A bet builder lets you combine several selections from one football match into a single bet. Every selection has to win for the bet to win, and the bookmaker prices the combination as a whole instead of simply multiplying the odds together.
This guide explains how bet builders work, why the price is shorter than many people expect, and what happens if a leg is void. It is part of our football betting explainers. Bookmakers name and run their versions differently, so check the rules for the one you are using.
What is a bet builder?
A bet builder, also called a same game multi, combines markets from the same match in one bet. A typical example is a team to win, both teams to score and over 2.5 goals. Sky Bet calls its version BuildABet and Betfair calls its version Same Game Multiples.
It works like an accumulator in one important way: every leg must land. If one leg loses, the whole bet loses, however close the others came. Our guides to both teams to score and over and under 2.5 goals explain two of the most common legs.
How does a bet builder work?
You pick a match, then add selections from the markets on offer, and the price updates as you go. Not every market can be combined with every other, and bookmakers set a limit on the number of selections. At Sky Bet the maximum is 10.
Selections that contradict each other cannot be priced together. Sky Bet’s help page gives the example of a team winning 2-0 alongside over 2.5 goals. The two cannot both happen, so the bet cannot be built.
Why are bet builder odds lower than multiplying the legs?
In an accumulator across different matches, the results do not affect each other, so the prices are multiplied. Inside one match the outcomes are linked. A team winning and the match having over 2.5 goals often go together, so landing one makes the other more likely.
Because of that link, the bookmaker prices the combination on the estimated chance of the selections happening together. That is why Betfair’s rules do not allow ordinary multiples that combine related selections from the same event, and offer same game multiples as a separate product. The model behind the price is not published, so you cannot check it by multiplying, as you can with an accumulator.
In broad terms:
- Selections that tell the same story, such as a favourite to win and over 2.5 goals, are linked, so the combined price is shorter than the odds multiplied.
- Selections that pull against each other, such as a clear favourite to win and under 1.5 goals, are priced on how rarely both happen together.
A hypothetical £10 example
These prices are made up for illustration and are not from a real fixture. Say the home win is 2.00 and over 2.5 goals is 1.80. Multiplying gives 3.60, but because the two selections are linked, a bookmaker might price the pair at 3.00 instead.
£10 at 3.00 returns £30, which is your £10 stake plus £20 profit. At the multiplied price of 3.60 it would have returned £36. That £6 gap is the effect of the link between the selections.
Now add both teams to score as a third leg. If the home side win 3-0, the home win and over 2.5 goals both land, but both teams to score does not, so the whole bet loses.
What happens if a leg is void?
A leg is usually voided when a player market cannot be settled, for example if the player takes no part in the match. Rules differ between bookmakers. Some recalculate the bet on the remaining selections, while others void the whole bet and return the stake.
At Sky Bet, a player who takes no part in the match has their leg voided, and the remaining selections stand at the odds of those selections. A player who comes on from the bench counts as a runner. Check the terms before you bet, as late team news can change things.
Does extra time count?
Football markets are normally settled on 90 minutes plus stoppage time, and a bet builder is made up of those markets. Extra time and penalty shootouts are ignored unless the market says otherwise, which matters in cup ties. Our guide to whether extra time counts in betting explains the usual rule.
Can you cash out a bet builder?
Often, but not always. Sky Bet says BuildABets are eligible for Cash Out under its standard rules. Betfair’s rules say cash out is not guaranteed. Availability varies by bookmaker, market and offer.
A cash out offer reflects the current price of the bet, so it can be more or less than your stake. Do not rely on being able to cash out when you choose your selections.
What to check before you bet
Before placing a bet builder, check three things. How many legs need to land? What happens if a player does not play, with a void leg or a void bet? And is the price worth the risk? Each extra leg lowers the chance that all of them win, even if the price gets bigger.
No bet is guaranteed, and you should only stake what you can afford to lose. For more on how we think about stakes and the number of legs, see our guide to building a risk-managed football acca, or our All Sports Tips football page for the week’s matches.
Frequently asked questions
What is a bet builder?
It is a single bet that combines two or more selections from the same football match, such as a team to win and over 2.5 goals. Every selection must win for the bet to win.
How does a bet builder work?
You pick a match and add selections from the markets available, and the bookmaker shows one combined price. Some combinations cannot be built, and there is a limit on the number of selections.
Why are bet builder odds lower than multiplying the legs?
Selections in the same match are linked, so one landing makes another more likely. The bookmaker prices the combination on the chance of them happening together, which gives a shorter price than multiplying.
What happens if a player in a bet builder does not play?
It depends on the bookmaker. Some void that leg and keep the rest of the bet running, while others void the whole bet and return the stake. Read the rules before you bet.
Can you cash out a bet builder?
Often, but it is not guaranteed. Availability depends on the bookmaker, the markets and the offer, and the amount offered can be more or less than your stake.
Further reading: our guide to how double chance bets such as 1X, X2 and 12 work, plus the Sky Bet BuildABet help page, which sets out one bookmaker’s rules for voids, limits and cash out.
18+ only. Please gamble responsibly and read our responsible gambling guidance. For free, confidential support visit BeGambleAware.org.
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