Thursday night in Dallas gives beginners a clean look at how a same-game parlay works. The Montreal Canadiens (7-3-2) visit the Dallas Stars (7-4-1) at American Airlines Center, with puck drop set for 8:00 PM ET. Both teams can score, both have a clear top line worth talking about, and the odds are simple enough to walk through step by step.

A same-game parlay, or SGP, just means you tie several bets from one game into a single ticket. Every leg has to hit for the ticket to cash, which is why the payout is bigger than any single bet. Today’s three-leg build is the Dallas Stars on the moneyline, the game total over 4.5 goals, and Jason Robertson to score at any time. We will go through the logic on each so you can see how the pieces fit together.

Leg 1: Dallas Stars to Win on the Moneyline

The moneyline is the easiest bet in hockey: pick who wins the game. Dallas is the favorite at roughly -162, while Montreal sits around +136. A minus number marks the favorite and tells you how much you must risk to win $100, so -162 means risking about $162 to win $100. The line has crept toward Dallas since it opened at -155.

The case for the Stars starts at home. Dallas has scored 33 goals and allowed only 25 through 12 games, and its penalty kill is ranked first in the league at 92.9 percent. The one blemish is a 5-1 loss to New Jersey on Tuesday, and home teams coming off a clunker often play with extra urgency. If you are new to odds, our live NHL odds page is a handy place to compare prices before you build anything.

Montreal is not a pushover. The Canadiens beat St. Louis 2-0 on Tuesday and have won several close games this month. They are also without Nick Suzuki (upper body), their top point producer with 12 points, so the offense loses its center. That is the main reason we lean Dallas here.

Leg 2: Over 4.5 Total Goals

The total is a bet on how many goals both teams score combined. The posted number is 5.5, with the over at -142 and the under at +120. For a beginner-friendly parlay, we drop down to an alternate total of over 4.5 goals, which is an easier hurdle to clear. Prices on alternate totals vary by sportsbook, so check your own book for the exact number.

The scoring numbers back it up. Montreal has scored 38 goals and allowed 36 through 12 games, which works out to better than six combined goals per game in its contests. Special teams will not decide the total either way: Montreal’s power play is ranked 29th at 11.4 percent, and Dallas’s is 21st at 18.5 percent.

Goaltending is worth a look as well. Jacob Fowler has won six straight decisions for Montreal, and Jake Oettinger is expected in net for Dallas, though neither starter was officially confirmed as of Wednesday. Check the lineups before puck drop, since a late goalie change can move the total quickly.

Leg 3: Jason Robertson Anytime Goal Scorer

An anytime goal scorer bet is just what it sounds like: the player has to score at least one goal at any point in the game, overtime included. Robertson is listed around +145, which means a winning $100 bet returns $145 in profit. A plus number is a longer shot, but it is a good way to boost the payout on a parlay.

Robertson has five goals and eight assists this season for 13 points, second on the Stars behind Mikko Rantanen’s 14. He also has a strong history against this opponent, with six points (three goals and three assists) on 17 shots across the last five meetings. He plays on Dallas’s first power-play unit alongside Wyatt Johnston, Rantanen, Roope Hintz and Miro Heiskanen, which means plenty of high-quality looks.

A quick note on responsible betting: parlays are fun, but they lose more often than they win, because every leg has to come through. Keep your stake small and never wager more than you can afford to lose. Our responsible gambling page has tools and resources if you ever need them.

The Full Parlay

Put it together and the three legs are the Dallas Stars moneyline (about -162), over 4.5 total goals, and Jason Robertson anytime goal scorer (about +145). Sportsbooks price same-game parlays with their own combined odds, and the number on your slip will differ from simply multiplying the legs, so use the combined price your book shows before you place the bet.

Here is why it holds together. If Dallas wins at home, there is a good chance the Stars are scoring multiple goals, which pushes the game over 4.5 and gives Robertson, a regular on the power play, more chances to find the net. The legs support each other instead of fighting each other, and that is the key idea behind a smart same-game parlay. If you are ready to try it with a new account, check the latest DraftKings promo code offer before you place your first bet.