Whether it’s football, tennis, rugby or horse racing, there are many ways to place a bet. Two of the most common are the Bet Builder and the Acca. Both involve combining more than one selection into a single wager, but they work in very different ways.
Knowing the differences can help you decide which style might suit how you like to follow sport. This guide breaks each one down in simple terms with clear examples, so even if you’re brand new to betting, you can quickly understand how they work and how they compare.
What Is a Bet Builder?
A Bet Builder lets you combine several outcomes from the same event into one wager. Instead of backing just one result, you can piece together different predictions from within a single match or contest, all placed onto one betting slip.
For example, in football you might choose:
- Arsenal to win against Chelsea,
- over 2.5 goals in the match,
- Bukayo Saka to score at any time.
Placed together, that would form a Bet Builder. Every part has to be correct for the bet to pay out.
Bet Builders aren’t limited to football. Many bookmakers also offer them on tennis matches (such as who you think will win the first set and how many aces will be served), rugby fixtures (like total tries and winning margin), and sometimes even basketball games (for example, a player to score over a set number of points plus the team to win).
The bookmaker calculates the combined price after you add your chosen selections. Because everything comes from one event, you can’t mix in other matches or sports. Some bookmakers call this type of bet a Same Game Multi, but the concept is the same.
Available markets can differ depending on the operator, so it may be worth checking what’s offered before making your pick.
What Is an Acca Bet?
An Acca (short for accumulator) combines selections from different events into one wager. It could be several football matches, or even a mix of sports.
For example, you might select:
- Manchester United to win against Aston Villa,
- Liverpool and Spurs to draw,
- more than 2.5 goals in Newcastle’s match.
That would be a three-selection acca, also called a treble. Two selections make a double, four make a four-fold, and so on.
The odds are multiplied together. If you had three selections at 2/1, 3/1 and 4/1, the overall price would be 2/1 × 3/1 × 4/1, which equals 59/1. This can create higher potential payouts, but remember: if even one selection is wrong, the whole acca loses.
Accas are popular when there is a full fixture list, such as on a Saturday, because they allow you to tie several results together. They are also used in other sports like tennis, rugby, or horse racing.
Key Differences Between Bet Builders and Accas
While both formats let you combine more than one outcome, the way they work is very different.
- Bet Builder: All selections are from a single game. The bookmaker sets the price for the combination after you choose your markets.
- Acca: Selections come from multiple games or sports. The odds are multiplied together to create the final price.
The type of markets also differs. Bet Builders often focus on detailed events in one match such as players, cards or corners. Accas usually cover the main results across games (home win, away win, draw), though many bookmakers now allow goals, handicaps and other options too.
If you want to follow one match closely, a Bet Builder may fit that style. If you prefer keeping an eye on results across several fixtures, you might choose an acca.
Pros and Cons of Bet Builders
Potential Pros
- Lets you shape a bet around a single game, adding elements that match how you think the match could play out.
- Keeps all attention on one fixture, making every incident from kick-off to full-time relevant.
Potential Cons
- Restricted to one game only, so you cannot add in other fixtures or sports.
- Some bookmakers limit which markets can be combined.
- Closely related selections may not produce the price you might expect.
Pros and Cons of Accas
Potential Pros
- One stake covers several matches, instead of placing separate singles.
- Odds are multiplied, so potential payouts can be higher.
- Flexible across competitions and sports, depending on the bookmaker.
Potential Cons
- Every selection must win. If just one loses, the whole bet is lost.
- The more selections you add, the lower the probability of success.
- Some bookmakers set maximum potential payout limits on accas, which can cap any possible returns.
When Should You Use a Bet Builder Instead of an Acca?
It depends on how you like to follow the action. If you care about one match and want to try and predict different aspects of it — from who scores to how many corners there will be — a Bet Builder can capture that in a single slip.
If you prefer spreading predictions across a weekend of fixtures, an acca allows you to group them into one wager. Neither option is better than the other. It comes down to whether your focus is on one game in detail, or several results across the schedule.
Because every bookmaker sets its own rules and available markets, it can be sensible to check the terms before placing any type of bet.
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