If you’re looking to maximize your excitement and potential payouts when betting on the NBA, parlays are where the action’s at.
In this article, I’ll break down today’s top NBA parlays, including a carefully crafted multi-game parlay for the day’s slate and a high-value same-game parlay for a marquee matchup.
There are five games on the slate for Thursday, Jan. 16. Let’s see if we can capitalize on a decent range of games with today’s best NBA parlays.
All NBA odds are current as of Thursday, Jan. 16.
John Arlia’s 2025 NBA parlay betting record: 5-9 (+6.26 Units)
NBA Best Parlay Today
NBA Best Parlay (+474)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 Units
- Suns @ Wizards: Over 231 Points (-112)
- Trail Blazers +6.5 (-105) vs Clippers
- Kings ML (-180) vs Rockets
Today’s best NBA parlay is a three-leg bet at (+474).
First, I’m taking the Over in the interconference matchup between the Suns and Wizards. Phoenix and Washington rank 24th and 30th, respectively, in defensive efficiency, so there should be plenty of scoring opportunities for both teams. Three of the Suns’ last four games and three of the Wizards’ previous five contests have featured at least 231 points.
I’m also taking the Trail Blazers to cover a 6.5-point spread as home underdogs against the Clippers. No one is going to be interested in taking the Portland side after Los Angeles beat Brooklyn by 59 points last night, but the hosts are 9-6 ATS as home underdogs this season. The Clips are 2-5 ATS and 3-4 straight up on the second night of a back-to-back this season, so there’s value in this number.
To wrap up this parlay, I like the Kings to defend home court against the Rockets. Sacramento won the first meeting between these teams by nine points at home on Dec. 3 and is 7-3 over its last 10. Houston has also been playing well lately, winning five straight, but I’ll again take the opportunity to fade a team playing on the second night of a back-to-back against a better-rested opponent.
Lock in this parlay with your NBA bet of the day.
Sportsbook Play of the Day
NBA Best Same Game Parlay Today
Cavaliers vs Thunder SGP (+455)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 Units
- Cavaliers ML (+110)
- Over 233 Points (-108)
- Evan Mobley: Double-Double (-150)
I’m highlighting tonight’s TNT clash between the Cavaliers and Thunder with my best NBA same-game parlay (+455).
Up first, I’m taking Cleveland to win outright as the road underdog. The Cavs won the first meeting between these teams by seven points last week in Cleveland despite underwhelming games from Donovan Mitchell (11 points) and Darius Garland (18 points). The visitors are 3-0 ATS and 2-1 straight up as road underdogs this season, and they should be favored against an OKC squad that will have to play without its top two big men, Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren.
- Read more on tonight’s action with our best NBA prop bets.
I’m also taking the Over at 233 points. The first meeting between these teams featured 251 points in regulation, so there’s plenty of wiggle room here. While OKC (first) and Cleveland (eighth) rank in the top 10 in defensive efficiency, they are also among the league leaders in offensive efficiency and pace, which we saw win out the first time around.
To wrap up this parlay, I’ll back Evan Mobley to record a double-double. The USC product has double-doubles in five of his previous six outings, including a 21-point, 10-rebound outing against OKC last week. He should again be a focal point for Cleveland’s offense against a Thunder team playing without its two 7-footers on the interior.
What Is an NBA Parlay Bet?
Parlays are a popular form of betting since they provide higher payouts for users. Parlays align well with the NBA, with a wide range of outcomes for each game.
You can parlay the game and total, but you can also bet on several player props since there are many stats, such as points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
Choosing sportsbooks that provide several betting markets is important to have more options. It would be best if you also shopped around to ensure you have the best lines that put you in the best position to win.
With that said, let’s get into how NBA parlay betting works.
How NBA Parlay Betting Works
NBA parlay betting is when you combine multiple wagers, called legs, into one. If you win each of the legs, you win your parlay and earn a much higher payout than if you would have bet each line individually. The higher the odds on your specific bet, the higher the payout your parlay will be.
For example, let’s say I bet on the Raptors, 76ers, and Celtics all on the moneyline. Each team is a heavy favorite in their game, around (-300) each.
This parlay would pay me (+137) on the moneyline, which means I’d risk $100 to win $137.
However, if I bet on the Hornets, Kings, and Grizzlies as (+200) underdogs on the moneyline, this parlay would pay (+2600). This means that I’d risk $100 to win $2,600.
You can parlay the spread, moneyline, total, and player props in the NBA. There are several upsets in a given season, so you can take advantage of some potentially high payouts throughout the year.
The NBA is among the best sports to bet on because any team can lose on any given night.
Take advantage of the potential profits available in NBA parlays.
Best NBA Parlay Betting Sites
It’s important to choose the best parlay betting site to put you in a good spot as a bettor.
The following sportsbooks are the best options to choose from when you’re placing a wager on an NBA parlay:
DraftKings
DraftKings features a comprehensive selection of potential bets in the NBA betting market, including several player props. DraftKings also has a useful rewards program with several promotions.
FanDuel
FanDuel is similar to DraftKings in that it includes several choices for prop bets.
There are also same-game parlays on FanDuel, where you can parlay a bunch of outcomes from one game rather than multiple. When you parlay props in the same game, you can correlate your bets.
For example, taking the Over on Scoot Henderson‘s assists prop and Deandre Ayton‘s points prop would have a positive correlation since there’s a good chance that if Henderson is racking up assists, Ayton is scoring at a high rate.
BetMGM
BetMGM Sportsbook also includes same-game parlays, giving you the option of correlating your player props bets. This website offers several useful promotions that can help you succeed as a bettor.
It’s a user-friendly website with an assortment of betting markets. They also offer live streaming, so you have a chance to watch your NBA bet on the website.
PointsBet
PointsBet is another great choice as one of the most innovative sportsbooks out there. It features a “points betting" system, where users are rewarded if their team wins by a wider margin.
This means that if you take the Raptors to win by seven points or more but they win by 20, you can earn a larger payout. However, it also means that if your team loses by more, you might risk more money.
Points betting is a unique feature that is worth trying out.
Bet365
Bet365 provides users with several options in the NBA betting market, which is great for parlays. They also have a promotion where bettors are offered bonus winnings if they win their parlay, up to a certain amount.
The more legs on your parlay, the higher your bonus if you’re able to win.
How to Pick the Best NBA Parlay Betting Sites
It’s important to choose the right sportsbook for NBA parlay betting.
Welcome Bonuses
Choose a sportsbook that provides you with a first-deposit bonus, where they match your first deposit to a certain amount, or a second-chance bet, where you are reimbursed for your first losing bet. There are maximums for these bonuses.
Player Props
Select a sportsbook that provides you with several options for player props.
There are so many props to choose from, and they’re often easier to project. For example, if you choose the Over on James Harden points in a game with a high projected total, there’s a good chance he’s going Over.
Same-Game Parlays
Same-game parlays are huge in the NBA since they allow you to correlate your bets. Some outcomes work well with each other, like a player’s points and assists.
If one player on the team is racking up assists, chances are that another player is scoring efficiently. Same-game parlays put you in a better position to win big.
Promotions
It’s also a good idea to check to see if the sportsbook provides parlay-related promotions, such as odds boosts (increasing odds on selected games), parlay insurance (providing you with wins if you don’t hit every game), and parlay bonuses (giving you bonus winnings if you hit your parlay).
Read up on some of the best NBA betting promotions.
NBA Parlay Betting Promotions
There are a few promotions that can help you with NBA parlays, such as:
Parlay Insurance
Parlay insurance is when a sportsbook provides users with winnings if they win only a certain amount of games on their parlay.
For example, let’s say you play a six-leg parlay and win five of the legs. Parlay insurance will provide you with a certain percentage of these winnings.
There’s nothing worse than coming away with nothing even though you won five of your six bets.
Parlay Bonuses
Parlay bonuses are a percentage of winnings provided to users if they win their bets. For example, if you win a three-leg parlay, you might get 5% extra winnings from the parlay bonus.
The more games featured in your parlay, the higher the potential bonus winnings.
Early Payouts
Early payouts are provided as a promotion, and they can be vital.
For example, if your team is winning by 15-20 points at any point in the game, the sportsbook will award you with an early payout.
Leads can change very quickly in the NBA, so this helps prevent any potential bad beats with a close loss.
Cash-Out Options
Cash-out options are another feature offered by sportsbooks. This means that if you win two legs out of your three-leg parlay, you’re able to cash out and take fewer winnings so that you avoid risking it all on the third.
This is especially useful if you’ve hit five of the first six legs of your parlay, as you’re able to take an early win, albeit for a lesser prize.
Best NBA Parlay Bets
When betting on NBA parlays, make sure to take advantage of home-favorite parlays, home-underdog parlays, and same-game parlays.
Home-favorite parlays are safe with fewer payouts, but they help protect you against the risk you take with home-underdog parlays, which have a lot more variance.
Plus, if you only want to bet on your favorite team and rack up a high payout, there’s no better way to do so.
NBA Same-Game Parlays
NBA same-game parlays are when a sportsbook provides users with a chance to bet on different outcomes within the same game, such as the moneyline, spread, total, and player props.
Not every sportsbook offers this option, so be sure to check in before signing up. Some sportsbooks also put restrictions on which bet types you can parlay.
NBA Parlay Betting Strategy
There are several effective strategies for betting on parlays in the NBA.
The first one can be where you bet on the moneyline on several home favorites. Home-court advantage is huge in the NBA, so if you parlay four heavy home favorites on the moneyline, there’s a good chance that you’ll win, albeit at a low payout.
This is a safe strategy designed to insulate you against the risk you’ll take with longshot parlays.
Another strategy is to focus on same-game parlays, where you can parlay props, as well as the game spread, moneyline, and total in the same game.
For example, if you bet the Over on Stephen Curry‘s three-pointers prop, you might also choose the Over on the game total, since if Curry is making several threes, there’s a good chance it’s a high-scoring game.
There are always many props to choose from, so take advantage of these options and correlate them with others to maximize your chances of winning.
It’s also a good idea to go with an underdog parlay from time to time, especially with home underdogs.
You can often find some high-value moneylines that can hit, providing you with a chance at a high payout. Any team can lose at any time in the NBA, so underdog parlays are a good strategy.
How to Place an NBA Parlay Bet Online
Here are the steps that you need to take to place an NBA parlay bet online:
- Sign into your account at your preferred sportsbook
- Click “NBA"
- Go to “Parlays" (if this isn’t an option, select a few games to add to your bet slip)
- Place your bet.
Benefits of NBA Parlay Betting Online
The benefit of NBA parlay betting online is that it’s much easier and more convenient to place a wager on an online sportsbook. You can do it from the comfort of your own laptop or mobile device rather than walking into the sportsbook at the casino, waiting in line, and choosing your bets for your parlay.
Making NBA betting picks online is also advantageous because sportsbooks will sometimes offer useful promotions on parlays, such as bonus winnings if you hit on a parlay of four legs or more. You’re not able to take advantage of this at an in-person sportsbook.
Take advantage of the benefits of betting on NBA parlays online.
Where Can I Legally NBA Parlay Bet Online?
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Nevada
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- Washington D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Choose More Than One NBA Parlay Betting Site
It’s important to register for more than one NBA parlay betting site so you can take advantage of the different welcome bonuses, shop around for the best odds, and find certain unique props.
Some websites offer useful first-deposit bonuses. Others have better value on certain props.
The bottom line is that you need to make sure that you’re NBA parlay betting on multiple websites.
