3.6481, so 100 times that product yields a gross return of 364.81 units before any rounding policy is applied How to calculate parlay odds.

3-leg example with a push on one leg and recalculation

Example 2, setup: three totals with the first two at -110 and the third at -110. Convert each to decimal as above. If the third leg pushes, many operators drop that leg and treat the ticket as a 2-leg parlay using the remaining two decimals. Using the same 100 unit stake and the two remaining decimals of 1.91 and 1.91 produces the same gross return of 364.81 units for the reduced ticket; the original 3-leg multiplier no longer applies because the pushed leg was removed under typical house rules Sportsbook General Rules.

Cancellation and listed-time scenario

Example 3, setup: one leg is cancelled after kickoff or moved beyond the listed-time window. In that case you must consult the operator's listed-time and cancellation rules because different operators treat late cancellations, no-contests, and schedule changes differently; the house rulebook is the definitive source for how the parlay will be adjusted or voided Sportsbook House Rules.

Wrapping up: practical checklist before placing an over-under parlay

Quick pre-bet checklist

Checklist: confirm whether overtime counts for each leg, check push and void handling, run the decimal conversion and multiplier math to verify the expected payout, and size the stake in line with your bankroll plan and risk tolerance Sportsbook General Rules.

When to seek clarification from the operator

Seek clarification when a market description is ambiguous, when a settlement after the fact differs from what you expected, or when a listed-time or cancellation situation occurs; provide ticket details and the event timestamps so support can apply the correct house rule to your case Sportsbook House Rules.

Final takeaways

Parlays are convenient but higher variance instruments. Prioritize simple, well understood totals, confirm settlement rules before you play, and verify the payout math so you are never surprised by how a ticket resolves Parlay Definition and Example.

Does overtime usually count for totals markets?

Most U.S. sportsbooks include overtime for totals unless a market is explicitly stated as regulation time only, but always verify the market description before betting.

What happens when one leg of a parlay pushes?

Common practice is to remove the pushed leg and recalculate the parlay with the remaining legs, rather than voiding the entire ticket.

How do I calculate the payout of a parlay?

Convert each leg to decimal odds, multiply the decimals together, and multiply that product by your stake; rounding is applied per the sportsbook's policy.

Use the pre-bet checklist and worked examples to verify settlement and payout expectations before you stake a parlay. Remember that parlays raise variance, so focusing on fewer legs, clear markets, and careful stake sizing will help manage that risk within your broader bankroll approach.