Working in a similar fashion to accumulators, bet builders have evolved over time, and they have become a pre-requisite of any successful online sports betting operation. Bet builders have become a serious game-changer, and they are arguably more effective as they are automated. It is almost impossible to come across football markets nowadays without spotting bet builder features.
But what exactly are bet builders? And how do they work in reality? Don’t worry, we have all the answers covered for you in our extensive guide. We will analyse the nature of betting sites with bet builder, as well as suggest what you should look out for when determining which bet builder sites you should choose. Within that, we will also share some tips on how to master the art of bet building, and explore the process of using bet builders to compile a wager. So, read on to learn more.
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365
Bet £10, Get £30 In Free Bets +
Bet £10, Get £30 In Free Bets +
Bet £10, Get £40
Bet £10, Get £40
£30 Matched Free Bet if your first Acca loses +50 free spins
£30 Matched Free Bet if your first Acca loses +50 free spins
Bet £5 Get £20 in Free Bets
Bet £5 Get £20 in Free Bets
Bet £20 and Get it Back if it Loses
Bet £20 and Get it Back if it Loses
Bet £20 on Multiples & Get a £5 Free Bet
Bet £20 on Multiples & Get a £5 Free Bet
£50 In Free Bets When You Bet £10
£50 In Free Bets When You Bet £10
Money Back As a Bonus Up To £40, if your 1st bet loses + £10 Casino Bonus
Money Back As a Bonus Up To £40, if your 1st bet loses + £10 Casino Bonus
Bet £25 or more get a £5 free bet
Bet £25 or more get a £5 free bet
50% Welcome Offer Up To £50
50% Welcome Offer Up To £50
Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets
Bet building sites have soared in popularity in recent years, as bettors want more freedom over the wagers they place. They are also eminently more convenient for bettors who are on the move. Below, we have illustrated the top 10 betting sites in the UK that have a bet builder feature in a simple table:
BOOKMAKER | SIGN UP BONUS | BEST FOR |
Bet365 | Bet £10 & Get £30 In Free Bets | Best tennis builder |
888Sport | Bet £10, Get £40 In Free Bets | Great range of football options |
Spreadex | Bet £10, Get £40 | Good for fixed odds |
Betway | £30 Matched Free Bet If Your First Acca Loses | Excellent for pre-match and in-play |
Betfair | Bet £20 On Multiples & Get A £5 Free Bet | Extensive markets for football |
Betfred | Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets | Huge bet builder variety |
Ladbrokes | Bet £5 Get £20 In Free Bets | 5-a-side |
Paddy Power | Bet £20 And Get It Back If It Loses | Great offers for existing customers |
Unibet | Money Back As A Bonus Up To £40, If Your 1st Bet Loses + £10 Casino Bonus | Selections for bet builder |
NetBet | Bet £10 And Get A £10 Free Bet | The complete wagering solution |
10bet | 50% First Deposit Bonus Up To £50 | Competitive odds always |
William Hill | Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets | Longest-established brand |
Bet Builders differ greatly when compared to one another. Some builders cover multiple sports while others are only available on one. Some are easy to use but others are a real nightmare. Here we look at seven of the best bet builders around and what each offers, and even suggest ways in which they could be improved.
Bet365 is the most-used UK betting site, and by some considerable distance. Many would say it’s not the best betting site available, and the design of the site is actually quite insipid. How does their bet builder compare with the rest of what they offer?
The first thing to note is that Bet365’s bet builder is only available on football – or soccer as the site insists on calling it – and works better on mobile than desktop. You can choose your match then select specific elements to build your bet. Elements include FT result, HT score, BTTS, goals scored, players to score, corners cards, and others. For such a big site, Bet365’s bet builder is a bit of a letdown, but at least it is very easy to use!
Most people – even non-sports bettors – will have heard of Paddy Power. They are the Irish brand that looks controversy straight in the face, then pats it on the back and invites it for a drink. There’s nothing conroversial about their bet builder, but how does it compare to Paddy Power’s rival’s offerings?
The bet builder at Paddy Power is available on only two sports – football and basketball. To use it, just select the matchup you are interested in and click the ‘bet builder’ tab. Add the bets you want to combine and the bet builder will outline your final price. Many of the usual events markets will be available. One extra thing to look out for – Paddy Power often has deals where if your bet builder fails by one selection, your bet builder stake will be returned as a free bet.
Sky Bet have been around for several years and have slowly gained ground on their competitors over that time, mainly because of the site’s amazing coverage of football and the EPL in particular. It does help that Sky Sports has the broadcasting rights to most of the UK’s football, and football from around the rest of the globe.
The Sky Bet bet builder is an automatic tool that becomes available as soon as you have added any selection to your bet slip. Once you have selected a second event you will be given the option to combine these bets in any way that you wish. The biggest bonus of the Sky Bet version of a bet builder is that there are no restrictions – you can add any outcome from any event from any sport to create a bet that is one hundred percent unique!
We won’t bore you by trying to explain who William Hill are. This top class sports betting brand has been top of the bookie charts in the UK since the 1960s, and they are still a sure-fire hit over half a century later. The William Hill site has everything a sports bettor could possibly want, including a bet builder. How does the William Hill bet builder stack up?
The bet builder at William Hill works in much the same way as the one previously described at SkyBet. Just add the selections you are interested in on your bet slip and then the options will come up to combine them in any way that you see fit. Again, just like the Sky Bet bet builder, there is no limit to the sports, events and markets that are available to be made into system bets and others via the William Hill bet builder.
Unibet is a brand that probably would never existed if it was not for the advent of internet betting. Originally based in Sweden, they were created in 1997 with zero real-world experience of any kind of wagering. Their site has an excellent range of betting tools for all markets, including an easy-to-use bet builder.
Alas, the Unibet bet builder is only available to use on football matches. To use it, choose the match that you are interested in and add it to your bet slip. You can then add specific outcomes up to a maximum of twelve, with the best builder at Unibet displaying your combined odds. The more events you add, the higher the odds of course! All your selections though must be winners for your entire built bet to win.
Betfair is well-known in the UK for being the internet’s best betting exchange. As opposed to fixed odds betting, you can ‘exchange’ your bet at a site with a punter (or a group of punters) who want to bet on the opposite outcome of an event to you. Because you are betting against other sports bettors as opposed to a sportsbook, you often get better odds. While Betfair does have a bet builder, it is only applicable on the fixed odds side of their operation, and not the exchange betting side.
The Betfair bet builder is very easy to use and is available on all football markets, and most baseball (MLB), basketball (NBA) and American football (NFL) markets. All you need to do is find the selection page of the event you want to bet on and see if the ‘Bet Builder’ tab is available. If it is, click on it and you’ll be able to add a number of potential outcomes to your overall bet. The price will update accordingly every time you add an outcome.
888 is another UK success story although this all-encompassing betting firm is now based in Gibraltar. 888 has fingers in every kind of betting pie imaginable, including bingo, poker, slots and casino. For the bet builder side of 888 we are going to concentrate on the sports betting arm of course, 888sport.
The 888sport bet builder is available on football plus two American sports, basketball (NBA only) and American football (NFL only). The range of potential outcomes is limited, but there should be enough for you to build an exciting bet. For example with football, you can combine the match winners with additional outcomes such as BTTS, goals scored, number of corners and individual scorers, plus more.
Spreadex is the UK’s number one spread-betting site. Spread betting is where your winnings or losses are determined by the scale of victory. If you back a team to win 1-0 and they win 5-0 your rewards are higher than just a simple stake return. If your backed team ends up losing 5-0 instead then your losses are much higher than just your stake! The Spreadex site has a bet builder that you can use on both the spread betting and fixed odds sections of their site.
Like many other UK bet builders, the Spreadex bet builder is only available on football. Just select your main game, choose your winner and then add other outcomes as you see fit, up to a maximum of a dozen. If you are using the fixed odds site, then your overall odds will be displayed to you. If you are using the spread betting side of things, you’ll be given a calculated index price.
Essentially, a bet builder enables punters to curate their perfect bet by customising their own betting slip. A bet builder is a fantastic way to improve your knowledge as a punter, as you can marry up multiple combinations to form a single bet. In many respects, a bet builder mirrors the accumulator betting model, as you are compiling many different selections, but this is applied to a single sporting event.
A bet builder is designed to give you more flexibility in terms of the market you choose, and so unlike Request A Bet which requires tweeting a bookmaker to get odds for a particular game, bet builders automates the process. Over time, bet builders have become habitually incorporated into the desktop and mobile versions of a sports betting site.
Generally, betting sites with bet builder UK are more stats-focussed. For football, the Bet365 bet builder, and the Paddy Power bet builder will provide some of the standard markets such as the full-time result, and total goals over/under still, which still hold some sway. However, those that really stand out will have a breadth of player markets that will really engage with new and existing bettors.
Football is a prime example of bet building at its finest, as bettors can stretch their horizons, and chance their arm at a variety of intriguing markets, including who will be the first or anytime scorer. Perhaps, as a bettor you may wish to be more ambitious, and predict the total number of corners over/under in a game or how many yellow cards may be dished out.
But you may ask how this would play out? Well, say if Tottenham were hosting Manchester United, you could put money on Harry Kane to score the first goal, and there to be more than 7.5 corners during the game. If Kane scored the opening goal, and there were 8 or more corners, then you will win your bet. Using decimals is easier to work out potential returns, as you just multiply your selections. Most bookmakers nowadays will have a bet calculator installed that will show you your returns from the size of the stake you have placed.
Bet builders are not available on all sports, and not all outcomes are available to be added into a bet builder. Here is a quick list of popular bet builder sports and the markets/outcomes typically available to be included within a bet builder bet. Note that these will vary per bookie.
Match winner, correct score, first goalscorer, last goalscorer, anytime goalscorer, to score more than one goal, to score a hat-trick, over/under, over/under first half, method of victory (FT, ET, Pens), BTTS, BTTS first half, BTTS both halves, BTTS more than one goal, HT result, SH result, handicap, double chance, most shots on target, shots on target (team), shots on target (player), corners over/under, most corners, corners handicap, bookings (team), cards (player), dismissals (team), dismissals (player), cards over/under, goals scored in both halves.
Moneyline, total points over/under, handicap, win margin, double result.
Moneyline, handicap, total points over/under, first touchdown scorer, any time touchdown scorer, total points (home/away), winning margin, alternate handicap, alternate total points, HT/FT, winner per half, winner per quarter, passing yards (player), receiving yards (player), total points per half, total points per quarter, handicap per half, handicap per quarter.
Moneyline, handicap, total runs over/under, tri-bet, to record a hit, to record 2+ hits, to record 3+ hits, to record 4+ hits, to score a home run, alternate run lines, alternate total runs, result per half, result per inning, runs odd/even overall, runs odd/even per half, runs odd/even per inning, correct score per inning, correct score.
Previously, bet building was limited to football. Betting sites with bet builder have opened up, and it has enabled punters to bet on a plethora of sports nowadays. They are now conducive for sports, and below you can place wagers by using the bet builder function at sports betting sites.
Football – This will entail a multitude of different markets, and works perfectly for games. Football betting Bet builders will be available for a raft of European leagues, and competitions such as the Champions League and Europa League, and will cover everything from the match result to goalscorer odds, and more sophisticated markets such as total corners over/under. Bet365 is probably the best bookie for football bet builder options.
Basketball – The NBA is the centrepiece of basketball, and here, bettors can delve into a wide range of pre-match basketball betting prop markets for regular season and post-season fixtures. So, if the Boston Celtics were facing the Milwaukee Bucks, you could put money on Giannis Antetokounmpo to post 25 points or more, as well as who will score the most points in the first or second quarter. Try Paddy Power for bet builder options.
Tennis – A relative newcomer to the scene, tennis betting building is gathering momentum, and serves the leading Grand Slam and ATP Masters 1000, 500, and 250 series events. Here, punters can bet on everything from the total games market to set betting, as well as who will get the first break of serve. You can plug your bet builder bets for tennis into an acca at Ladbrokes.
American Football – From the regular season to the Superbowl, no stone is left unturned when it comes to bet building. You can personalise a NFL betting slip which covers everything from total yards gained or who will score the most touchdowns in a game. 888sport would be our choice for bet builder bets on the gridiron game.
Baseball – We have cricket here in the UK but in the USA (and Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea) they play a different bat and ball game. Baseball is available for use with bet builders at a small number of sites. Markets include overall score, home runs scored, number of runs/hits/errors and winning margin. If you want to build baseball bets, then try the bet builder at Betfair.
Bet builders have become more ubiquitous, and they have enriched the betting experience for punters. Bookmakers will pull out all the stops to retain the loyalty of their customers. But what criteria should be measured for picking a cracking bet builder sportsbook. At Safe Betting Sites, we have selected a few tried and trusted methods that will stand you in good stead when picking the best bookie for you, so see below.
Betting sites with bet builder will be worth their salt, but as with anything, you should always have a strategy in place to tackle them. If you are a novice bettor, bet building can be an enthralling prospect. However, in order to effectively navigate the world of bet building, here are a few bet building tips you should keep in mind:
Bet responsibly – Ultimately the goal be should be to have fun. Combining several selections on one betting slip can enhance the overall viewing experience. However, more experienced bettors will take a more serious approach. If it stops becoming fun, then stop! Time and effort – With anything, you will get what you put into bet building. So, to get the results you crave in the long term, you should persevere and see it through to the end. Tap into expertise – Betting sites operating in the UKwill have easily accessible betting tips provided by an army of in-house tipsters. Soak up any information you come across at a sportsbook, so you can apply it to when you put together your selections. What do you want? – You should weigh up what you hope to get out of the experience. Bet building may not be for everyone, but you should have a clear strategy in place, so you can make the most of it. This will of course vary between bettors, as some will want to hone in on the technique whereas others will do so more frivolously. Always budget – You should never stray too far away from your budget. Make sure you don’t exceed what you can afford. Keep a record – The most conscientious bettors will have a running record of all bets placed. From here, you can see what combinations or selections didn’t work so well, and you can tweak your tactics accordingly.Best Bet Builder Sites Offers
Here is a quick run down of any current bet builder offers that our recommended best bet builder sites are offering. You may wish to check back here for the lastest bet builder bonanza deals as if we find any juicy ones, we will add them to the list.
Bet £20 worth of multiples or bet builder and get a £5 free bet. Bet £20 on multiples or bet builders, min. odds 1.5 (1/2). After the qualifying bet(s) have settled, you’ll get a £5 free bet. Free bets valid 24 hours on mutliples or bet builders. No opt-in required. Qualifying bets must settle within 48 hours of placement to receive the free bet. T&Cs apply.How To Build A Bet
All the best bet builder sites in the UK have simplified the concept of bet building. To explain the mechanics of bet building, we have used Bet365 as an example, and provided a step-by-step guide to completing a bet builder. Invariably, the process is the same across the board.
Step 1. First off, you will need to find the fixture you wish to bet on. So, if you wanted to place bets on a European friendly between Viktoria Plzen v FC Ufa, hit the ‘Bet Builder’ tab.
Step 2: Once you have located the match and entered the Bet Builder area, you will then need to customise your bet, and add some selections. Click on ‘Choose a Market’. With Bet365, you can make up to 12 selections, and some of the most common markets you will be presented with will be the half-time/full-time score, and Double Chance.
Step 3: Once settled on the markets you wish to play, then add from our desired selections. After adding the first, all you have to do is repeat the process by clicking ‘Add Selection’ and choosing. This is repeated until you’ve made all your selections for the game in question.
Step 4: Here, we’ve decided to add three selections, though ultimately it is up to you how many you wish to add. Once all the selections have been made, a price will be generated. All you have to do, is click the odds, under which it says ‘Add to Bet Slip’.
After you have selected your stake, your bet builder will be ready to go. Then, it’s a case of sitting back, and hoping your bet builder prevails!
Bet builder and accumulator bets are a neat way of winning an amazing amount of cash for a very small stake. The odds may be against you, but as you are only risking a tiny stake for the chances of winning a huge amount of money, who cares? As you are in control of your selections, it’s far better than buying a lottery ticket and definitely better than wasting money on a scratchcard!
Here are there examples of people winning a life-changing amount of £££s for a teeny-weeny wager.
Steve Whiteley from North Tawton in Devon really knew his horses, and he put this to good use in 2011 when he selected six horses for the Tote horse racing pool (a pool betting system where all stakes are gathered then distributed among the winners) and all were winners. His £2 stake netted him nearly £1.5 million in winnings at odds of 725,225/1.
Sadly, horse racing is not usually available for bet builders but there is nothing to stop you creating an acca on the horses, and that is what Fred Craggs did at his local William Hill betting shop. The Yorkshire man put 50p on eight selections but then paid no attention to that day’s runners. He had quite the surprise when he visited the bookies again and they told him he’s won a million at odds of two million to one!
William Hill feature again in our next success story, but this time the sport involved is the beautiful game and not the sport of kings. An unnamed housewife wanted to prove to her footie-obsessed hubby and son that anyone can pick winners, so she placed a £1 bet on a twelve-team acca in November 2017. Her bravado paid off – and then some – when all twelve teams won, netting her over half a million quid at odds of 573,286/1.
The bottom line is that bet builders adds an exciting dimension to the gambling experience. With competitive odds available at betting sites that host bet builders, punters are given more freedom and flexibility with their wagers, and there is an opportunity to win big. The feature has become increasingly popular, and some firms do bet building better than others. You should spend considerable time and research comparing odds, so you can find the best bet building site that caters to your needs. The sites we have mentioned this guide are well equipped to deal with bet builders, so if you are interested, then go and have a gander for yourself.
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365
Essentially, yes. All the bookmakers mentioned in this guide has a bet builder feature for its customers.
No, not at all sites. Some markets will enable cash out, however this will be clearly stipulated.
Yes, but bet builders only apply to certain events in-play.
In brief, yes. However, the only difference between the two is the way they are placed. Bet builders are automated, whereas bet requests must be done via social media, and a bookmaker will respond with a price.
This varies between bookmakers. With Bet365, you can add up to 12 selections per wager, whereas with Betfair, this rises to 25.