How do Pushes Work in Parlays?

A parlay is a form of bet where multiple bets are placed on the same ticket and all of them must win in order for that ticket to be graded a winner.

This article will go over how pushes impact parlays on classic sportsbooks. It’s a little different in some cases for DFS platforms such as PrizePicks and Underdog Fantasy.

To read about what a push is in sports betting in general, read here.

When you place a parlay at a sportsbook and one of the legs pushes (ties), the payout goes down a leg. For example, if you have a three-leg parlay and the first two win but the third pushes, the payout reverts to a two-leg parlay with the winning legs. 

Let’s take a look at some hypothetical parlays I could place for Week 15 of the 2022 NFL season. 

In this parlay, if the Dolphins and Lions cover their spreads but the Eagles win by exactly the spread, say 30-21, the parlay won’t lose. It also won’t pay out all $695.79.

Instead, it will be like the Eagles never even were included in the parlay and turn into this:

So instead of paying $695.79 for a profit of $595.79 on top of the $100 stake, the parlay reverts down to just the Dolphins and Lions, which pays $364.46 for a profit of $264.46 on top of the $100 stake.

Definitely frustrating not to hit the larger payout, but still a win!

The same concept applies regardless of the number of legs and pushes.

In a five-leg parlay where three legs win and two push, both pushes are excluded and the winnings are paid out as if you had just placed a three-leg parlay with the winners. 

A parlay that includes any loss at all is instantly a loss for the overall parlay ticket, so a push is irrelevant in a ticket containing a loss. 

Let’s take a look at a smaller example of just a two-leg parlay:

If the Raiders win by more than a single point but the Texans lose by exactly 14, the parlay ticket will have one win and one push. In this scenario, the ticket becomes …

Certainly not the excitement and big payout people look for when placing a parlay, but a straight bet win is always good!

While your payout may be reduced in the event of a push, don’t rip up those tickets because the parlay is still alive until a leg loses.