speaking from experience, parlay betsare usually sucker plays...i like to limit the ones i bet for an amount of money that matters to mae, to 2 to 3 real bets (ie, might throw -400, or -600 in during college hoops or ncaa football to make it pay a little better, but for the most part...if theres anyhting over 300 bucks, i like to go with 2-3 at most small dogs or -110...anyhting more, and ur really pissing money away.
But for the most part I belive, u picked the teams u did for a reason, stick with it.
now..that being said, last week i made a 41 dollar bet on 7 teams with some mlb dogs, wnba, nfl preseason, etc
that bet paid 2600.....in this type of situation , the hedge conversation makes sense...because as a guy who sometimes makes 5-50 dollar random 7-10 teamers, I know my expectation isnt to win, and thats really money sopent the same way one goes to the movies, or out to dinner, or to an amusement park.....then when u wind up with 6 out of 7, and the 7th game is nfl preseason....a truly meaningless endeavor to cap....then hedging is legit......
example a
arlay (7 Teams) 08/13/09 21:57 ET
bet 41.79 to win 2,587.40 (paid 2629.19) Result: Wager Won
Dodgers(LA) Kershaw 1
Diamondbacks(Arizona) Haren 4 08/14/09(21:40 ET)
Diamondbacks(Arizona) -110
Nationals(Washington) Mock 2
Reds(Cincinnati) Harang 0 08/14/09(19:10 ET)
Nationals(Washington) +150
Pirates(Pittsburgh) Morton 2
Cubs(Chicago) Wells 17 08/14/09(14:25 ET)
Cubs(Chicago) -230
Royals(KansasCity) Greinke 0
Tigers(Detroit) Washburn 1 08/14/09(19:10 ET)
Tigers(Detroit) -120
Bears(Chicago) 20
Bills(Buffalo) 27 08/15/09(19:10 ET)
Bills(Buffalo) -3
Cowboys(Dallas) 10
Raiders(Oakland) 31 08/13/09(22:00 ET)
Raiders(Oakland) -3 (even)
SilverStars(SanAntonio) 83
Mercury(Phoenix) 95 08/13/09(22:05 ET)
Mercury(Phoenix) -320
i did hedge it, but only for 400, on the bears ML, at +165...