Question about PARLAYs - Please help

[frankrom]

I read that generally parlays are sucker bets and not a good idea.

I am trying to understand why... I understand part of it but I am confused about something

Example.

If I am going to bet tonight's games as follows straight up like...

NJ over Edmonton for $50
and Washington and Pittsburgh under 5 1/2 for $50

I may get $45 a game for a total of $90 if i won both so I am positive $90... if i win one and lose the other I would be down -$5

If i put these in a parlay I would only risk about $50 to be up $130ish on a win. If i lose I would be down $50... where if I lose both straight up I would be down $100. I need to WIN BOTH straight up for me to really be up in the money... so if I need to win both straight up why not just parlay it?

I am confused... can someone explain to me how they do it or why it is a bad idea to do parlays as it is clear I am still not getting it.

Thanks

[frankrom]

Just to add... I know some of the logic behind it... in a two team parlay there are 4 possible combinations... where as straight up there are two... so you have a 50/50 shot straight up and in a parlay you have 25% shot... but to hit two straight ups to be in the money wouldn't the math still be 25% ?

argh WHAT AM I MISSING sheesh.

[latvian]

I love parlays and i don't giva a **ck if they are sucker bets or whatever. Just tonight i won a parlay that pays 30to1 (OTT, TOR, NASH, BOS-1,5). They pay great and i have to win only about 6% to be winning. So i'd say to go for it.
Only i don't know about NJ. Buff may be a bad team right now, but NJ is not a sunshine either. GL to you!