Bet Builders are a relatively new addition to betting sites and they’ve subsequently become incredibly popular with UK punters. We’ve taken a closer look at the bookmakers who offer this game-changing feature and how to begin assembling your own pre-match bet builder.
The Best Bet Builder Betting Sites
What is a Bet Builder?
A bet builder offers UK punters an opportunity to put together a series of bets within a single sporting event. It is a handy way of potentially increasing your returns whilst wagering on just a single match. Whether you’re settling down to watch the game on TV or you’re visiting the stadium itself, a bet builder gives you an opportunity to explore a variety of different markets including handicaps, shots, cards, goals and corners.
It is similar to assembling an accumulator and you would require every single selection to win in order to receive a bet builder pay-out.
How does Bet Builder work?
Unlike assembling an accumulator, a bet builder consists of inter-connected bets within a single sporting event. The more selections that you choose to add to your bet builder, the greater your potential returns. Their popularity owes to the fact that you can potentially secure significant returns for a relatively small outlay.
Bet builders are also a handy way of betting on potentially one-sided matches. For example, Manchester City may be 1/8 to beat West Ham, however, with a bet builder, you can also add over 3.5 goals, over 9.5 corners, over 1.5 cards as well as Kevin de Bruyne to claim an assist. If you’re planning on watching this game, you can tick off each selection as it lands.
Although we’ve used football as the example here, bet builders are also available on several sports including American Football, basketball and baseball.
How are Bet Builder Odds calculated?
When it comes to pricing up bet builders, the bookmakers use various algorithms to calculate potential returns.
With accumulators, each of your selections will be multiplied together to create an overall return. These are a series of unconnected events with each match taking place at individual venues and often, across various competitions. However, when it comes to bet builders, each event will have a knock-on effect on the other.
For example, in a potentially one-sided event, adding over 2.5 goals is unlikely to make much of a difference to your returns whereas adding BTTS may significantly increase the odds as one of the two sides is not expected to find the back of the net. If you’re adding a player to score for the unfancied team, this is also likely to significantly increase the odds.
Each event will probably affect the likelihood of another occurring and this will be reflected in your potential returns. The bookmaker will have priced up each market accordingly and your bet builder odds can improve significantly by going against the common belief.
Top Bet Builder Betting Sites
Bet builders have become increasingly popular over the last few years and it has become absolutely essential for UK bookmakers to offer this unique feature to their punters. The majority of bet builder sites tend to advertise this service prominently and make it relatively easy to locate. We’ve taken a look at some of the best bet builder betting sites in the UK.
Sportingbet
Sportingbet are an established UK bookmaker who offer a generous welcome bonus to all new players. Although their site may look a little basic, they have a number of exciting features including ‘Build a Bet’. This can be located on the individual match page and offers punters the chance to assemble a bet builder using several different markets including players to score, players to be carded and total corners.
✔️ Pros: Build a Bet is available on the majority of high-profile sporting events
Build a Bet is easy to locate
❌ Cons: The list of markets available for Build a Bet could potentially be expanded
BetUK Bet Builder
BetUK has established itself as a prominent UK bookmaker over the last few years and offers a vast array of football betting markets on a daily basis. Their Bet Builder feature is available on the individual match page and offers punters a great way to assemble an in-match accumulator.
There are several markets available within a bet builder including 3-way handicap, corners and half-time correct score.
✔️ Pros: Several markets available for individual bet builders including total shots
❌ Cons: The Bet UK interface could make it difficult to assemble bet builders quickly (it’s better on the mobile app)
Star Sports Bet Builder
Star Sports is renowned for its passion for horse racing, however, they also offer a superb range of football betting markets across multiple competitions. Star Sports also make it exceptionally straightforward to use their Build a Bet service which is heavily promoted across both the desktop site and mobile app.
The range of Build a Bet markets are eye-watering and it’s possible to focus on several different areas including 1st half cards and 2nd half winning margins.
✔️ Pros: Infinite number of betting markets available within the Build a Bet feature.Easy to assemble
❌ Cons: There are no notable negatives
Midnite Bet Builder
Midnite is one of a number of new betting sites which has incorporated eSports into its offering. Nevertheless, Midnite still offer multiple betting markets across a variety of sports including football and tennis. Midnite heavily promote their Bet Builder service and at the beginning of 2023, their welcome offer was Bet Builder-specific.
Their new bet builder feature is excellent and they make it straightforward to add multiple selections into your bet.
✔️ Pros: Several bet builder markets to choose from. Midnite heavily promote this service and make it easy to locate
❌ Cons: This feature is still relatively new and hasn’t yet been expanded to other sports
Mr Play Bet Builder
Since launching in 2017, Mr Play has become one of the UK’s most popular and established online sportsbooks. Their bet builder function is available on the majority of high-profile sporting events and there are multiple markets to choose from including booking points, corners as well as selecting either team to hit the woodwork.
✔️ Pros: Fantastic array of Bet Builder markets, many of which are not offered by their fellow betting sites in the UK.
❌ Cons: The interface is a little simplistic and clunky
Virgin Bet Bet Builder
Virgin Bet has taken the established Virgin brand and has successfully built a superb UK betting site. They may still be finding their feet in this competitive market, however, they’ve put together a superb site which offers a comprehensive bet builder service. Here, you’ll get the opportunity to add player tackles, shots and assists into your wager.
✔️ Pros: Virgin Bet have regular offers and promotions linked to the Bet Builder feature. There are multiple markets available within this feature.
❌ Cons: There are no notable negatives
How We Rank the Best Bet Builder Betting Sites
Here at MansionBet, we have ranked the best betting sites in the UK. When it comes to scoring each operator, we reflect heavily on the availability of features such as cash out and bet builder.
Although some punters may be drawn in by a generous welcome bonus or a shiny interface, the majority of UK bettors are simply looking for a betting site which meets their punting requirements.
Sites which offer a Request a Bet or Build a Bet service will be scoring generously, especially if they offer several different markets within this feature. If a betting site can offer player tackles, player assists, player shots alongside traditional markets such as 1X2 and Under/Over, this is likely to boost their overall position in our rankings.
Other factors which we consider vitally important when it comes to choosing a bookmaker for bet building purposes include:
- Ease of navigation
- Usability – both desktop site and mobile app.
- Bet Builder-specific bonuses and promotions
- Location of Bet Builder feature. Is it easy to find?
- Speed of settlement
- Cash Out – Is this available with Bet Builders?
- Odds
- Customer service. Can I speak to someone if I have an issue with my build a bet?
- Availability of sporting events
Ideally, we are looking an online sportsbook which offers an easy-to-locate bet builder that is available across a variety of different sports. We also like to know that we can potentially cash out our bet builder if it is in a winning position. Most UK bookmakers make this feature easy to locate, however, some operators use a fairly basic interface and this can provide frustration for time-poor punters.
If you’ve forgotten about a game and you wish to place a last-minute bet builder, then you’d understandably prefer to access a user-friendly bookmaker who make it easy to navigate between different markets and have a reliable bug-free mobile app.
Finally, when it comes to paying out, we tend to look favourably on bookmakers who settle bet builders relatively quickly. If you’ve been successful and managed to pick a winning bet builder, then you’d understandably prefer to receive your winnings as soon as possible. For those who have issues with their bet builder assembly or settlement, it’s always handy to know that there is a good level of customer support available.
Bet Builder: Sports and Markets
When bet builders were first introduced in the UK, the handful of bookmakers who offered this feature tended to prioritise football. As the most popular sport in the UK, this was fairly unsurprising and punters enjoyed being able to create their own single match accumulator on both Premier League and Champions League games.
Over the last couple of years, this has been expanded with build a bet or request a bet services now available across a variety of sports. Each operator will have their own list of sports with UK punters now able to choose from a wide variety of markets.
Football
Football fans love using bet builders whenever there is an important match on TV. Although Premier League games tends to dominate, the majority of UK betting sites also offer this service on:
- La Liga
- Serie A
- Champions League
- Europa League
- Bundesliga
- EFL Championship
With a number of potential outcomes, football is the perfect sport to create a single game multiple. It is easy to understand and with ample coverage online, bettors are able to utilise one of the many statistic sites to form their perfect bet builder.
Some betting sites will stick to the main markets whereas other bookmakers may offer a more in-depth set of options. Popular options include:
- 1x2 – 90 minute outcome
- Under/Over 1.5/2.5/3.5
- Both Teams to Score
- Anytime Goalscorer
- First Goalscorer
- Under/Over First Half Goals
- Winning Margin
However, the growing trend is for firms to offer a wider range of bet builder options. These may include:
- Total Player Shots Total Player Fouls
- Player to Claim an Assist
- Total Shots of Target
- Home/Away Red Cards
- Player to be Carded
You can add as many of these selections as you like and your potential returns will be automatically calculated by the betting site. You can look at your betting slip at any point in order to check on its progress.
One of the biggest advantages of wagering on a bet builder is that all of your selections will be settled within 90 minutes. When it comes to betting on an accumulator, you may be left waiting for a late kick-off to conclude, however, with a bet builder, you will know if your bet has been successful by the time the referee blows the final whistle.
An example of a football bet builder:
- Newcastle to Win
- Over 2.5 Goals
- Callum Wilson Anytime Goalscorer
- Arsenal to have Over 1.5 Shots on Target
- Over 7.5 Corners
- Over 2 Cards
American Football
American football has become increasingly popular in the UK over the last decade and although the season is relatively short, there are still plenty of opportunities to place a bet builder on all of the televised ties. With matches taking place on Thursday night, Sunday night and Monday night (and occasionally Tuesday), NFL fans can enjoy sitting down and watching live coverage in the UK on multiple occasions throughout the campaign.
Although college football betting markets are available, bet builders tend to be restricted to just NFL games.
NFL is fast-paced and full of drama which makes it the perfect sport on which to place a bet builder.
Although match spread and the totals markets are always a popular way to wager on NFL fixtures, the player prop markets are ideal for constructing a bet builder. When it comes to picking selections for an NFL Build a Bet, you can pick from a variety of different prop markets:
- Total Player Passing Yards
- Total Player Rushing Yards
- Touchdowns
- To Score the First Touchdown
- Total Player Tackles
The number of markets available will depend on your chosen bookmaker, however, most UK bet builder sites will offer copious player and team prop markets.
An example of an NFL Bet Builder:
- Over 46.5 Points
- 49ers -3.5 Handicap
- Christian McCaffrey to Score a Touchdown
- Deebo Samuel Over 55 Rushing Yards
Tennis
Not all UK betting sites allow you to place a tennis bet builder, however, there are an increasing number of operators who have added this feature for Grand Slam events such as Wimbledon and the French Open as well as other important ATP and WTA events throughout the season.
Tennis is a fast-paced and it’s ideal for in-play betting, however, that means that there is also a possibility for plenty to happen during each contest.
Some examples of tennis events which are available for build a bet:
- Australian Open
- French Open
- ATP Madrid
- WTA Madrid
- ATP Miami
- WTA Miami
- Wimbledon
- US Open
- ATP Finals
- Davis Cup
There are a number of different markets which can be included in a tennis bet builder. These can be combined and there is the potential for a decent return.
Here are some of the markets that you may be able to including in your bet builder:
- Match Winner
- Total Number of Aces
- Total Sets in the Match
- Under/Over Games
- Total Number of Breaks
- Set 1 Score
- Set 2 Score
- Player to Win from Behind
Most UK betting sites offer incredibly detailed statistics on each game and you can easily follow the progress of your bet builder in-play. If you are betting on markets such as breaks of serve, you can now find these stats easily without having to visit the official ATP or WTA website.
An example of a tennis bet builder:
Stefanos Tsitsipas to Win
Over 21.5 Games
Over 7.5 Games in Set 1
Jan Lennard-Struff to Win a Set
Jan Lennard-Struff to be the First Player to Serve a Double Fault
Basketball
Although the NBA has a sizeable following across Europe, basketball hasn’t always been universally loved in the UK. Nevertheless, those who follow this fast-paced sport love to bet on matches throughout the season. With a large number of fixtures to squeeze in, as well as several games taking place every night, there are always ample opportunities to create a bet builder.
The best bet builder betting sites which offer punters the chance to create their own basketball bet has steadily increased over the years and although the NBA understandably tends to dominate, some bookmakers do offer this service on other competitions such as the Euro League.
There are plenty of household names competing in the NBA and this allows punters to explore the player prop markets when it comes to constructing a bet builder.
The availability of markets tend to vary between bookmakers, however, there are a number of options which are universally available when it comes to putting together basketball bet builders:
- Under/Over Points
- Match Spread
- Player Points
- Player Assists
- Player Rebounds
- Player Blocks
- Player Turnovers
- Half Betting
The fast-paced nature of basketball means that plenty can change within the space of a few minutes. This can turn a losing bet builder into a winning one fairly quickly and is one of the many reasons why the NBA is such a fun sport to bet on.
An Example of a basketball bet builder:
Golden State Warriors -3.5 Spread
Over 219.5 Total Points
Stephen Curry Over 30.5 Points
Klay Thompson Over 20 Points
Draymond Green Over 0.5 Steals
Baseball
American sports fans will also be pleased to see that they can now create a bet builder for upcoming baseball matches. The MLB is hugely popular in the US, yet it also has a sizeable following throughout Europe. As a result, betting on baseball has become commonplace.
Although matches don’t take place as frequently as in the NBA, games tend to be spread out throughout the week so there are always plenty of opportunities to create a bet builder.
If you visit any UK betting site, you will find plenty of different leagues and competitions priced up, however, at the time of writing, the MLB is the only one that is available for build a bet. It isn’t currently offered by all UK bookmakers so it’s always best to check before signing up.
Player and team prop markets tend to be the most popular inclusions when it comes to creating a baseball bet builder, however, the number of markets available has steadily increased in recent years. Bet builder markets include:
- Money Line
- Pitcher Props
- Player Bases
- Player Hits
- Team Totals
- Most Hits
- Race to…
This variety of markets allows punters to choose from a range of different options. You can also build an in-play bet builder. As matches tend to last several hours, this is a good way of getting involved if you miss the start of the game.
An Example of a baseball bet builder:
Chicago Cubs Match Spread
Cody Bellinger Over 0.5 Hits
Ian Happ Over 0.5 Runs
Patrick Corbin Over 4.5 Strikeouts
Chicago Cubs Most Hits
How to Place a Bet Builder
UK bookmakers make it exceptionally straightforward to create and place a bet builder. Not every betting site heavily advertises their bet builder tool, however, the majority will make an effort to highlight its whereabouts.
In order to begin assembling a bet builder, you must locate the match page of the game that you’d like to wager on and then follow these simple instructions:
- Click on the Bet Builder or Build a Bet tab
- Once you have located this, a number of markets will appear. You can scroll through these and identify the selections that you’d like to add to your bet builder
- Add these one by one until you are satisfied that your bet builder contains enough selections (some bookmakers allow you to add up to 14 selections)
- Your odds will be automatically generated by the sportsbook. Here you’ll be able to decide whether you are happy with your bet builder
- The selections should be added straight into your betting slip. If they don’t appear, you may need to click ‘add bet’ or ‘add bet builder selections’.
- Add your preferred stake and click on ‘place bet’ or ‘confirm bet’. You can check on the progress of your bet builder at any stage by loading up your betting slip.
Questions about How to Place a Bet Builder
Can I assemble a bet builder using the bookmaker’s mobile app?
Yes, most mobile apps have been designed to replicate the desktop site. As a result, all of the same bet builder options and markets are available on a smartphone or tablet.
What is the minimum number of selections that I can include in a bet builder?
Before placing a bet builder, it is always advised to have a quick browse of the betting site’s terms and conditions. However, most bookmakers in the UK will require a minimum of two selections for your bet to be processed (for example – Liverpool to Win and Under 4.5 Goals).
Can I create an in-play bet builder?
Yes, the majority of bookmakers now allow UK punters to create an in-play bet builder. This is particularly handy if you’d missed the start of an event. However, it should be noted that markets will disappear as the fixture gets closer to its conclusion and it may be difficult to find enough to create a bet builder in the final few moments of a contest.
Can I create a bet builder accumulator?
A bet builder is similar to an accumulator as you can choose multiple selection, however, these will relate to just one solitary fixture. As a result, it is not possible to create a bet builder accumulator. Many bookmakers have pre-selected markets which include multiple selections (team to win and under/over etc) and these may be used for accumulator purposes.
Bet Builder Tips and Strategies
Although using the bet builder function is an extremely popular way to wager on a match, it can be tough to regularly pick winners. Bet builders are similar to accumulators with highly rewarding payouts, yet they can equally as frustrating if you are let down by just a single selection. Our bet builder tips will hopefully give some ideas and enable to create better bets:
- Do Your Research – It may seem like an obvious statement, but it’s always best to check the latest statistics before selecting markets for your bet builder. There are hundreds of sports stats sites available and it’s easier than ever before to make sure that the data backs up your choices.
- Assess Motivation Levels – Ahead of putting together your bet builder, it’s vitally important to assess the motivation levels of both the players and the manager. If a player is facing his former club, will he really fancy scoring against his former employers? Does this manager have a fractious relationship with the opposition fans? Is this a grudge match? Do these two sides have scores to settle? These are pertinent questions and can often be successfully factored into your bet builder selections.
- Don’t Overdo It – With most bookmakers you can add up to 14 selections, however, this simply makes it tougher to win. If you’ve explored all of the different markets and you are happy with your bet builder, then there is very little point in desperately trying to add an extra selection simply to bump up the returns. You’d rather have a winning bet, than an ambitious losing wager.
- Check team news and XIs if Possible – Although you’d understandably prefer to place your bet builder hours in advance, it is strongly advised to wait until team news arrives. Armed with this information, you’ll be able to construct a far better bet builder and avoid falls into common pitfalls such as players moving position or an unexpected change of tactics.
Accumulators and Bet Builders
Accumulator
Accumulators are a hugely popular way of betting, particularly at the weekend. Punters can potentially secure eye-watering sums of money for a small outlay if they’re lucky enough to land one of these. Accumulators consist of a variety of selections from across multiple leagues and competitions and can often feature anywhere between three and 14 selections.
Every selection in an accumulator must be correct in order to secure a return.
Although many UK punters will often include odds-on or short-priced favourites in their accumulator, it can still be extremely tough to land one of these as there are routinely one or two favourites who fail to justify the market support.
Accumulator vs Bet Builder
Accumulators and bet builders are extremely similar. Accumulators may span across a variety of leagues and competitions and punters may also include games which take place across multiple days. A bet builder may also consist of several selections, however, each of these markets is purely focused on just a single sporting event.
This means that you will know whether your bet builder is a winner by the time the event has concluded whereas accumulator bettors may have wait several days for their bet to be settled.
Accumulators consist of multiple unconnected events whereas a bet builder will feature a number of markets which will undoubtedly have an effect on one another. For example, both teams scoring in a Premier League game has absolutely zero influence over whether the same bet lands in La Liga (you may have both games in your accumulator), whereas BTTS landing in your bet builder will also bring you a step closer to over 2.5/over 3.5 goals.
Request a Bet
Request a Bet is very similar to bet builder, however, instead of assembling the bet yourself, you have get in touch with the bookmaker (via social media) and provide them with the details of your chosen bet. Once this has been completed, it will become available for bettors to add to their betting slip. Depending on the bookmaker, you may have to wait several hours in order to receive a response and discover your odds.
Request a Bet vs Bet Builder
Whether your chosen bookmaker offers a bet builder function or a request a bet service, this provides a great way for punters to take control and create their own wager. The advantage of using a bet builder is that you can add the selections yourself at your leisure. If you wish to do this within a few minutes of kick-off, this would not be an issue. However, with request a bet, you must ensure that selections are submitted in advance and give the bookmaker plenty of time to create your accumulator.
Many UK betting sites also offer in-play bet builders whereas it isn’t currently possible to submit a request a bet midway through the first half. By the time this has been priced up, the odds and markets are likely to have changed substantially!
Finally, there are often limitations on the amount of selections that you can include in a request a bet whereas you can choose from up to 14 different markets with a bet builder.
How to Request a Bet
The most common way to use the request a bet service is via social media. You must interact with the bookmaker using Twitter in order to receive your unique odds.
- Find the twitter handle of the betting site (e.g @Sportingbet_com)
- Send them a tweet using the specific request a bet hashtag (you can look at other tweets for inspiration)
- Add the details of your selections to the tweet, double check and click send.
- The bookmaker will provide a link to your request a bet and you can click on this and add it straight to your betting slip.
Bet Builder FAQ
Can I cash out my bet builder?
It is possible to cash out a bet builder with the majority of online bookmakers. You can check your cash out value at any stage once your match goes live. It is worth noting that your cash out value may be temporarily suspended if there is an ongoing incident or controversial moment.
Can I amend my bet builder once it has been placed?
Unfortunately, most bookmakers will not allow you to amend your bet builder once it has been submitted and you have confirmed your selections. It may be possible to cash out your bet builder (occasionally for a slightly lower amount) and create a brand new bet builder from scratch using the money from your cash out.
Can I create an in-play bet builder?
Most betting in the UK will punters to create an in-play bet builder, however, these many be limited to a small number of leagues and competitions so it’s always worth checking before signing up for an account. If you’re watching the match or you have missed the start of an event, this can be a great way to create a bespoke wager for the remainder of the contest.
How do I find out my bet builder odds?
The bookmaker will automatically generate your bet builder odds once you have added each of your selections. The more selections that you include, the better the odds become. Your potential returns will be displayed in your betting slip once you have added each of these selections.
Is it better to place an accumulator or a bet builder?
Accumulators and bet builders are similar, however, there are some notable differences. Accumulators are perfect for wagering across multiple competitions and leagues and you can add selections which kick off at different times/days.
Conclusion
Bet builders are match-specific and each selection relates to a different outcome within the same game. If you are happy to wager on one single fixture, then a bet builder is the ideal way to keep across all of the action. However, if your preference is for betting on multiple matches, then an accumulator is the best option.
- Betting sites
- The Best Bet Builder Betting Sites