Breaking Down SGP Trends During the NFL Playoffs

The NFL playoffs bring out the most exciting, high-stakes moments in football - and an equally thrilling surge in sports betting activity. Same-Game Parlays (SGPs) continue to dominate the conversation, offering bettors a chance to combine multiple markets for a tailored experience. But what’s really happening behind the scenes of this booming betting segment?

In this analysis, we dive deep into SGP trends during the NFL playoffs, unpacking the data to explore SGP size distributions, the most popular markets, and the business mix across pre-match and in-play betting. We also reveal how much of the total SGP handle was driven by in-play betting, shedding light on bettor behavior during the intense playoff action.

Whether you're looking for insights into what drives SGP growth or want to understand how operators can leverage these trends, this breakdown will give you the full picture. Let’s get into the numbers and uncover the story.

SGP Business Mix

This pie chart, branded with the Huddle logo, presents the Same-Game Parlay (SGP) Business Mix during the NFL Playoffs. It breaks down the composition of SGPs into three categories:

• Player Props (71%) – This category dominates the SGP landscape, highlighting bettors' strong preference for individual player performances over team-based markets. This aligns with broader industry trends where player-centric bets - such as passing yards, rushing touchdowns, or receptions, are gaining traction due to their engagement potential.
• Core and Derivatives (28%) – This segment represents traditional betting markets like spreads, totals, and moneyline, along with derivative markets. While still significant, this category trails Player Props, suggesting that bettors prefer micro-level action over traditional outcomes.

The percentage of live bets placed through Bet Builder during the NFL playoffs reached 12.2%, highlighting a growing interest in real-time, customizable betting experiences among NFL fans. This trend underscores the importance of offering dynamic and flexible betting options to engage users during high-stakes games.

Market Popularity During Playoffs

Player Props Dominate – Six of the top seven most combined markets in SGPs are player-focused, reinforcing the trend that bettors are more engaged with individual performances than team-based bets.

Anytime Touchdown Scorer is the Most Popular – This market is the most frequently included in SGPs, likely due to its high excitement factor and correlation with other player props.

Team Result Still Matters – While player markets dominate, the Result (Moneyline/Spread) ranks #2, indicating that bettors still mix in traditional team-based bets.

Implications for Sportsbooks

• Boost player prop offerings to cater to the growing demand.
• Emphasize live betting opportunities, as player props drive engagement throughout the game.

Bet Builder Size Distribution

The majority of SGPs consist of 2 to 4 legs, with 2-leg bets (17%) being the most common, followed closely by 3-leg (15%) and 4-leg (15%) bets.

Moderate-Length Parlays See Decent Action – 5-leg (11%) and 6-leg (10%) parlays still attract significant volume, showing bettors are willing to take on additional risk for higher payouts.