Betbuilders has fast become one of the most popular ways to bet and its rise has been attributed to one major country making it more accessible around the world.

According to an expert panel, the rise of betbuilders has been rooted in past innovations.

Marc Thomas, Managing Director at Algosport, cited that the explosion of this style of gambling into other markets in Europe originally came from the parlay style bets favoured in the US.

Thomas said: “The explosion of them came from being used in the US, that was the driving force that has put a need to invest in bet builders. 

“Making it a more accessible product. I think the US country has a much more voracious appetite for stats-led-betting.” 

Thomas went on to say that sports betting has never been as accessible as it is right now, as the other two panelists built on his thoughts. 

Jamie Hart, Head of Gambling at Conquer AI, that the market has now caught up and built on the widespread availability to take bet builders to the next level, which is integrating statistics. 

The onus on metrics such as ‘Player Tackles’ or ‘Player Shots on Target’ are incredibly popular bets and it has all been about ensuring consumers can easily access these bets. 

Hart said: “The market has caught up and now we can deliver these bets but we have to make it simple because the data is far quicker to update.

“I need one more shot from this person and I can see it in real-time and it becomes something I can consume much easier as a customer and making it easier for them to consume.”

Andre Zammit, SVP of Sportsbook of LeoVegas Group, added that some sportsbooks have those stats integrated on its platform – which help to enhance the player experience. 

Zammit said: “Certain sportsbooks mean I don’t need to go elsewhere to find the stats, they are curating that for me next to the odds so it is easy for me to follow. 

“It is an opportunity for sportsbooks who haven’t really addressed that yet.”

Uncertain future in the UK

The panel also discussed the future of the UK market, which remains under pressure from potential tax rises, restrictions and regulations. 

An uncertain future surrounding the market led Hart to say that it would be a poor business move to invest heavily in the UK as a result right now.

“Margins are going up to pay for tax, bookmakers have to try and get more margin and they get more margin-grabbing as they shrink and that hits the British punter. 

“Betting is an entertainment piece but if we lose too quickly, people aren’t engaged as long. People don’t mind spending money as long as they get hours of entertainment but the tax will not do the customers any good if it comes in. 

“Bookmakers invest where the growth is, when you’re sitting at a board table, wondering where to spend the next half a billion, it’s not going to be the UK. 

In response, Thomas continued on from Hart’s point downplaying the potential significance of the concerns raised. 

He said that the claims around the UK regulated market and the potential concerns may be slightly hysterical. 

Thomas said: “I think we are adaptable and resilient and while tax rises and regulatory concerns will have an impact on what we do as an industry and how much we make as an industry.

“Predictions about the death of regulated bookmaking in the UK are potentially, too hysterical.”