Welcome to the InGame guide to prediction market parlays. Prediction market parlays are a parallel take on traditional sportsbook multi-way bets that are gaining popularity within platforms that offer contract-based trading.
Often referred to as “combos” on apps like Kalshi, prediction market parlays are just now gaining a foothold within the growing marketplace.
Similar to sportsbook parlays, you can win a significant windfall if your prediction market combo trade is successful over the entire span of all selections.
The high-risk, high-reward characteristics of prediction market parlays mean that you can expect more sites and apps to expand into this trade type throughout 2026.
What are prediction market parlays?
Prediction market parlays are combo-trades that take place exclusively on platforms that offer contracts rather than traditional multi-leg sportsbook wagers.
Instead of a sportsbook line of +700, a similarly valued trade will have a contract cost of 12.5 cents.
Of course, just like sportsbook parlays, the prediction market version of this trade type is less likely to be successful in the long run. This is due to the fact that all predictions must be successful for the “combo” contract to pay out.
But when it does, players are rewarded with a hefty win and can climb as high as fifty-to-one on most platforms (typically the cheapest possible contract on a prediction market app is $0.02).
How to make a prediction market parlay
The first step you’ll need to take is to ensure that the platform you’re playing on actually offers a parlay-style trade.
I say this because parlays are still a new concept in the prediction market realm, and not all apps offer them at this time.
If you’re playing on an app like Kalshi, then you can make a combo trade (which is essentially a prediction market parlay) by choosing multiple predictions within a single trade.
For example, let’s say you believe that Bitcoin will open the upcoming month versus the dollar at $100,000 or more, AND you suspect that an ounce of gold will be higher than $5,000 at that same point in time.
You can combine these two predictions into a single trade, which will pay a far superior rate than either selection on its own… but only if both turn out to be correct.
To make a prediction market parlay of this nature, you’ll need to specify that you’re joining two or more predictions into a single trade.
The corresponding contract price will automatically adjust as you add more selections, allowing you to view the per-contract price (and thus, the potential pay out) as your prediction market parlay evolves.
Prediction market contacts versus sportsbooks
For our example, let’s consider that a prediction market parlay that costs twelve-and-a-half cents per contract is equivalent to a +700 sportsbook parlay line.
If you buy eight contracts at this price, you’ll spend exactly one dollar for a chance to receive $0.875 in profit for each contract (which equals seven dollars).
If you place a $1 parlay bet on a traditional sportsbook app at +700 odds, then likewise you would receive a payout of eight dollars ($7 payout + $1 original bet returned).
These odds exclude any sportsbook fees or per-contract commissions that prediction market apps charge (which can vary quite a bit depending on the brand).
Prediction market parlay fees
Seemingly low per-contract commission rates on combo trades may initially attract players, but beginners should be wary of overspending on low-probability trades.
Even if the per-contract commission rate is $0.01 (as is the case for many Polymarket trades), the fee percentage can be exorbitant for prediction market parlays.
This is because, essentially, a $0.02 contract ultimately costs $0.03 under this type of flat, per-contract fee structure.
As a result, one-third of every single contract you purchase will be going towards commission as opposed to money that could otherwise be used to increase your potential win amount.
These flat fees can quickly add up if you’re a player who makes a lot of trades, as parlays by definition are harder to win when compared to each single event prediction within a trade.
For this reason, you’ll want to choose a prediction market platform that offers a percentage commission on purchase amounts instead of one that uses flat fees on a per-contract basis.
Pros and cons of prediction market parlays
Prediction market parlays are just now becoming a major attraction, but there are several clear-cut pros and cons associated with this type of trade.
Pros
- Large potential payout similar to sportsbook parlays
- Easy to understand pricing, as all winning contracts settle at $1
- Huge number of markets available to choose from
- Peer-to-peer participation makes for lots of potential buyers and sellers of contracts
- Legal prediction market apps are federally regulated by the CFTC
- Prediction market apps are available in most US states
Cons
- Prediction market parlays are very expensive on apps that charge per-contract flat fees
- Availability is limited, as not all prediction market apps currently offer combo trades
Which prediction market platforms offer parlays?
If you’re itching to make combo trades, there are a number of platforms that currently offer this type of trade.
Kahshi
Kalshi got into “combo” trades before its competitors, and therefore has an advantage in terms of software and user-friendly navigation for parlay fans.
You can even mix global affairs events with sports outcomes on a single parlay trade.
Robinhood Prediction Markets
Robinhood’s popularity has made it a go-to destination for players across the country, but its sports selections are extremely limited (NFL games only).
The advantage of Robinhood Prediction Markets is that you can actually manage your Kalshi trades from within the platform, which makes it an all-in-one product that other prediction market apps don’t offer.
Polymarket
Polymarket now offers “combo” prediction market parlays on a limited scale. However, it’s probably the worst choice of the three due to its flat, per-contract commission fees.
More on prediction market parlays
The best strategy for increasing your odds of winning combo trades long term is to stick to apps that offer small, percentage-based fees on trade amounts.
Doing so won’t increase your actual odds or winning a prediction market parlay, but they will increase your overall profit (or minimize your total loss).
Another suggestion I have is to research which platforms have more activity for the markets you routinely place trades in.
Robinhood, for instance, only has NFL game outcomes, so this won’t be a good option for you if you want to make a lot of sports-related trades.
Also keep in mind that player liquidity may shift depending on which markets have more buy/sell action on each app.
This won’t be nearly as relevant during popular events such as a presidential election or the Super Bowl, but you’ll want to monitor peer-to-peer trends during down times when there isn’t an obvious headline event or outcome that’s being watched by literally everyone who makes trades.
Conclusion
Prediction market parlays can be a lot of fun, and can pay out a relatively large amount compared to single-event trades.
But the higher reward potential also means that the odds of actually winning become lower.
You can try out combo trades right now on Kalshi, Polymarket, and Robinhood.
If you’re a new customer, you can get your hands on an exclusive welcome bonus as well – which gives you a perfect opportunity to try out each platform to see which one is best for you.
Expect prediction market parlays to become more popular on trading apps throughout the 2026 calendar year.
Prediction Market Parlays FAQ
Are prediction market parlays legal?
Yes, as long as the app itself is operating within a legal jurisdiction and is regulated by the CFTC.
Some states are challenging the legality of prediction market platforms, but these challenges revolve around sports predictions in general as opposed to the “combo” trade type.
What is the minimum age requirement for prediction market parlays?
In most states, you’ll need to be at least 18 years old to make trades on prediction market apps.
Do sweepstakes sites offer prediction market parlays?
Yes, a couple of them do (or are researching the possibility).
With this said, I wouldn’t expect these types of trades to become widely spread on sweepstakes platforms due to all the legal scrutiny that currently surrounds the business model.
The difference between a sweepstakes site and a prediction market platform is that you can actually trade with real money on apps that are regulated by the CFTC.
Can I fund my prediction market parlays by depositing crypto?
Some apps, like Polymarket, allow you to transfer crypto funds into your account.
However, regulated platforms like DraftKings Predictions accept real money deposits only (and will not pay out in crypto, either).
Your best bet for participating in prediction market parlays is to have a USD-based bank account – as you can also withdraw your winnings once you’ve linked it using Trustly.
