What is a round robin bet?
A round robin is a bet that automatically splits a list of selections into every possible smaller parlay of a size you choose. Pick four teams by 2s and you get six separate two-team parlays, each with its own stake, so one loss no longer sinks the entire ticket.
How does a round robin bet work?
You choose your selections and the parlay size (by 2s, by 3s, and so on). The sportsbook creates every combination of that size and treats each as its own parlay with its own stake. If you bet four picks by 2s at $10 each, that is six parlays and $60 total at risk. The more selections and the smaller the combo size, the more individual parlays you are funding.
How payouts work
- Number of parlays = the count of combinations of your chosen size (this tool counts them for you).
- Total stake = number of parlays x your stake per parlay.
- If every selection wins, every parlay cashes and you collect the full payout shown.
- If some lose, only the parlays made entirely of winners pay, which is the point: partial coverage instead of all or nothing.
What is the round robin formula?
The number of parlays in a round robin is the combination count: parlays = n! / (r! x (n - r)!), written C(n, r), where n is how many selections you have and r is the parlay size you chose. Total cost = C(n, r) x your stake per parlay. Payout if every selection wins = the stake per parlay x the sum of every parlay's combined decimal odds. The calculator above runs all three formulas live as you type.
How many parlays are in a round robin?
Find your number of selections on the left, then read across to the parlay size. The cost column shows total risk at $10 per parlay for a by-2s ticket. Full cover means every possible parlay of every size at once, which is how books build the classic named multiples.
| Selections | By 2s | By 3s | By 4s | By 2s cost at $10 each | Full cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 1 | - | $30 | 4 |
| 4 | 6 | 4 | 1 | $60 | 11 (Yankee) |
| 5 | 10 | 10 | 5 | $100 | 26 (Canadian) |
| 6 | 15 | 20 | 15 | $150 | 57 (Heinz) |
| 7 | 21 | 35 | 35 | $210 | 120 (Super Heinz) |
| 8 | 28 | 56 | 70 | $280 | 247 (Goliath) |
| 9 | 36 | 84 | 126 | $360 | 502 |
| 10 | 45 | 120 | 210 | $450 | 1,013 |
Parlay counts are pure combinatorics, so they are identical at every sportsbook. Full cover counts every parlay from the doubles up to the single parlay of all selections.
How much does a round robin bet cost?
Total cost = number of parlays x stake per parlay, because every parlay on the ticket carries its own stake. A "$10 round robin" is rarely a $10 bet: five selections by 2s is ten parlays and $100 of total risk, and eight selections by 3s is 56 parlays and $560. When a sportsbook asks for a stake on a round robin it almost always means per parlay, so check the total-stake box above before you submit the ticket.
Round robin payout examples with real numbers
Example 1: four selections at -110, by 2s, $10 per parlay
Example 2: five selections at +100, by 3s, $10 per parlay
What happens if one leg of a round robin loses?
Only the parlays containing the losing selection are dead; every parlay built entirely from winners still pays in full. With one loser among n selections, the number of surviving parlays is C(n - 1, r). That is the entire appeal: a four-pick by-2s ticket keeps 3 of its 6 parlays alive after one miss, and as Example 1 shows, that can still be a profitable night.
Should you round robin by 2s or by 3s?
By 2s is the defensive build: smaller payouts per parlay, but far more of the ticket survives a miss. By 3s pays more per parlay, but a single loss kills a much larger share of your parlays: one loser wipes out 6 of the 10 parlays on a five-pick by-3s ticket versus 4 of the 10 on the by-2s version. The more confident you are across the whole slate, the larger the parlay size you can justify.
How are round robin payouts calculated with different odds per leg?
Each parlay inside the round robin is priced separately: multiply the decimal odds of the legs inside that specific parlay, then multiply by the stake per parlay. Because every combination contains a different mix of legs, every parlay can pay a different amount. The payout-if-all-win figure is the sum of every parlay's individual payout, which is why the calculator asks for each selection's real odds instead of assuming a flat price.
Round robin vs straight parlay
A straight parlay is one all-or-nothing ticket: maximum payout, zero forgiveness. A round robin covers the same selections with many smaller parlays, so it costs more up front, pays less when everything wins, and pays something when almost everything wins. If your priority is the biggest possible score, parlay it. If your priority is surviving one bad beat, round robin it. Either way the real edge is the price on each leg, so shop every line before you build the ticket.
Is a round robin bet worth it?
It depends. Round robins reduce the variance of a straight parlay by covering more outcomes, but you pay for that coverage with a bigger total stake, and parlays still carry more vig than straight bets. They are worth it when you genuinely like several plays and want a miss or two to be survivable. They are not a way to beat the math: the edge still comes from the price on each leg.
The Wise Guy Team way
We would rather bet a few well-priced singles than spray a round robin, but if you build one, get the best number on every leg. Across six or ten parlays, a few cents of odds per leg compounds into real money.
Frequently asked questions
What is a round robin bet?
A round robin is a bet that automatically splits a list of selections into every possible smaller parlay of a size you choose. Pick four teams by 2s and you get six separate two-team parlays, each with its own stake, so one loss no longer sinks the entire ticket.
How does a round robin bet work?
You pick selections and a parlay size; the book makes every combination of that size and stakes each as its own parlay. Four picks by 2s is six parlays.
How many parlays are in a round robin?
It equals the number of combinations of your selections at the chosen size. This calculator counts them and totals your stake automatically.
Is a round robin worth it?
It lowers variance versus a straight parlay but costs more total stake and still carries parlay vig. It is useful when you like several plays and want a miss to be survivable.
Do you profit if one leg loses?
You can. Only the parlays made entirely of winning selections pay, so partial coverage can still return a profit depending on the odds.
What does "by 2s" or "by 3s" mean?
It is the size of each parlay in the round robin. By 2s makes every two-team parlay; by 3s makes every three-team parlay, and so on.
What is the round robin formula?
Number of parlays = C(n, r) = n! / (r! x (n - r)!), where n is your selections and r is the parlay size. Total cost is that count times your stake per parlay. Four selections by 2s = C(4, 2) = 6 parlays.
How much does a round robin cost?
Number of parlays times the stake per parlay. Five selections by 2s at $10 per parlay is ten parlays and $100 of total risk.
How many parlays are in a 4 team round robin?
By 2s: six two-team parlays. By 3s: four three-team parlays. Full cover, including the single four-team parlay, is 11 total bets.
21+. For entertainment and educational purposes, not financial advice. If gambling stops being fun, take a break. 1-800-GAMBLER.