What Happens to My Bet if a Parlay Bet game is Canceled?

Parlay bets are among the most popular type of wagering in the sports betting industry, whether you’re betting on the NFL, soccer, NBA, NHL, or indeed any sport. They offer big payouts with multiple selections combined into one bet. However, they are incredibly difficult to win. Whether you are placing a round-robin type wager, a same game on the Super Bowl, or just a regular 5 team parlay, any parlays added to the bet slip will likely fail.

We surely can’t be the only ones who have looked at our 10 team parlay wager and thought, what would happen if all of these selections hit? Daydreaming about the potential winnings of any multiple-bet wager is only natural. This has only increased as a lot of people now have the ability to bet online. Most online sports betting sites such as FanDuel sportsbook, DraftKings sportsbook, and BetMGM sportsbook offer numerous types of sports bet options ranging from a parlay to a moneyline bet, point spread or a prop bet. However, with a parlay, a bettor can combine these bet types into one parlay wager, which will increase the potential payout far more than just an average straight bet.

But what happens if one of the games you have a selection on is canceled? Parlays are difficult to win as it is, but sometimes things can happen that we don’t foresee. This can lead to people querying what happens if a game is canceled in a parlay?

This page is dedicated to exploring that question, with all you need to know about games being canceled within a parlay bet.

What Happens When a Game is Canceled is a Parlay Bet?

Whether you have placed a moneyline bet on an NFL Sunday on the New England Patriots or New York Giants, or a moneyline parlay on a baseball card, the answer to this question is always the same; ‘it depends’.

There are many different reasons why a game may be canceled, and while rare, it can still happen. Adverse weather conditions are the biggest cause of cancellations, but what does that mean for your parlay bet game if you see a postponed match?

Well, this can differ from sportsbook to sportsbook. Generally speaking, your parlay will still be in-play, but with that particular selection removed from the bet. Most sports betting sites will not punish bettors for having a canceled game on their bet slip. Whether it is the home team, a World Cup game or a college football game, the parlay will just go on as normal.

For example, if you were to place a 6-selection parlay and one was to get canceled, your parlay bet would essentially turn into a 5-selection one as the canceled one would be voided. This is important for wagering purposes as any reason to punish the bettor for something they can’t control would likely see them leave the site and take their custom elsewhere. This applies for same game parlays, a three team parlay, or any other parlay wager. Game cancellations can happen, but sportsbooks will just get on with it.

This also means that the odds are readjusted, with payouts lowered accordingly. For every canceled fixture in a parlay, the odds will be recalculated to reflect this.

If you are left with just one selection, this will be treated as a single bet, while all fixtures in a wager canceled will result in the entire bet being void, and you will be refunded your stake.

How Are Odds Recalculated?

Odds are recalculated when a selection or number of selections is canceled within your parlay. How the odds, and therefore payout, is calculated is dependent on the odds that have been lost from the water.

The bigger the odds, the bigger impact it will have on your recalculated payout. For example, a selection of 14/1 is going to see your overall parlay odds shrink. Certainly, by a larger amount than a selection of 1/3, which has been canceled.

Most online sites now offer the cash out feature. You could decide to cut your losses early if you feel the bet isn’t going the way you would like, and this can be used for parlays as well.

Reasons Why an Event Maybe Canceled

No matter what the reason an event is canceled, a sportsbook will always void that particular selection in a parlay bet game.

As mentioned, the weather is the most common reason, with waterlogged pitches and snowstorms often leading to games being unplayable.

There are also many other reasons, however. Games can often be postponed due to the passing of someone associated with a team out of respect.

Of course, global pandemics have now been known to wipe out a sport’s fixture list. Whereas other examples include civil unrest and games abandoned due to serious injuries.

Where To Bet On A Parlay?

If you’re looking to place parlay bets, then most sportsbooks around these days offer the ability to play them.

You can bet on all manner of sports and markets combined, with brands such as Caesars Sportsbook and BetMGM among the best for them.

Head over to our State of the Union page for all the best sportsbooks currently available to play within your state.